Finding Balance-A Follow Up to the Previous Post

I've been thinking about the idea of "ordinances of the flesh" and balance for the past week.

The soul is the spirit and the body.

I feel unbalanced as a person. I excel in things of the spirit. I love to contemplate spiritual things and I feel I dedicate myself to spiritual joy.

But I haven't prioritized things of the flesh. I live this crazy unbalanced life where I completely ignore my body, in favor of my mind.

After writing about need for ying and yang, men and women, spirit and flesh--I realize that I need a more balanced set of priorities in my life. Taking care of the body isn't about vanity--it's about balance. I guess I've always seen taking care of my body as a more worldly pursuit. And that's wrong!

On Saturday, I got a pass to the gym. I know it's springtime and I should just go for a walk outside--but I don't. I always think I will--and I never do. Or I go three times and then get a sunburn and stop. I went over to Planet Fitness and signed up for the $10/a month plan. That's about what I pay for Netflix. I think it's worth it!

On Saturday, I got on the treadmill and walked for 20 minutes, then worked my pecs. That was all I did. It was a short work out. But it was a good start!

I skipped Sunday. I had planned to go--but instead I had a couple of dear friends over for dinner. It was a rich Sunday evening.

Monday was the clincher. Yesterday was such a good day! I worked ten hours then went to the gym.

I walked 24 minutes--at a pace that kept my heart rate between 140-150. Then I did reps on the ab machine, one of the leg machines, the bench press machine, and one of the weights that works your biceps and your lower back. After the weights--I went back onto the treadmill and did another 20 minutes. It felt great!

I came home, threw some food into the crock pot, did the dishes, and just enjoyed the sense of accomplishment!

Unfortunately, the exercise made falling asleep difficult. I really wish I was a morning person.

Today, I have rehearsal for Soulful Praise (click here for a link to the Facebook event)  tonight from 7-10. I work until 6. There's no way I can make it to the gym before 11pm. I'm trying to figure out what to do there. I have my shoes in the trunk--so I think I'm going to try and go for a 20 minute walk here at work during the day. I just want to develop every day habits. And maybe I'll go tonight anyway!

I am trying to practice what I preach. If I say that men and women are equal and represent the two sides to the self--and I place a higher priority on spiritual things over physical things--then through my actions, I am saying that I think men are better than women--or the spirit is better than the flesh. And despite the fact that I don't feel that way at all--my soul feels neglected. It feels out of balance. So little by little, I am going to love myself into a more balanced person.