people travel to wonder at the height of the mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long course of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and yet they pass themselves by without wondering.
{st. augustine}
this quote got me thinking {as any good quote is likely to do}. i've said before, and will say again {mostly to remind myself, honestly} that health isn't just about the physical. it isn't just about weight or muscle tone or how many kale leaves were on today's menu. health is about the whole - the sum of the parts - being cared for and nourished. because as human beings, we are more than just physical. i read recently that we have four selves: physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual. maybe that seems like too many, or maybe it seems too simplistic, but regardless- the acknowledgement that we are multifaceted, and more than just a body, is the foundation. that foundation is a concept i can get behind. and years of watching other people live their lives, and of looking at how i live mine, has made so clear - sometimes painfully so - that the emotional/spiritual self should never, ever be forgotten or muted. it should be respected, nurtured even.
i believe that investing the time to begin knowing your self is an integral part of overall health. that you can learn big things, but also little things that make a big difference. like whether you are someone who must have a few hours alone a week to recharge, or whether you recharge best by soaking up the energy of a crowded party/restaurant/amusement park. whether you need a quiet half hour with your coffee every morning before you can face the day, or an hour of tv to turn off your brain before bed. personally, i prefer my interaction with others to be in smaller doses - less people at a time rather than more - but i also struggle when i have very little interaction with others at all, like in my last job. i enjoy the quiet of a saturday morning {and by morning i prefer that to mean sometime around noon...} with a nice mocha and a book or my favorite blogs. when i'm feeling inadequate or unsettled, i turn to craft projects, sewing projects or baking as a coping mechanism to help me feel more productive or in control. these are just a few of the things i've learned about myself over time...what about you?
There are several versions of the self, but it's possible to develop some of them simultaneously. I remember a certain someone recommending Mere Christianity, which helped my intellectual self as well as my spiritual self. Or sometimes, I can go for a good long workout, and I find that my physical self and emotional self feel a lot better. They're distinct, but not separate.
ReplyDeletedistinct, but not separate, is a lovely and succinct way of phrasing the concept. the distinct selves make up the singular whole, and the interrelatedness that comes with being part of a whole inherently leads to overlap. glad to hear a few of your selfs were helped by c.s. lewis and jillian ;)
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