Friday 15 May

I have been so tired this week. And I hesitate to write that because, really, it's not as though I am driving an hour to school and back twice a day. Or packing to go on a trip. Or running dozens of kilometres a week. But honestly, I am so tired that today I lay down after lunch - even though I had work scheduled - and slept a solid 2 hours.

I mean, who does that?

The funny thing is, I have spent the last few months reading around the topic of the body and its place in what it means to be human. So I am absolutely convinced that our physical and non-physical beings are more fully integrated that we realise. That is to say, my emotional wellbeing impacts on my spiritual vitality, and the health of my relationships affects my capacity to learn, and my nutrition has a knock-on effect on my psychological health.

The bottom line, if you ask me, is that the affects of salvation through Jesus can and do impact on every dimension of what it means to be human. Including how I live in my body.

So really, I shouldn't be surprised that after 61 days in lockdown - with all the concurrent concerns around global shifts, financial security and children's education - my body is feeling the effects. It's funny, though, how deeply ingrained is our divided way of thinking about ourselves. We continue to see our body as separate from the non-physical parts of who we are, imagining it as some sort of Tupperware container for everything that happens in our lives. Stick it in the dishwasher and away we go for another round of service.

On the contrary, original biblical language paints a picture of human life that is God-breathed and with every dimension inextricably enmeshed with the others. As I enter this weekend, aware of my body's need for rest, I am provoked to ask what would be restful for the thinking, feeling, relating, discerning parts of me too? What are those activities that revive my capacity on multiple levels?

How are you? Is your body feeling the impact of this period of anxiety and realignment? How can you pay attention to the needs of your whole being, and find nourishment for the days ahead?