This Old Body, Been Good to Me
How many times a day do you thank your body? Do you thank it for keeping you alive, for keeping you healthy, and for having carried you through life so far? Or, as you have gotten older, do you feel your body is “letting you down” as it becomes less able to do all the things you used to do? In my own health practice, I have found that appreciating and being grateful for my body—and anchoring my identity to the deep connection between my body, mind, and soul—is as important to my health as anything else. Although this wasn’t always the case, my gratitude for the body I now have, full of immense power, wonder, and life, along with the wrinkles, helps me appreciate being alive at all, an appreciation I feel every second of every day.
From the dawn of my early life, my body has served me with as much health, patience, and energy as it could as I made my way through life. It has been a faithful friend, subject to the whims and often misguided trials I have put it through. I am so happy to have arrived at a point in my life where I can acknowledge my body, integrate it into my entire being, and treat it the way it deserves to be treated, as a fully-fledged partner in my existence—and not just a vehicle to do my life’s bidding.
Adventures In the Mirror
Just like everyone else on this planet, my primary concern when I was younger was “What do I look like? Have I been given a face and body that is pleasing or attractive? What can I do to enhance my appearance?” Many of these thoughts are linked to attracting a partner. And despite all the well-meaning talk of beauty truly being on the inside, that is not how we behave in this modern world, especially in our younger years. In most walks of life, and especially in the artificial world of screens and social media, vanity rules the day, as does self-criticism for how we look compared to others.
My body took the brunt of my self-criticism when I was younger. I was tall as a teenager but did not have the muscular body that other boys my age had. I was flabby and always struggled to keep off extra weight. (I now realize that my flabby physique was due to my poor, but typical, American diet, coupled with a lack of exercise.) As I write about in my book, my salvation on this front came through doing hard physical labor while working my way through college and, after college, when I worked as a carpenter building houses. By then, my body was well suited to physical work, and I learned that I had strength and stamina to spare. The work burned many calories, and I got thinner and more muscular during those years. It was a lesson I have never forgotten and has served me throughout life.
Grateful for an Aging Body? Yes!
As we get older, a lot of people think that if they can look younger they will “be” younger. But all the cosmetics, plastic surgery, and trendy clothes in the world won’t make that happen. The only way to beat the aging process (or at least slow it down considerably) is from the inside out—by keeping your body’s biology in the best health you can. I don’t know about you, but I find that the fittest and healthiest older people are also the most attractive.
One of the worst things you can do for your health as you get older is tell yourself that your body is “failing” you. Repeating the mantra, “I’m getting old,” especially if you start saying that in your 50s and 60s, is an easy excuse for not putting in the effort it takes to earn many more good years of health, energy, and mobility. In this case, perhaps we are failing our bodies more than they are failing us, especially if we are feeding them junk food, sugary soft drinks, and fatty comfort foods. This goes double if we are not building enough movement and exercise into our lives.
We tend to think of the location of our “selves,” our souls if you will, as in our minds because it’s the source of our individual personalities and our decision-making capabilities. As a result, we might think of our mind as the master and our body as the servant. In truth, our bodies and our minds are partners in our existence.
This is an alternative view that I have discovered over these past years. It is a much more pleasant point of view and also deeply reverent because it informs how I coexist with the world around me. The truth is that the union between body, mind, soul, and universe is a primary condition of existence. As noted Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh writes, anchoring the mind to the body, and experiencing both together in breathing, is a precondition for internal peace. The biology of life pulses through all parts of us, and when it ceases, or even falters, the body, mind, and soul will all cease or falter.
So, rather than criticize yourself for what you look like or feel disappointed or angry that your body is “letting you down” as you age, spend some time appreciating how your body has helped you move through life. Our bodies are arguably the most miraculous creations in the entire universe. If you are using “I’m getting old” as an excuse for not practicing a healthier lifestyle full of movement and natural nutrition, remember that your body is fully capable of healing and getting stronger in later life. It just needs a bit more prompting.
And when thanking your body for all the service it has provided you, you can ask it, “What can I do for you, good friend, in return for all you’ve done for me? How can I help us all (body, mind, and soul) enjoy and appreciate this magical adventure called life, in good health and for as long as possible?” Give your body what it wants, and needs, in this wonderful time of life. You’ll be surprised how much power it still has to return the favor.
