Lately I've been in appreciation of one simple thought: I live through my actions. The way I feel is a consequence of what I do with my body. This generally pertains to a number of different things, perhaps how I carry myself or where I choose to move, but mostly I've been thinking about a specific kind of living that occurs in those deep moments of concentration.
These moments I would say are the bridge between my thoughts and actual expression. Thoughts are nice and I do enjoy meditating, but living inside of my mind is more fantasy than reality. Of course, those moments of meditation allow me to really process some difficult concepts or ideas, yet ultimately thoughts rely on our bodies to emerge in a meaningful way.
We've all had moments in which the conversion of thoughts to the physical plane brings us a sort of satisfaction. I imagine it is a varied and personal reaction for each individual, but I describe this as being centered. It's a simple word, but with it comes a sweet exhalation of gratitude and respect for the world. It's obvious at this point, but doing the things we love makes us centered.
Before the word loses all meaning from excessive repetition, I suggest that we all think about the gravity of being centered through our actions. Whatever metaphor you choose to equate this with -- circles, webs, gyres, cycles -- there is a degree of balance and symmetry involved in any case. Each individual is the core of their own world. This comes across as selfish, but we must concede the totally subjective nature of being a human. As the core grows, so do the spokes, strands, and whatnot. We've constructed these worlds for ourselves and they grow at an alarming rate. Be alarmed.
The unfortunate result of idealization is that flaws become salient. It is easy to spot the broken strands in a spider's web. A wheel wobbles if one spoke is misaligned. Of course these things still function quite nominally, yet it is somehow dissatisfying to know that something is off-kilter. Thus we simplify. Cut out the spoke, remove that section of web, cut off the poisoned branch. Now that is some excessive imagery! But I jest. I merely propose that these elements in our surrounding effect us greatly, and it is in our best interest to strengthen our constitution. There will be moments when the wheel is out of balance, but we have to keep riding on it for the time being.
For myself, I become particularly centered through physical activity. Whatever my current hobby or passion may be, I find a great joy in clearing my head and trying to solve a simple problem. With rock climbing or unicycling, the problems are pretty fun. How am I going to get my body from point A to B? In those moments of complete focus, working through frustration to find the solutions is gratifying. Usually the body is simultaneously the means to success and an obstacle in my path. As a result, I improve my physical state while solving problems of movements. It is a bridge between my thoughts, or how I visualize movement, and realistic expression of my body. When I am focused, everything is done naturally. When I force it, I have bad days. Doing this teaches me limits while unlocking potentials. And that's just my personal take on it.
Physical exercise is just one spoke of my wheel. I find my center through intellectual stimulation, which can come from a number of sources. Maybe I feel this when I am interacting with others; it is all in flux. The important part is using all of these aspects of life (yep, I'm using you, too) to grow. And of course this is not a parasitic relationship, although it might be for some.
Along with each personal success I must also acknowledge the fleeting nature of my abilities. I will not always be physically able, or even mentally cognizant. I must know when to move on. I keep my Self strong, because when things change -- and they will -- I will be ready to deal with them appropriately. This acceptance will be a redeeming quality, allowing us to fully enjoy each part of life as it comes. Eventually the wheel will stop spinning, but I'm taking my time to see that it rolls as smoothly as possible until that moment.
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