I dove into a book that my son recommended...Body Mind Balancing by Osho. This book is based on Hindu philosphy and the importance of realizing that the body and mind are, according to the author, 50/50 in their influence. hmmm - possible. In the past, I have read Eastern philosophy with a wall up, the walls of my own culture, religious upbringing.
I am convinced that the Bible is truth, and as I read this, I asked God to point out how it relates to Biblical principles. I realized that the basic premises can be applied, almost scientifically. Osho uses comical everyday life examples to demonstrate how our busy world causes tension and health issues in the body. He says not to contend with your body. It is not your enemy. Unlike many other spiritual texts, Osho tells us to celebrate our body, celebrate its natural responses. It is how we are made. We get tense. We hurry. We fear. We doubt. There is a constant effort to protect and to be secure. Tension is caused when we try to prepare for tomorrow now. We don't want to face reality. We have hang-overs from the past.
The book tells us not to fight ourselves. Growing up in the church, I fought against myself to do right. My life is different now. As I depend on Jesus, who is my life, I am learning to live my life in this body, freely and be who I am with gratitude for how I am made. God's spirit within me gives meaning to the body mind balancing thing, provides confidence and lessening of tension and as a result, a body that responds.
Life is not supposed to be a fight against my needy imperfect self. It is faith in the one who made me and who gives me EVERYTHING to live life in this crazy world. My future is sealed. I am not afraid. Faith in the unseen is not easy. It takes commitment. Therefore I fight the good fight of faith. I can't drum up peace, hope, and love. It is possible for me to let these things develop because of God's spirit in me.
I Timothy 6:12 "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life..."
Add the most key element to life - Jesus - to this book, and there is much to be learned! Here is what I wrote after pondering these things.
Love, joy, peace
Can''t drum it up
Can't act it out
Love, joy, peace
A product of the spirit
Coming out of my core
Focus on love?
Focus on joy?
Focus on peace?
No! It happens in new birth
It evolves with spiritual growth
Love for self
It's happening
Its coming forth
As I rest
Not in what I expect
Or what others expect
But in resting
In all that I am
In God
All of the effort
The striving
The fighting
I need not fight.
If I live the Spirit
My life conforms
To the Spirit