Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Exercising for the Soul

Last night Caren read an article from the January 2008 Ensign to me. She later did a little write up for her family and I thought I'd share.

[The article ] was a really good one about a woman who had long neglected her physical health and at 120 pounds overweight decided to finally do something about it. Her attitude was right in that she was focused on improving her health and making long-term lifestyle changes, not just losing weight or dropping sizes (though that came eventually too). And over the next few years as she made this physical transformation she realized how much these principles apply as spiritual lessons too. That everything that's true about taking care of our physical bodies is also true about taking care of our spirits.

These are the points that she shared:

  • Natural laws govern all things
  • Pacing yields endurance
  • Resistance builds strength
  • Lengthen your stride
  • Plateaus will happen -- continue anyway
  • Variety helps
  • Toning happens through correct form -- not just additional repetitions
  • Our natural state is not our best state

As she discusses each of these things and how they apply to getting in shape physically, she also makes great comparisons with how they apply to getting in shape spiritually.

2 comments:

Annieofbluegables said...

I know these are true, but when I was exercising regularly, and my health and weight got better, the Spirit was with me as well. I was motivated to read my scriptures more regularly, I only played gospel music, and never had the tv on. One day the kids came home and before I heard the tv, I literally felt the Spirit leave me! Clearly Satan knows this, so that is why it is so hard to get started, I am sure.
floundering down south
a

Sailor said...

Those are very good insights. Thanks!