Spirit Body Connection—My Whole Self

Speaker: 00:00:02

Hooray, GIA here.

2

: 00:00:05

I'm this week's host of the Creative

Spiritual Journey podcast where Judy and I

3

: 00:00:10

talk about those things that bring us joy.

4

: 00:00:14

For me, I find joy by connecting

with nature, connecting with Jesus

5

: 00:00:19

Christ and our heavenly parents.

6

: 00:00:21

Seasonal living, and all the bits of magic

and wonder I come across while navigating

7

: 00:00:27

this remarkable journey we call life.

8

: 00:00:31

As a basis for so much of what I love to

talk about, I wanna focus my thoughts

9

: 00:00:37

today on the mind body connection.

10

: 00:00:40

I love this topic.

11

: 00:00:42

I have to say that my mind was truly

expanded when I grasp the concept

12

: 00:00:48

that all of the covenants we make

from baptism to the sacrament to

13

: 00:00:53

our temple ordinances aren't just

something we do with our spirit.

14

: 00:00:57

Through thought.

15

: 00:00:59

We perform them with our bodies.

16

: 00:01:01

Think about that.

17

: 00:01:03

We have to have bodies in order to make

covenants, and these covenants aren't

18

: 00:01:08

just for while we're here on earth.

19

: 00:01:11

Listen to this quote from Elder Bednar.

20

: 00:01:13

I.

21

: 00:01:14

The choices we make about the use

of our personal temples, and when

22

: 00:01:19

he says personal temples, he's

talking about our bodies, right?

23

: 00:01:23

The choices we make about our

personal temples will affect

24

: 00:01:28

us throughout all eternity.

25

: 00:01:31

That's powerful and important.

26

: 00:01:34

We have been taught that we're here on

earth to receive a body, which means

27

: 00:01:38

that the whole earth, the whole effort

of its creation was for this experience,

28

: 00:01:45

for the experience of our spirits

being joined with physical bodies.

29

: 00:01:50

So we are these two

things, spirit and body.

30

: 00:01:55

In doctrine and covenants, 88

15, Joseph Smith defined the

31

: 00:02:00

spirit and the body as the soul.

32

: 00:02:04

Does that definition of

soul sound odd to you?

33

: 00:02:08

Growing up, I always thought

of the soul as meaning spirit.

34

: 00:02:12

It was the soul I thought of

as leaving the body at death.

35

: 00:02:16

so I was surprised and a little

thrown off when I learned that Joseph

36

: 00:02:20

Smith used this word differently.

37

: 00:02:23

But it turns out there is historical

precedence for using the word this way.

38

: 00:02:29

definition three of Marian

Webster's Dictionary says The

39

: 00:02:33

soul is a person's total self.

40

: 00:02:37

I love that.

41

: 00:02:38

I love that my spirit and

my body are my total self.

42

: 00:02:42

I am whole When I have both of them.

43

: 00:02:46

When I put my hands over my heart and

close my eyes and take a slow breath,

44

: 00:02:52

I feel like it's me, body and spirit.

45

: 00:02:57

Okay.

46

: 00:02:58

As you may have learned by now, I

love to take the ideas and beliefs

47

: 00:03:03

of the world and find the truth of

them in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

48

: 00:03:08

So listen to the words from

Carl e Backen, from the Center

49

: 00:03:12

of Spirituality and Healing.

50

: 00:03:14

He says, quote Our thoughts,

feelings, beliefs, and attitudes

51

: 00:03:20

can positively or negatively

affect our biological functions.

52

: 00:03:25

In other words, our minds can

affect how healthy our bodies are.

53

: 00:03:30

On the other hand, what we do with

our physical bodies, what we eat,

54

: 00:03:35

how much we exercise, even our

posture can impact our mental state,

55

: 00:03:40

again, positively or negatively.

56

: 00:03:43

this results in a complex

interrelationship between

57

: 00:03:48

our minds and bodies.

58

: 00:03:50

End quote.

59

: 00:03:52

Here is a simplified version of how I

see this concept working in my life.

60

: 00:03:57

If I eat a whole box of cookies,

then I feel fat and gross.

61

: 00:04:03

I lack energy because I feel fat

and gross, and then I feel depressed

62

: 00:04:09

because I feel fat and gross.

63

: 00:04:12

Do I think as clearly when I'm depressed?

64

: 00:04:15

No.

65

: 00:04:16

What I have done physically has affected

my mind and now that my mind is depressed.

66

: 00:04:22

What would any reasonable person do?

67

: 00:04:25

Eat more cookies.

68

: 00:04:27

Why?

69

: 00:04:28

Because that little burst of sugar

gives me my mouth and my brain a

70

: 00:04:33

momentary sense of pleasure and comfort.

71

: 00:04:37

And what does that do to me physically?

72

: 00:04:40

It makes me feel more fat and gross.

73

: 00:04:43

You get my point.

74

: 00:04:44

I don't know about you, but I can go

around and around with this so my mind.

75

: 00:04:51

can affect my body and my

body can affect my mind.

76

: 00:04:55

This sounds simple and maybe a little

obvious, but I think it's cool.

77

: 00:05:00

I love the idea that my mind and my

body are that closely related, but

78

: 00:05:05

notice that I'm talking about the mind.

79

: 00:05:08

What's the difference between the mind and

the spirit, or is the spirit in the mind?

80

: 00:05:14

Hmm.

81

: 00:05:15

Good question.

82

: 00:05:17

Here's what I've come to think.

83

: 00:05:19

The spirit is in the whole body.

84

: 00:05:22

It's in the mind, it's in

the heart, it's in the gut.

85

: 00:05:26

Think when you know something

in your gut with your intuition,

86

: 00:05:30

to me that's the spirit knowing.

87

: 00:05:33

The spirit is in the marrow of my bones.

88

: 00:05:36

When I believe something to the

marrow of my bones, that's the

89

: 00:05:40

deepest belief of my spirit.

90

: 00:05:43

Do I have any proof of this?

91

: 00:05:45

No, but here is a recent experience.

92

: 00:05:49

I was searching the church website and I

came across a talk by Gordon b Hinkley,

93

: 00:05:56

for lack of a better way to describe it.

94

: 00:05:58

I will say that my heart

leapt as I thought of him.

95

: 00:06:02

it had just been forever since I

had had cause to think of him and

96

: 00:06:07

thinking about him made me happy.

97

: 00:06:10

He was such a wonderful man and I felt a

sensation in my heart as I recalled him.

98

: 00:06:17

I didn't have that feeling in my

mind it was in my heart, but it

99

: 00:06:21

wasn't the physical muscle pumping

blood that caused that reaction.

100

: 00:06:26

Nope.

101

: 00:06:27

I believe it was my spirit.

102

: 00:06:30

So to me, this idea that our spirit

is in our whole body makes it all

103

: 00:06:35

the more important that we care

for our bodies because we aren't

104

: 00:06:39

simply caring for the physical, we

are also caring for the spiritual.

105

: 00:06:44

It's all connected.

106

: 00:06:47

okay, so now let's switch

this idea up a little.

107

: 00:06:51

I want to read Moses 6 27.

108

: 00:06:55

Enoch, my son, prophesy unto this

people and say unto them, repent

109

: 00:07:01

for their hearts have waxed hard

and their ears are dull of hearing

110

: 00:07:05

and their eyes cannot see a far off.

111

: 00:07:10

was Enoch preaching to a bunch

of people with heart disease

112

: 00:07:13

that were deaf and blind?

113

: 00:07:15

No.

114

: 00:07:16

Right.

115

: 00:07:17

It was their spirits that had hard

hearts and couldn't see or hear.

116

: 00:07:23

But in order for us to understand what

is happening to our spirit, it often

117

: 00:07:28

appears best to relate it to our body.

118

: 00:07:30

I.

119

: 00:07:31

I recently read through a series of

conference talks, and I was fascinated

120

: 00:07:36

to notice how many references about the

gospel relate to our physical bodies.

121

: 00:07:42

In fact, I began to wonder if we

could even understand the gospel

122

: 00:07:46

if we weren't here on earth.

123

: 00:07:49

Here are just a few examples.

124

: 00:07:51

This is from Sister Bonnie h Cordon.

125

: 00:07:54

Quote.

126

: 00:07:56

The adversary creates so much noise that

it can be difficult to hear the Lord's

127

: 00:08:01

voice, our worlds, our challenges.

128

: 00:08:04

Our circumstances will not get

quieter, but we must hunger and

129

: 00:08:10

thirst after all the things of

Christ to hear him with clarity.

130

: 00:08:16

Notice the word choice, noise,

hearing, hunger, and thirst.

131

: 00:08:22

These are all things that are affecting

our spirits, but could we relate

132

: 00:08:27

to them if we didn't have a body?

133

: 00:08:30

Here's another one from Elder Carl.

134

: 00:08:32

B.

135

: 00:08:33

Cook.

136

: 00:08:34

Exercising faith in our savior, Jesus

Christ helps us overcome discouragement

137

: 00:08:41

no matter what obstacles we encounter.

138

: 00:08:44

Exercise what our spirits understand

the concept of exercise without a body.

139

: 00:08:51

Okay, just one more.

140

: 00:08:53

How about the phrase,

walk the covenant path.

141

: 00:08:58

Could this concept be taught to our

spirit without immortal experience?

142

: 00:09:03

I mean, maybe, I don't know for sure,

but my sense is that our spirit needs a

143

: 00:09:09

physical body to advance in the gospel.

144

: 00:09:13

So flipping it around again, what do

our bodies learn from our spirits?

145

: 00:09:19

Do you know the expression

I'm beside myself?

146

: 00:09:22

What does that mean?

147

: 00:09:24

We are frustrated or annoyed

about something, right?

148

: 00:09:28

But pay attention to the

words I'm beside myself.

149

: 00:09:32

Is that our spirit saying the

body is in such a state right

150

: 00:09:36

now that I can't even be inside.

151

: 00:09:39

I had to get out and walk beside my

body, You might say, it's just a cliche.

152

: 00:09:46

I don't actually feel that way.

153

: 00:09:48

That may be true, but the saying

became a cliche because people

154

: 00:09:53

could relate to the feeling.

155

: 00:09:56

Another phrase you may have

heard is emotional baggage.

156

: 00:10:00

This isn't our body carrying a

bunch of duffel bags and suitcases.

157

: 00:10:04

Nope.

158

: 00:10:05

This is spiritual baggage and

the reality is it can weigh

159

: 00:10:09

down our body's physically.

160

: 00:10:11

Spiritual baggage can round our

shoulders and give us a neck ache.

161

: 00:10:16

Isn't that fascinating?

162

: 00:10:19

So for just another few minutes, I

wanna jump back to Elder Bednar quote.

163

: 00:10:25

The choices we make about our

personal temples will affect

164

: 00:10:29

us throughout all eternity.

165

: 00:10:32

That thought about our bodies

being personal temples is powerful

166

: 00:10:36

and one that has been on my mind.

167

: 00:10:39

So this last week on my Equinox

temple visit, I began to wonder how

168

: 00:10:45

my physical body might resemble the

temple or how what I experience in the

169

: 00:10:52

temple could be applied to my body.

170

: 00:10:56

There are lots of things.

171

: 00:10:57

I'm sure if I thought about it, I

could write a whole podcast on this

172

: 00:11:01

subject, but my thought today is

that while the outside of the temple

173

: 00:11:07

is regal and stately, As soon as

I step inside, I feel a softness.

174

: 00:11:13

A friendliness.

175

: 00:11:15

there is someone around every

corner to help if needed.

176

: 00:11:19

It is a place I can

feel accepted and safe.

177

: 00:11:23

You may have different

feelings in the temple.

178

: 00:11:25

That's okay.

179

: 00:11:26

This is just how I feel.

180

: 00:11:29

And my thought was that these feelings

of softness and acceptance are the

181

: 00:11:34

same feelings that I should have

inside soft and friendly to myself.

182

: 00:11:41

Am I the only one that is a

little mean and prickly inside?

183

: 00:11:46

Let me go back to my example of

eating a whole box of cookies.

184

: 00:11:51

Obviously this could be anything.

185

: 00:11:53

I am only using cookies, because I think

it's something people can relate to.

186

: 00:11:58

Actually, if I'm honest, for

me it would be a whole bag

187

: 00:12:01

of gummy candies regardless.

188

: 00:12:04

Have you ever found that

sugar gives you comfort?

189

: 00:12:08

It does for me, which is something I've

been trying to pay attention to recently.

190

: 00:12:13

If I'm craving sugar, is it my body

or my spirit that wants comfort and

191

: 00:12:19

can I find comfort in a different way?

192

: 00:12:23

I love how Jody Moore, who is

a life coach and podcaster, has

193

: 00:12:28

taught me to talk to myself.

194

: 00:12:30

Now, instead of beating myself up

after eating a bag of gummies, I

195

: 00:12:35

look in the mirror and say something

like this, Hey, GIA, what's going on?

196

: 00:12:41

How have you been feeling?

197

: 00:12:43

You really needed that bag

of gummies, didn't you?

198

: 00:12:47

That's okay.

199

: 00:12:48

I still love you.

200

: 00:12:50

Maybe tomorrow we can find a different

way to bring you some comfort.

201

: 00:12:54

We could go for a walk or drink

tea on the porch, but if you need

202

: 00:12:59

another bag of gummies, that's okay.

203

: 00:13:01

I got you girl.

204

: 00:13:03

Oh, what do you think?

205

: 00:13:05

I know it sounds a little

schizophrenic talking to myself

206

: 00:13:09

like I'm two people, but I like it.

207

: 00:13:12

We all talk to ourselves in

some form anyway, don't we?

208

: 00:13:16

Why not be nice?

209

: 00:13:18

Why not follow the

example set in the temple?

210

: 00:13:22

I want to talk to myself like I'm in

the temple with softness and acceptance.

211

: 00:13:28

I truly believe it will help me

create a healthier relationship

212

: 00:13:32

between my body and my spirit.

213

: 00:13:36

This reminds me of the conference

talk a few years ago by Gary E.

214

: 00:13:40

Stevenson, where he talked about the

science experiment done with rabbits.

215

: 00:13:45

Do you remember this?

216

: 00:13:47

one group of rabbits came out dramatically

healthier than the others, and the

217

: 00:13:53

researchers couldn't figure out why

until they discovered that one of the lab

218

: 00:13:58

assistants talked to and pet the bunnies.

219

: 00:14:01

She was feeding.

220

: 00:14:03

This simple act, made all the difference.

221

: 00:14:07

So what's my point in this podcast?

222

: 00:14:10

It's my goal to become more

aware of my spirit and my body.

223

: 00:14:16

Of my soul, these two

things joined as one.

224

: 00:14:21

I personally don't believe we

can advance spiritually without

225

: 00:14:24

the body, and that our body can't

become perfected without the spirit.

226

: 00:14:30

I am my whole self with a spirit

and a body, and I can't care

227

: 00:14:36

for one without the other.

228

: 00:14:39

My challenge is to pay more attention to

this, to study the gospel, and then go for

229

: 00:14:45

a walk with my body and my spirit in mind.

230

: 00:14:49

For now, I simply want to notice

where I can apply this concept,

231

: 00:14:54

and with time I will see where on

this journey of life it leads me.

232

: 00:15:00

Judy and I know your time is precious

and that you have many choices.

233

: 00:15:05

We love that you have chosen to

walk with us for a few minutes

234

: 00:15:09

as we navigate this life.

235

: 00:15:12

If you like this podcast, will you

take time right now to share it with

236

: 00:15:16

a friend, share it somewhere on social

media, or leave us a five star rating.

237

: 00:15:22

Your efforts will help this podcast make

a bigger impact in the world and will

238

: 00:15:27

tell Judy and me that you like our show

and give us the motivation to keep going.

239

: 00:15:33

Thank you in advance for your help.

240

: 00:15:36

And now let me end with

one more scripture.

241

: 00:15:40

One Corinthians six 20 says, glorify

God in your body and in your spirit.

242

: 00:15:48

Isn't that beautiful?

243

: 00:15:50

We are encouraged to use our

souls, our whole selves, body

244

: 00:15:54

and spirit to glorify God.

245

: 00:15:58

How do we do that?

246

: 00:15:59

I hope it is something you will

be motivated to think about.

247

: 00:16:04

Namaste.