BODY-ACCEPTANCE AND THE SPIRITUAL PATH
By Daniel D. Ziegler
OUR SPIRITUAL PATH is the process of seeking self-acceptance at the highest level--the level of our spirit, our higher Self, our divinity. Spiritual awareness, then, is spiritual self-acceptance or acceptance at our highest level of existence.
The journey toward spiritual self-acceptance is precluded, however, by self-acceptance of our lower levels of existence--of our physical, emotional and mental bodies; and spiritual awareness is actually blocked if we hold negative judgments against these lower levels. Thus negative judgments against our bodies, such as shame, embarrassment and disgust, are barriers to self-acceptance of our higher self.
The path to spiritual self-awareness, then, must begin at the very beginning--with body acceptance. Unfortunately in our society, we are bombarded from early age by negative messages about out bodies. Religion, entertainment, the advertising industries, as well as other sources, contribute to poor body image and a lack of self-esteem and self-acceptance. Before we even reach an age of self-awareness, we have already developed deeply ingrained negative attitudes that cloud our self-image.
Poor attitudes about our bodies not only block our path to spiritual awareness but also interfere with our physical and mental health. By sending negative messages to our bodies and by mistreating them in the name of religion, fashion, or whatever, we cause our own dis-ease and illness. Body acceptance, then, not only removes the barriers to spiritual self-acceptance and awareness but also removes the causes of many health problems. A body that is fully accepted and loved thus opens the pathway to spiritual self-acceptance and awareness as well as serving as a healthy physical statement of that spirit.
THE PATH TO BODY ACCEPTANCE
Many self-help books suggest that in order to improve our self-image we should stand naked in front of a mirror, telling ourselves that we are beautiful. While this practice may indeed make it easier for us to stand naked in front of a mirror, it does very little to dispel the notion that our bodies do not fit within the normal range of bodies. That requires that we see other naked bodies.
Abraham Maslow, the famous psychologist, once made a statement to the effect that nudism--that is seeing other nude bodies--is a therapy in and of itself. Nothing is more healing to a poor body image than to see other real bodies because real bodies seldom look like Madison Avenue would have us believe. Real bodies come in such a wide variation that it's not hard to dismiss the idea that we don't fit in somewhere.
To see real naked bodies is definitely therapeutic, but to be seen naked by others is equally important AND necessary. Being seen and accepted by others is the final step in learning to accept our own bodies. Once the negative judgments that stood as barriers to higher awareness are removed, we are healed of our negative body image and we are now free to move to new levels of acceptance and awareness.
The path to body acceptance is often anticipated with a great deal of anxiety because it is thought that it may require years of painful therapy or some sort of traumatic psychological experience. Neither is true. The path to body acceptance is quickly and easily accomplished--and it is fun. Since nudity IS our natural state, so IS body acceptance our natural state. We are born with it and we are simply returning to it; and since we have already been there, there is nothing new to learn. It is simply a remembering of something we've already experienced, and is accomplished with great joy and freedom--and a sense of returning home. The path is social nudism or nude recreation.
To receive a free e-copy (PDF file) of my book NAKED BEFORE GOD: A Look At Healing, Self-discovery and Spiritual Growth Through Social Nudism, go to http://less-onsfortruth.com/ or email me ddziegler44@yahoo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment