COMPARISON OR REALISATION?

Many of us develop an egotistical identification with our bodies, we derive our sense of self from it by comparing it to'others'. There becomes a 'me' and 'my' body and it is looked at in comparison with 'anothers' body. Ego does not just mean a self inflated image of ourselves, it is also the opposite of that, a poor negative look upon ourselves. So people either come to identify themselves with a body they see as beautiful and better than others or as a body they see as ugly and less than others. This comparison, this separation, this illusional self image and story is the ego.

Here's the deal.........

You are not your body. Your body is a fleeting temporary form, it changes and evolves every single moment, it will one day fall away and die as we know it, your body is mortal, YOU ARE ETERNAL. When your physical form fades away what will remain is your true essence, that essence that always was and always will be.

Now that being said, i believe your body is an expression of that essence of spirit. It is one of the many manifestations of that of spirit , that is allowing spirit or God express through you and become conscious of itself, awakening.

In that respect to say your body is beautiful and truly a thing of wonder and marvel is absolutely true, this is not a comparison with someone else, this s not saying you are better or worse than someone else, but realising your own true beauty and perfection, a realisation of everyone and every things true beauty and perfection. This is not separation , but complete inclusion.

Whatever your physical form may be, whatever you think of it, it is a perfect expression of the Devine, it is perfect to let spirit and presence shine through you in whatever way it sees best for your particular expression, everyone is beautiful! Beauty is all that exists.

By not developing some sort of sense of self from your body does not however give us an excuse to neglect it. It is a gift, given to us for our own awakening and expression of spirit, we should treat it with with extreme respect and gratitude. It is allowing us to experience this beautiful fleeting moment, this ephemeral mortal life. It is a gift to be enjoyed fully, to feel its vitality in completeness.

T o any physical culturist and athlete, the physical body is also not only the canvass by which we paint our expression upon, but also the brush we use to do the painting. It truly is a thing of wonder!

Musashi in his Book of Five Rings tells us to 'study our tools'. For all of us our bodies are our tools, some of use them as a direct form of expression of spirit, others it is the medium that allows them to express spirit, be it in writing, art, music, or anything else. This gift, this tool, should be studied deeply and relentlessly.

Even in seeming disability there lies the seed of perfect expression, Ive been reading about many old time circus performers and athletes, who were born with a seeming disability who turned it round to their advantage, they just surrendered and accepted the perfection of what they had, and let spirit use them perfectly as it intended too. The same stands true today.

The realisation is this, are all perfect expression for spirit if we just let go of our ego identity, beauty is inherent in all of us ,no more and no less. And to think how beautiful and amazing the human form is, that is just a tiny fleeting expression of what we truly are, what we truly are in essence is beauty beyond description.

The Adventure awaits.....

David Kelso