Physical Form

In many spiritual traditions, the body is seen as a problem to be overcome. It is seen as a source of temptation, a prison for the soul, a temporary and troublesome vessel that we must transcend in order to find enlightenment. This is a dangerous and damaging belief. It creates a war within ourselves, a split between spirit and matter. And it is a lie.

The Sacredness of the Body

Your body is not a mistake. It is not a punishment. It is a gift. It is the sacred and holy temple in which your soul resides. It is the instrument through which you experience this world, the vehicle for your awakening. To deny the body is to deny a part of yourself. To hate the body is to hate a part of God.

The Body in Taoism and Advaita Vedanta

Taoism has a deep reverence for the body. It sees the body as a microcosm of the universe, a sacred scene that contains all the elements of nature. The Taoist practices of Qigong and Tai Chi are designed to cultivate the flow of life force energy, or qi, through the body, to bring it into a state of balance and harmony.

Advaita Vedanta, while it emphasizes the ultimate reality of the formless Self, does not negate the importance of the body. The great sage Ramana Maharshi, when asked about the body, said, “The body is a boat. It will carry you to the other shore. But you must not mistake the boat for the shore.” The body is a precious and necessary tool for our spiritual journey. We must take care of it, we must honor it, but we must not identify with it.

A Real-Life Example: The Anorexic Teenager

I once worked with a young woman who was suffering from anorexia. She hated her body. She saw it as a source of shame and disgust. She was trying to punish it, to control it, to make it disappear. Her spiritual practice was a form of spiritual bypassing. She would meditate for hours, trying to escape from the pain of her body.

Our work together was not about getting her to love her body. That was too big of a leap. It was about getting her to be in her body. To feel her feet on the ground. To feel her breath moving in and out of her lungs. To feel the sensation of hunger. Slowly, slowly, she began to inhabit her body. She began to listen to its wisdom. And as she did, the war within her began to subside. She began to see that her body was not her enemy, but her ally. She began to treat it with kindness and respect. And in doing so, she began to heal.

How to Embody This Teaching

Embodying this teaching is about coming home to your body. It’s about treating it not as an object to be perfected, but as a sacred and beloved friend. Here are some practices to help you cultivate a more loving relationship with your physical form:

• Body Scan Meditation: Lie down in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Bring your attention to your feet. Notice any sensations you feel there. Then, slowly move your attention up your body, to your legs, your hips, your torso, your arms, your neck, and your head. Don’t judge what you feel. Just notice. This practice can help you to become more present and embodied.
• Mindful Movement: Engage in some form of mindful movement, such as yoga, qigong, or dance. Move in a way that feels good to your body. Pay attention to the sensations of movement. Let your body be your guide.
• Gratitude Practice for Your Body: At the end of each day, write down three things that you are grateful for about your body. It could be the strength of your legs, the dexterity of your hands, or the simple fact that your heart is beating.

When This Card Appears

When the Physical Form card appears in a reading, it is a powerful call to come back home to your body. It is a sign that you may have been neglecting or dishonoring your physical form, and that it is time to treat it with more love and respect. This card is asking you to listen to the wisdom of your body, to nourish it, to move it, and to celebrate it. It is an invitation to heal the split between spirit and matter, and to embrace the sacredness of your own embodiment.