Movement Is Spiritual

In this reflection, I explore what it means to feel like yourself again, why Joy is the thread that runs through every version of that feeling, and why the only resources you truly need already live within you. When you begin to move the body, you begin to move with spirit. This is for anyone who's been looking outside themselves for something that was never out there to begin with. This is an audio version that is meant for self-reflection. To learn more and start moving, follow along with the movement series (only requires about 5min a day!).

Transcript

Movement is spiritual. Beginning with the body to feel like yourself again. I was face down on my yoga mat, Sweating and sizzling like a seared kebab. As I was about to stretch out my abdomen for another 10 seconds, I heard the words, Moving is spiritual in my ears. I immediately went, OMG, That's me. That's what I'm all about. It took me struggling through a strength training workout titled crispy all over to remind me that movement is spiritual. I started lifting weights again after years of avoiding the gym about three years ago and have followed along to studio era by Maddie Raskin for about a year now. And I truly love it. On this particular day, She specifically said those words that made me perk up again and thank goodness, Because I indeed was scorched to a crisp. Even though it is literally the name of my brand, It made me think, Thank you Maddie, Because my gosh, I don't talk about this enough. So I'll say it again. Spiritual. It is sacred. It's freedom. It's fun and joyful. It makes me feel like me again. It's quite ironic that it took someone reminding me to prompt me to write about it. But it's not the first time, Nor will it be the last. I think as I build and move, I am learning what moving spirit truly means. At this moment in time, I believe it means something different with every day. Some days to feel like me again, I need to slow down and rest. Others, I need to ramp up the energy to feel revitalized. Other days, I may need extra nourishment or extra help getting out of my head. Mostly though, I've found that it's feeling joy with a capital J. Joy makes me feel like me because it brings a spark, An aliveness, An enthusiasm to life. It makes me feel full, Connected, And inspires me to seek out more joy, More beauty, More fun. And movement is the one thing that generates that type of joy. Because all you need is yourself and the body. And that joy doesn't look the same twice. Because there isn't one thing that equates to us feeling like ourselves. It's dynamic. It's complex. It's moving. The rest days are joy. The fired up days are joy. The days you need to get out of your head, Also joy. Just moving with you in a different shade of clothes. That's the beauty of spirit. It's the one thing that makes you you. And when you embody joy, You are embodying spirit because it's unique to you. And connects you to the greater energy of the universe. These days it's harder and harder to decipher what all those delicious ingredients are because we don't move. Instead, They stay stagnant and mushed together so we ignore it, Spit it out, And go about our day. But the more we move with ourselves instead of resisting, Tensing, Or denying what's happening within the body, The more we experience spirit. Movement is an opportunity to experience yourself. Then we have the gift of sharing ourselves, Our true spirit with others. The fact that that's even a thing is spiritual. And yet we continue to look everywhere else for it. But I can promise you that no amount of supplements will bring you joy. No amount of specialty green powders will bring you joy. No amount of serums and essential oils will bring you joy. No external resources are required when you move with your body. The only resources you need live within you. That's spirit. That's the joy that moves through you when you stop looking for it somewhere else and start moving with what's already there. Is quite spiritual. Hence the name Moving Spirit. It's also why I created my current mini-series that focuses on beginning with the body to feel like yourself again. We need to learn how to go back to the basics because every day is different and we need different things. So what makes you feel like yourself? We've all heard the saying, But what actually makes you feel like you in your own words? Feeling like yourself requires you to feel and experience what it means to be you. And that looks different for all of us every day.