If this post resonates with you and offers insight or inspiration, and if you feel so moved, feel free to share it with others whom you think might appreciate and benefit from it.
This article is a companion piece to the video I have included above. For a more comprehensive understanding, be sure to also watch the video.
Epiphany
I had a huge epiphany in today’s (Monday’s) training, meaning I finally made the connection between an abstract idea and what that means for me - for my body - in actual practice. That epiphany allowed me to recognize the wisdom of my body in the moment and make a choice I never would have known or been able to make before, not without feeling uncertain, disappointed, and anxious about not making progress.
The moment was also another in a series over the years beginning with my first epiphany about the relationship between what I was doing - trying to run on a hobbled body - and what was actually possible for my body - restorative stretching.
Today’s epiphany took me another step towards disentangling from an old, unsustainable habit of making choices based on pride (the unhealthy kind) and grooving a new, sustainable habit of making choices based on my body’s wisdom. The old habit was about driving my body to do what I wanted it to do so I could achieve a goal. The new habit is about being a steward of my body, the vessel I was gifted to carry me through this life, tending it, keeping it in optimum health.
More and more I have come to feel that we don’t yet have the slightest clue what is possible for our bodies because, as a general rule, we do not pay enough attention to them. We don’t, I believe, because the underlying assumption that our bodies are evidence of our sinfulness, our badness, prevents us from valuing and appreciating them as the physical containers for spirit that they are, containers that make it possible for our souls to grow, learn, and evolve - to wisen - in this extraordinary dimension of reality.
While this framing is changing, I feel it still holds sway in a significant way. As with everything, change comes in its own time. We can’t just make it happen. Old structures, in this case inner habit patterns, take time to fall away. Think of a waterfall slowly thawing as Winter transitions into Spring. At first, the ice starts to melt just a little, one drip at a time, and then increasing as the weather warms up. Then, one day, a huge chunk falls away, then another, and another until, before long, the water is gushing over the cliff in a glorious free fall.
Like the waterfall, what we can do every day is simply, patiently be present with the ancient and eternal now, guided by the belief in our worthiness and the worthines of our bodies. As the old drips away and we become aware of new options, we can learn to make decisions that are increasingly loving and supportive of both ourselves and our bodies.
I believe that this act of choosing to love ourselves and our bodies is a revolutionary and evolutionary act, one that starts with faith. As we keep showing up for what we believe day after day, life slowly, one drip at a time, brings evidence of our faith until, one day, old, burdensome chunks begin to fall way. Then, one day, we wake up and find ourselves free.
That’s the path I’m choosing. How about you?
Mentioned in the Video
The Boss Principle
As mentioned in the video, The Boss Principle is a term I came up with when considering how best to convey the importance of the wisdom of “live for another day” in training. I then discovered that it is a term used in situational ethics. Situational ethics, it turns out, is a Christian theological framework for understanding and navigating moral situations.
The source of what I shared about the situational ethics aspect of The Boss Principle comes from a pdf pamphlet I found online called An Introduction to Religion and Ethics Eduqas AS Knowledge Organiser: Theme 3B Situation ethics principles.
For transparency’s sake and so as not to confuse people, I don’t identify as Christian. Nor do I identify as Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, etc. But I appreciate all authentic spiritual wisdom and believe that we are all both part of and guided by a larger beneficent stream that I would call Love.
Kenyan Athletics Running Coach Documentary
Man on a Mission is the documentary Eamonn Coughlan did about Brother Colm O’Connell, the Irish priest who coaches Kenyan runners at the mission school where he works. It’s a wonderful documentary that provides insights into O’Connell’s philosopy, training methods, and coaching style.
Update (September 4, 2024): Due to copyright considerations for this particular video, I decided to take down the embed and add a link, above, to the title of the video.
A Gentle Reminder: On the Nature of this Content
While I am certified as a personal trainer (certified in 2011), I have never worked in the field and, other than attending a weekend workshop learning about the foundations of the Z-Health system, I have not pursued formal continuing education due to illness. Therefore, what I share in my videos and other posts about my personal journey, choices, and insights is not meant to constitute professional advice or training guidance. I am sharing my experiences purely as an individual on a personal journey.
While I will do my best to explain what I’m doing, each person is unique, and what is right for you will depend on your specific situation, so please use your best judgment if you decide to try anything I share. As needed, consult with qualified professionals - such as doctors, physical therapists, certified personal trainers currently working in the field, running coaches, nutritionists, etc. - who can work with you directly to help you reach your goals given your specific circumstances.
An Invitation to Subscribe
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