“Becoming enfleshed means letting the truth of our Belovedness become enfleshed in everything we think, say, or do.”- Henri Nouwen, Life of the Beloved
“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT)
In Chapter 7 (“Try Softer with Your Body”) of Try Softer, Aundi Kolber exhorts you not to see you body as something separate from yourself. Or not see you body as a commodity – needing approval in order to feel loved. Therefore, since you’re beloved, that includes your body. And, your body deserves as much compassionate attention as your psyche. As Aundi stresses, your body is you.
Above all, you must do one thing to achieve wholeness and an integrated life which connects you to yourself, others, and God. You must learn to live with your body. And listen to what your body tells you. Thus, Aundi explains why this matters. The author encourages:
“Learning to embrace our entire selves is not just a spiritual or mental endeavor — it is also an incarnational one. We must come home to ourselves. . . . My body . . . is the physical extension and expression of me. Viewing my body in this way is not just an idea, it must also be lived as an embodied practice . . . . Scripture is so clear about the worth and workmanship of our bodies . . .”
Finally, Aundi notes, Gnosticism represents a primary heresy of the early church. In essence, it teaches that anything spiritual (or related to the soul) = holy. In contrast, anything physical is bad.
However, Aundi stresses, Jesus came to show us the truest, best way to live as humans. Like Jesus, we must embrace our humanity. Therefore, no hierarchy exists in the trying softer life. It’s all sacred. It all counts!
Today’s question: Do you find the truth of your Belovedness enfleshed in all you think, say, or do? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “A functional Gnosticism – many people follow it”
