Embodied Experience

From the Ellis Deck, the Nine of Swords; from the Brownies Oracle, Entanglement:

 ...the path is only accomplished through the body. It is also why we have the Zen saying, “You cannot wash off blood with blood.” That is, you cannot change your mind—your way of seeing—with the mind alone. ~Meido Moore

          If I am anxious before bedtime, I might try reading something uplifting, praying, or chanting Julian of Norwich's phrase "all will be well." It's easy to forget that worry is also carried in the body and will hijack the brain to make sure I stay on red alert. I recently heard a Zen teacher say that people often try to calm themselves with meditation and then complain because it was too hard to focus. He explained that we should start with the body - using a body scan or lengthening our exhales - to allow the body to relax first. Entanglement illustrates the mind-body connection, reminding me of Bernie Siegel's words: "The mind and body are not separate units, but one integrated system." There's no trying to please the one and ignore the other.

 It is through sensations of the body that it actually becomes relaxed—not by concepts and words.

~Guo Gu