The body as vehicle for the physical experience 

A Releasing Your Unlimited Creativity discussion topic

Copyright 2009 by K. Ferlic,   All Rights Reserved

The body as vehicle for the physical experience
Physical exercise
Engage the body
Body memories
Body as an antenna
Purifying the body, cleansing the body

In looking creating a personal practice, we need to understand that our body is the vehicle we chose for the physical human experience we desired to have. As any vehicle, we need to learn how to properly use it and maintain it. We also have a choice. We can choose to learn all the feature of the vehicle we use. Or, we can use only selected feature never exploring the range of options and possibilities available to us. For a particular creative endeavor, we only need to know the features of our body which allow for us to experience what we desire. However, if we are going access our unlimited creativity, explore the infinity of our being, desire to create the Ultimate Accident and other similar endeavors which require us to step out of mind, we can expect to faced with exploring many of the features of the body most do not use or use them in a different way.

Three areas which have surfaced routinely in exploring these deeper creative adventure have been body memories, the body as an antenna, and learning to use sexuality in a different way that which most have been taught or learned about sex. Although sex can be incorporated into a personal practice, it is not address here. Observations about creativity and sexuality are discussed in the topic, "Sexuality and creativity."

Physical exercise

The body is a vehicle for the human physical experience and must be maintained. It is designed to be exercised. It is not designed to remain in a fixed position. When the body is not exercises it become weak. Movement is key to the body and the body needs to be exercised. We each need to look at some type and kind of exercise program allows the body to remain if a relatively fit condition. Exactly what type and kind of physical exercise program we need to do depends on what we desire to create. Obviously the more sedentary our life style is more important our exercise program becomes relative to our personal practice. If we are in life activities that provides adequate all around physical exercise, physical exercise would not be needed in our personal practice.

Engage the body

Engaging the body is understanding our body is key to our human physical experience and our creative activities. Every experience we have as a human being is done with and in our body. The more we engage our body in what we do the greater the impact of what we do has on our being. In many ways yoga positions and different yoga positions for different purposes are one way of engaging the body. However, one does not have to use yoga and the traditions which go with that yoga position. From a creativity perspective one is advised against using any body position and teachings of a any tradition unless one desires to create exactly what that traditions tries to do with that position and its associated teachings. Rather, we simply needs to become aware what body positions produce what feeling, thoughts, images and the like. From a personal practice perspective engaging the body is to do other than just sitting, thinking and/or contemplating. It is to be engaged in movement in some way. If we are just going to think and contemplate, we can do so walking, riding a bike, doing some exercise and the like.

Alternatively, using the yoga approach, if we are going to think and contemplate, we may want to consider using different body positions for thinking about different things. For example, traditionally if individuals were going to think about God, many would knee as if they were praying or use prayers and kneeling to talk to God and think about God. However, if we see God as a Creator and someone who really cares about us, we may want to consider laying on the floor with some toys and play with the toys and talk to God as we talk with a playmate. Each of these body positions engage the body but sitting and kneeling will call forth quite different feelings and thoughts as compared to playing with toys on the floor as a child talking with a playmate.

Body memories

The way to understand body memories is that every experience we have we have in the body. Every experience we have has a feeling and we are in a particular body feeling and body position when we have that experience. That feeling, body position and the associated experience can and do become integrally linked. The more emotional the experience, the greater the possible linking. When the body return to such a feeling or position, or is in a situation where the body feels a similar feeling. or is in a particular position with related feeling, we become more open to the memories of the experiences we had with similar body feelings. From a personal practice perspective, metatheaters, varied body activities and body positions and the like can be used to awaken and surface body memories. The intention we hold and the context we create has a great influence on what types and kinds of memories surface through the body.

Body as an antenna

Whether we realize it or not, our body is an antenna. It perceives and senses the energy of Creation. Since we each are unique and we each have a unique body, what we perceive and sense will be slightly different for each of us. Sensing and feeling the energy of Creation is essential to be able to navigate through the unknown when we pursue a true creative endeavor. To be able to discern the various flows of energy of, we must be open to what we feel. Being open to what we feel mean to be open to both the pain and the pleasure. It means to remove any response patterns to life which do not allow us to feel as a result of pain or discomfort we had experienced in the past. Additionally, it needs to be realized that our body is the physical manifestation of our being. In the same way our body senses the energy of Creation our entire being senses the energy of Creation. The more we are open to feel in and with our body, the more we become open to sense and feel in our entire being. Being open to what we feeling in the body and being present in the moment to what we feel opens the door to see through both time and space. Our body as an antenna and being open to what we feel underlies our intuitive guidance, body wisdom and to have inner knowing. From a personal practice perspective, the body as an antenna is about working the issues in life which have or do shut down our ability to feel and to the types and kinds of things which allows us to explore and expand the depth and breadth of the range of what we feel.

Purifying the body, cleansing the body

Many traditions have purification rituals for individuals, objects and things and cleansing rituals for the body. Many traditions talk about the needs to cleanse the body and many believe the body needs to be cleansed. Some are of the belief there are toxic things in the body and they must be cleanses by special diets and/or special enemas to clean toxicity out of the colon. However, from a creativity perspective, the body does not need to be cleansed. The issue is to cleanse the mind of the beliefs and thinking patterns which do not or no longer serve us. What we do with and for the body is more of a ritual and symbolism of what we do to "detoxify" the mind of what does not serve us. Or, realizing the inner is reflected in the outer and we need to make the inner changes first for what we desire to experience externally, what is done to and with the body can be seen and the outward reflection of the inner changes we make to "become clean."

We need to remember our consciousness has a stick-to-it-tive-ness which give rise to all our attachments. When we experience something it can be very difficult for us to release the attachments and our thoughts can literally stick to other thoughts around our attachments. Those are what need to be cleansed and purified. The purifying and cleansing rituals are outward expressions of removing these attachments and the associated stray thoughts which arise from those attachments. In seeking to cleans ourselves in reality we are emptying our vessel and creating a fertile space for new creations to unfold. If we do not empty ourselves of what needs to be released we simply constipate the process have no room for a new creation. Here we need to use what works for us. But, we must remember, the ritual is to convince the nonconscious mind of the change of beliefs we are making. If we do not change the beliefs, the nonconscious will ultimately not change and whatever we do is hallow. We need to use what is effective for us and realize the effectiveness of what we do is dependent on what we believe about the situation at hand. We just need to clearly understand, the body does not need to be purified or cleansed. It is our mind which needs to be purified and cleansed of what no longer serves us.

Related consideration for personal practice topics
Tithing - Focusing time and energy
What we believe
Strength of will
Becoming our truth
Focus
Learning focus
Create the space
Dealing with the mind
Thoughts for taking action
The practice in the long term

Related topics
Meditation

The Password Protected Area provides access to all currently posted (click for current loading) Releasing Your Unlimited Creativity related discussion files and applications.

Top