Oh, what a friend we have in our body. She feels for us, thinks for us, cares for us in ways we are not aware, even as we ignore, neglect and betray her. It’s as though God wants to cradle us in arms so loving, we cannot even detect her presence.

Our body is our connection to the outer world, our interface with everything and everyone we meet. Our body is our connection with our internal self, with our inner world of feeling, choosing, creating meaning. Slow moving, non-judgmental, inclusive, patient, our body knows before we do what is best for us, what is not. Her feeling component companions us throughout our day, signaling joy and pain and disappointment and comfort. Her thinking component connects us to the world of spirit and ideas and eternal wisdom.

Spirit and matter dance within her in interlocking energies, releasing soul and sexuality and infinite possibility. She is a wise guide, careful, watchful, discerning. Only our decision not to feel, not to allow her wisdom to shield us, can untangle her protective hold on us. She stands by us, waiting, during troubling times, when we choose unhealthy relationships, when we sabotage our physical and emotional well-being, when we do whatever it takes to survive loss, fear, and abandonment. She holds us until we can feel again.

Our body serves as gatekeeper and soulcatcher. She knows when we draw too heavily on one energy over another. Some of us will our way through circumstances, relationships, careers,  paying no attention to what our body tries to tell us. Some of us are more in tune with the urgings of soul, the sweet lead of feelings.

When we are too much in our will, when we go against the natural feeling value in the body, when we refuse to consider messages or interventions, like illness, misfortune, broken relationships — when we choose will power over the slower movement of soul, reflection, feeling — our body becomes exhausted, robbed of zest and joy.

She knowingly intercedes, floods us with feelings, dreams, unexpected happenings to get our attention. If we are in touch with our emotional and spiritual self, we slow down our frantic drivenness, get in touch with our feelings, check out our direction, get ourselves back in balance. Our body knows better than we how to listen to deeper needs.

I would not have been so angry with my body as an adolescent if I could have held this awareness of myself as miracle. I would not have taunted her that she was the wrong shape, that she was less than others who had a larger IQ, that her beauty was marred by the birthmark on my leg. I would have stood in awe before her, amazed by my opportunity to walk on this earth.

I find wonder in quantum physics’ view of our bodies as localized occurrences of vibrating energy.  Energy, or spirit, comes together for a brief moment, localizes as our body, carries us through life, allows us to interact with all other forms of vibrating energy, then disintegrates back into pure energy. Our moment in time, our opportunity to participate in this miracle called life, is an instance of localized vibrating spirit.

We would all be mystics if we could hold this awareness of ourselves as spiritual beings on a human journey as we move and interact in this vast universe. We would all be saints if we could lean into this awareness and be compassion for all we meet.

I read a book in college by the naturalist, Loren Eisley, called Immense Journey. It was the author’s imaginings of himself as the Flint River as it made its way through the countryside. He became the river, saw and felt the landscape, the vegetation, the life he passed from the river’s perspective, as if he were himself the river. I would take such a journey through my incredible body, become one with its energies and feel and see the marvels they are.

I’m masculine and feminine energy — focusing, organizing, doing, directing, as well as feeling, creating, being, receiving energy. I’m will energy and soul energy — driving, objective, quick to judge as well as discerning, personal, inclusive, compassionate energy. I’m metabolizing energy, processing food and blood flow and cellular transformations.

I’m skin pigment, hair color, body odor, body fat. I’m love and anger and laughter and tears. I carry within me sickness and wellness and learn from each. Energies all, dancing and changing and flowing and breathing. An immense journey indeed.

We do not have to hold this awareness of how our body works, or of ourselves as spirit, as  energy, as much as we have to allow our body to hold us in her awareness. Our body knows better than we our deeper needs. We have a friend as close as our skin.