 Credit: Carolyn Lake | “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit?” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 New International Version Dear Sweet Listeners: I remember back in the day when I was a little catholic girl, hearing the message that the body is the “temple of the Holy Spirit.” I certainly didn't know what that meant, but a seed was planted. Today, at 67, I am really integrating that idea. For most of my life, it felt as if “I” was my mind or my will or that I was married to success. The body was just something I was dragging around behind me taking care of it when it broke down. |
Even though all these years I've been getting body work, taking regular yoga classes, swimming, hiking, etc., my body wasn't a priority but rather more of a nuisance and sometimes a casual friend that I occasionally met when it cried out for attention. On the outside I was taking care of my body but deeper inside I was living from a position of “benign neglect.”
It really wasn't my intention to ignore my body, it was just that there were so many more important things.
Today, as I age, and as my body requires so much more attention, I'm learning that it is no longer the background music, but rather the foreground; the place of homecoming. It's often been said that when we have our health, we tend to take if for granted. When we do not have our health, it colors every aspect of our lives and moves towards center stage.
A PERSONAL EXAMPLE: My own health is definetly center stage right now. A few years ago, I had a heart condition called takotsubo which was a weakening of a heart muscle. The heart muscle mended but I have since been taking heart and stroke prevention medication. My body doesn't accept the medication easily, so the symptoms have been crazy-making.
About 3 months ago I discovered a world-renowned acupuncturist here in Santa Fe. He diagnosed my condition as adrenal fatigue. The hospital misdiagnosed the heart condition and thus gave me meds for high blood pressure. I actually have low blood pressure so the meds were causing fainting and dizzy spells and 4 trips to the ER.
Now a whole new perspective on my health has been opening up. Adrenal fatigue is often the cause of many chronic illnesses including depression, anxiety, insomnia, allergies, heart problems, respiratory infections, etc., Most people with adrenal fatigue do not look ill, but do function at a much lower energetic level, have grayed out feelings and have trouble getting off the couch. All of these symptoms have been a part of my journey. If you'd like to pursue this topic further, James Wilson's groundbreaking book “Adrenal Fatigue – The 21st century Stress Syndrome” is a great resource.
It's actually been both a treasure and a pleasure to get the new diagnosis and begin loving my body by offering it as many healing resources as I can. I truly am now treating my body as a “temple of the Holy Spirit.” I've been waking up each morning saying “hello adrenals. I'm so sorry for ignoring you for so many years. I'm here now. I'm at your service. I didn't know how important you are and now that I do, I'm on a path for your recovery.”
Acupuncture, the new nutritional program, herbs and rest have already improved my heath considerably. Six weeks ago, I was operating at about 25% of my usual life force, energy patterns. Today I am already up to 45%.
I'm grateful and I wanted to pass on the bigger message that your body is a Temple of the Holy Spirit – so please treasure your beloved body, dear ones, and, the side message is that you may be suffering from adrenal fatigue as well. If you want to find out you would contact a naturopath to take a saliva test for levels of cortisol. That would tell you if you have adrenal fatigue and at what level you may have it.
As I close this blog for today, I wanted to thank you for listening and invite you to consider befriending your own sweet body on a whole new level. Who knows what could happen if our bodies were held as sacred and we treated them with reverence.
“The purpose of your adrenal glads is to help your body cope with stresses. Your resiliency, energy, endurance and your very life all depend on their proper functioning.” James Wilson, “Adrenal Fatigue”
All honor to you,
Patricia
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