The Body is not Mine
“The body is not mine,” say many Buddhists, as well as Shree Bhagavan, creator of the Oneness Blessing University in India.
Whose body is this then?
Before I answer that, I’m going to delve into a few areas of speculation.
I’ve noticed that very successful, wealthy people seem to have one thing in common – a LOT of energy. Often they may not need to sleep much, like 4 or 5 hours, and the rest of the time they operate like human dynamos. With little or no sleep or rest, they perform beautifully for decades. This ability seems to be built into their bodies. They don’t seem to necessarily do anything to deserve it.
I’ve noticed that many people find it easy to do what they want with their bodies. When a person is young and healthy, it is easy to believe that they are in charge of the body. Oftentimes when asking the body to accomplish something we want, it gets done. Except for short detours into flu and colds, broken bones or torn ligaments, the body miraculously and quickly stabilizes and heals itself — seemingly according to our wishes. But this is just an illusion. The body is in charge, not us.
When a person gets a chronic illness, is aging rapidly or developing cancer, all bets are off. Any of these problems makes it easy to notice that the body is not cooperating with our desires.
I suddenly got ill 37 years ago. I found out the body didn’t belong to me and I had little control over it. Most of the time I cannot make the body do what I want it to do. I say THE body, because it isn’t MY body. (e.g. I cannot go to sleep or wake up when I want to, without severe consequences like headaches, nausea, dizziness, grumpiness, brain fog, swollen glands, more fatigue than usual.) Before I became disabled and was still working, I was usually late to work every morning. I could be punctual any other time of the day; the problem was just mornings. I had a fight on my hands every morning, because the body didn’t want to get up when I wanted it to arise. Setting the alarm clock didn’t help. I’d turn off the alarm or ignore the radio and instantly fall back asleep, no matter how much effort I put into waking. I believe these symptoms were already showing a tendency to thyroid problems, chronic fatigue /fibromyalgia, and hypothalmus-pituitary-adrenal axis problems.
This body does what it wants to do, regardless of what I desire. I’m not in the driver’s seat – I’m on the passenger’s side, without an airbag, automatic windows, reclining seats, brakes or accelerator, heater, air conditioner, or even a door handle. Sometimes the radio works, sometimes not. I’ve been on a bumpy ride in this physical vehicle for decades and it shows.
I often say that my mind draws up a contract, which my body cannot pay. (e.g. I make a plan to go to an appointment, but the body is often not able to follow through physically with my plan and I’m forced to cancel.) Why? Why me? What did I do to deserve this fate?
A lot of people in today’s world are sick and tired. Since 1974 we’ve had a huge increase in chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, cancer affects 25% of the world’s population, while vascular diseases and diabetes are on the upswing. Some medical authorities say vascular and diabetic problems are due to how we eat, as well as lack of exercise. What about the other problems? They seem more mysterious.
My partner Paul, who has always weighed a mere 158 pounds, has normal blood pressure and excellent cholesterol levels, and has always been “healthy as a horse.” Recently he had a heart attack and stents were inserted into an artery. He’s an English professor, never did vigorous exercise and eats what he wants. He’s 88 years old. He says his health isn’t due to his character – it’s in his genes. Who knows? Why Paul? Why is he so lucky?
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I’ve found a number of theories that explain the variance in bodies. Remember, I’m not a trained scientist, although I study scientific inquiry, notice and contemplate a lot.
First let’s look at genes. My 29 year-old step-grandson was thought to have Addison’s disease, a rare disorder where the adrenal glands don’t produce enough steroid hormones. Fortunately, the diagnosis was incorrect, alhough he says the severity is a 4 on a scale of 1-5, so he’s pretty sick. Recently he had his DNA tested with 23andme. His DNA shows that his body has a moderate inclination towards inflammatory diseases, as well as potential problems with his thyroid and adrenals, along with a genetic disorder called MTHFR. He’s a young person, in the prime of his life and career. Why him? Why now? Why ever?
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Dr. Bruce Lipton, author of The Biology of Belief, a former medical school professor and research scientist, says (along with many other scientists) that it’s not just our DNA affecting us. There are switches that turn DNA off and on. These switches are controlled by our environment and also food, a new science called Epigenetics,
“His experiments, and that of other leading edge scientists, have examined in great detail the processes by which cells receive information. The implications of this research radically change our understanding of life. It shows that genes and DNA do not control our biology; that instead DNA is controlled by signals from outside the cell, including the energetic messages emanating from our positive and negative thoughts. Dr. Lipton’s profoundly hopeful synthesis of the latest and best research in cell biology and quantum physics is being hailed as a major breakthrough showing that our bodies can be changed as we re-train our thinking.”¹
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Dr. Lipton’s friend and colleague, Rob Williams, posits in his workshop Psych-K, based on the biology of belief, that it’s not just any thinking that we must retrain. Conscious thoughts only make up about 5% of our consciousness. Therefore, a human being must somehow connect and communicate with, and subsequently change the remaining 95% of subconscious thoughts in order to make significant changes.²
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Furthermore, Dr. Candace Pert in her book Everything you Need to Know to Feel Go(o)d has come up with yet another radical theory. Dr. Pert is not an airy-fairy new-ager. “Dr. Candace Pert is an internationally recognized pharmacologist who has published over 250 scientific articles. She received her Ph.D. in pharmacology from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, served as Chief of the Section on Brain Biochemistry of the Clinical Neuroscience Branch of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), held a Research Professorship in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC, and is currently working in a private company developing an AIDS vaccine in addition to treatments for other diseases.” Her concept: the subconscious mind does not reside in the body. The subconscious mind IS the body. The body is the subconscious mind.³
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Dr. Michael Newton, during his 40 years as therapist, hypotherapist and teacher, uncovered the mystery of life through working with thousands of patients. His findings: in our sojourn during our Life between Lives, in the so-called spiritual realm, we each decide what we need to learn and with whom, make a contract for our new life, and immerse ourselves in that life at conception. Then the plan begins to unfold. When the body gets to the end of its tenure by accident or illness, it dies — while our authentic self continues into the spirit realm, then ultimately goes to live in yet another body.
That means what happens to each of us in life is not a “crap-shoot” as Paul so eloquently explains. Our lives are exquisitely thought out and planned in advance, including what happens to our physical bodies. The problem might be is we don’t remember what we planned. Hence, we may feel shocked when the body doesn’t do what we expect it to do. Patients have gone to Dr. Newton in their “search for meaning, purpose and a divine plan in their lives.”⁴ And probably looking for answers to their problems, physical and otherwise.
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Robert Schwartz, author of Your Soul’s Plan, Discovering the Real Meaning of the Life you Planned Before you were Born, offers a clear rationale for life’s difficulties and a way to appreciate and resolve them. Mr. Schwartz offers stories of 10 individual who planned their lives to include huge challenges, meant to foster growth, healing of unwanted patterns, and evolution of their spiritual beings.⁵
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Lastly I want to mention astrology. Although astrology has gotten a bad rap from some scientists and religions, after studying it for 43 years, I find it abounds with vital information (natal, progressed, comparative and astro-cartography charts) and helpful timing tips to know when our DNA switches are in position to be activated (transits). Like DNA, astrology shows tendencies and predispositions, not just for our physical bodies but also behavior, personality traits, and relationships. Astrology is like a personal (possible) road map of our journey through life.
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Back to my main question…. whose body is this? Apparently it is a vehicle on loan to us from the universe, with a consciousness and intelligence of its own, one that can digest, assimilate, excrete, and run its multiple functions without our conscious knowledge or assistance. The body is attached to all the goodies (DNA proclivities, plans for experiences and people, environmental receptors, and a blueprint to follow) in order for us to learn, grow and develop further into spiritual beings. So the body is a living tool, an organic apparatus for us to live in, while we practice what we came here to experience.
A body can be likened to a car. When we’re young and vibrant, many of us are driving fast, sporty cars.
(pixabay free images)
If we’re older or ill, we may have an old clunker, maybe public transportation, or simply walk.
(pixabay free images)
When mature or wiser, we might opt for an economical or hybrid car. As we age, we get too old, ill, or blind to drive anymore and our license to drive is taken away. I’ve noticed some people can make changes to their “cars” – through exercise, good food, clean water, positive thoughts. But can these environmental influences alter the basic structure of our beings? Can it modulate, but not actually heal, unless healing is the plan? What about me? I’ve tried so much and am still sick. The answer is: I don’t know.
However, I’m not saying we should sit back and give up if we are physically, mentally, psychologically, or age challenged.
After much studying and doing past life readings for decades, I have a hunch that if we don’t learn, we come back and try the lesson again. The same may be true of those who commit suicide. However, the next time the challenges might be even tougher.
One thing I have realized in all my studies and visits to doctors is that bodies are not mechanical. We cannot take them apart and put them back together like machines. We are not given medicine to heal our bodies, but generally to mask symptoms. Surgery has its limits, too. Bodies operate synergistically, collaboratively, and cooperatively within themselves — organically.
So — what about me and this body? I believe I set up this body to operate in exactly the way it does. I tried hundreds of alleopathic doctors, not to mention decades of alternative healing modalities. So much so that I wrote a book about my learning: Alternatives for Everyone, A Guide to Non-Traditional Health Care. 2nd edition is now out on Amazon, Kindle and Smashwords. Nowadays I find that surrender, trust, and gratitude works best for me. And I continue to improve my core being.
Regarding Paul and his grandson — and the rest of us. There’s no one and nothing to blame OR applaud. What goes on in our bodies is wonderfully planned and amazingly executed – presumably by our higher selves. “Everything is perfect,” my Elder friends tell me, “for our learning, growth and evolution.”
Bruce Lipton, Biology of Belief¹
Rob Williams, Psych-K ²
Candace Pert³
Dr. Michael Newton⁴
Robert Schwartz , Your Soul’s Plan⁵
excerpt: COSMIC GRANDMA WISDOM copyright Lauren O. Thyme 2017
https://www.amazon.com/Cosmic-Grandma-Wisdom-Lauren-Thyme/dp/0998344621
originally published in GaldePress Blog, copyright Lauren O. Thyme Aug. 12, 2012
