Your body - Your Temple

This morning my boyfriend woke up earlier than usual and was awake and up for my morning routine; deep breathing, a cup of tea, the occasional oil pull, and asanas and pranayama. 

His comment got me thinking how taking care of our bodies is our job we need to do every day.  I believe that the body is a temple; it is home to our mind and our soul, the true significance of our life.   It is our duty to exercise our body so that we can improve our mind and nurture our soul to continue our development as spiritual beings.  Our bodies are not to be abused or neglected; they should be treated as something that is sacred and the house to life.

Yoga is my way to keep my body a healthy temple.  The idea of the body as a temple stems make to the earliest stages of yoga; respect for all, including the body.  Through the practice there is constant evidence that yoga is a way to treat your body as a temple.

Asanas work to keep the physical body healthy and strong.  I look at daily asanas as daily upkeep, keeping the house clean is a daily task and so should your body.  Practicing ayurveda gives us a little more than asanas and makes for a routine of self-care. 

Through daily yoga practices and a healthy lifestyle we can achieve the four purusharthas; dharma, living life’s purpose; artha, the prosperity and wealthy needed to live well; kama, the enjoyment and pleasure; and moksha, the spiritual liberation. 

We are born into untouched bodies that experience every stage of life with us.  If we do not take care of that, our experiences stop and we can no long evolve our minds or our spirit.  The way you treat your body effects your soul and who you are as a human being. We shouldn’t just focus on keeping our body active and physically healthy, it is equality as important to nourish the body with spirituality and wholesome nourishing food.  Surround yourself with people who life your spirits and challenge you.  Stay positive and your body will thank you.

Your body is your temple, take care of it.

Namaste.
Anita