Body and Soul

(image from leadershiptraq.com)

I've read that the way we treat our bodies is a reflection of the way we treat our spirits.

That's an inspiring thought.

Do you think that's true?  To what extent?  Can you think of any examples?

If this is true, that would mean there's a connection between the good habits you may have of daily feeding your body nutritious foods, and daily feeding your spirit with the things that nourish it.

It might also mean there's a connection between picking at your zits, and "picking at" or criticizing your personality flaws.

But just as the body can heal itself from anything as small as zit-picking or as large as a broken bone, so too can the spirit recover from any wound, whether it be as "small" as a self-critical thought or as large as a major sin.

Some wounds we can heal on our own.  But some may need professional aid, often from multiple sources.

Jesus Christ is the ultimate source of all healing.

Because of Him, we can heal from any wound, physical or spiritual.

For more on the Savior's healing power, see mormon.org/beliefs/jesus-christ.

Peace out.

Our powerful roles as women, and men. As God's children.

Though I don't know everything, I know this:  

I am a daughter of God, my Heavenly Father, who loves me, and has great plans for my growth and happiness.  

This speech is pretty long (almost an hour), but it is worth listening to, especially if you have concerns about how Mormon's regard and treat women.  Please, listen with an open heart to the beliefs of Sharon Eubank, director of Humanitarian Services and LDS Charities.  I enthusiastically agree with her.  There is more to life than this temporary world!

Link is here

Feel-goods and Feel-bads

Emotions.
They are a peculiar thing.

Whether it's that fluttering you get inside when you think you're falling in love,

The pain of betrayal by someone you trusted,

Or those tender feelings of compassion when you sympathize with another human being,

You notice your emotions.

And sometimes, you struggle with them.

David A. Bednar (shown above) once said:

"In the classroom of mortality, 

we experience tenderness, love, kindness, happiness,

sorrow, disappointment, pain,

and even the challenges of physical limitations

in ways that prepare us for eternity.  Simply stated,

there are lessons we must learn and experiences we must have, 
as the scriptures describe,

'according to the flesh.'"

{{Things As They Really Are}}

See also: 1 Nephi 19:6; Alma 7:12-13

My thoughts?
I believe that we all existed as spirit children of our Heavenly Father before we came to earth.
That we did not have bodies before this earth life; and that
a huge part of our reason for coming was to obtain our own bodies.

David A. Bednar said that we experience those feelings in mortality as preparation for eternity.  "According to the flesh" means that ways in which we we experience them are likely unique to our mortal life (where we live in the flesh).

Personally, I think that these emotions we feel--tenderness, love, kindness, happiness, sorrow, disappointment, pain, etc.--at the intensity we feel them now, are new to us.  I think we had emotions before, but our physical bodies enhance them to a level that we've never experienced before.  Maybe part of this earth life is meant to be a learning experience for us on handling emotions.

Look around and you'll see all the different ways that people try to deal with their emotions.  We have developed so many ways to suppress, escape, or communicate them. Some examples and/or consequences include medications, art, food, drug addictions, behavioral addictions, posturing, music, dance, prayer, exercise, etc.
{Let me just put a special plug in for prayer!  God hears you.}

We are learning beings.  Always learning, learning, learning...

I don't mean to imply that emotion is "the answer to everything."  I just mean to say that, I believe, the intense emotions we experience might be entirely new to our souls, and therefore it's normal and expected to be a little unsure about what to do with them.

But let's keep this in mind:
Emotion, by definition, is meant to lead to motion.

So let's put them to good use!
"...bear one another's burdens that they may be light.... mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that stand in need of comfort..."
Mosiah 18:8-10

beautiful things:
our bodies
emotions
learning and growing from the good and painful
love and service to others

and much, much, more.




peace out.