Friday, August 20, 2004

Minding a Body

The more I experience, the less it seems that I can attest to the distinctions between body and mind, or mind and spirit.

Sampson was diminished when even his hair was cut.

When I'm told Elder Haight has passed away, tears spring from my eyes, unbidden.

When an acupuncture needle is placed between my eyebrows, I shortly find myself deep in meditation.

When I lean on the shoulder of the man beside me in a yoga class, I have the sudden, completely physical, feeling that we together are a single person.

Can a mind control a body? Can a spirit?

What good would that be?

I've opted not to annoy the scientists with my unprovable theories. I'm ok with being a body -- but only because I think a body implies a spirit -- a mind -- as much as it implies protons and neutrons, and all the rest.

We are open systems, not only with regard to breath and food.

Mind and body and spirit as one.

This Mormon's trinity.