In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to AdventI cannot think of a more fitting image to portray the transformation that comes with spiritual awakening than birth—the divine revealing Itself in and through a human body. If we explore the Christmas story metaphysically, and imagine that all elements of the story signify some part of us, the birth of the divine in the stable is particularly inspiring. We can readily see that the crowed inn with no room for the divine birth represents our mind when it is too full of restless thoughts to allow any divine inspiration to arise. No birth, no divine inspiration, can be found there at that level of ordinary consciousness. But what are we to make of the stable where the birth takes place?
To discover more about this birthplace, imagine what it was
like. Most of us have been in a barn or a stable at some point. What was it
like? Some of the impressions we might recall are: damp, warm, smelly, full of
the energy and sounds of animals, teeming with life, humble. We discover that
these descriptors have much in common with the human body. The scriptures from
many traditions point out that the body is the dwelling place of God. Yet many
of us either ignore, abuse, or indulge the body, not giving it its proper due
as the temple of Spirit
The Lord of Love dwells in every heart. The body is the temple of Spirit
Practice: Include
the physical body in your sadhana today—whether it is hatha yoga, tai chi,
Qigong, massage, or simply going for a mindful walk in nature. Use your breath
to enter the body temple and connect to prana, subtle energy. Feel the energy
of your body and know it is alive with Spirit.
Contemplate:
Who is wise,The eloquent or the quiet person?
Be quiet, and loving and fearless.
For the mind talks.
But the body knows.
—Saying of the Buddha from the Dhammapada
Reflect: What is
my relationship to my physical body? Do I honor and respect it as the temple of God
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