Going to the gym: not just good for the thighs

All this talk on facebook about going to the gym and the benefits of doing lunges made me remember something. Since my days at Blixembosch, I've had the experience that going to the gym does more for me than rehabilitate my physical body. It's also a great spiritual practice because it challenges me to let go of ego and allows me the opportunity to connect with the power of Now.

For instance
When I practice lunges, I hold my arms out to stay balanced which often makes me look and feel like I'm on a surf board. When I first began practicing lunges, I had to keep hold of the bench with my left hand. Now, having let go, bending both knees while keeping my balance takes all of my focus or else I begin to tip over. As a further challenge, I do all this in front of a huge, mirrored wall and strangers all around, sometimes themselves doing lunges, going from one side of the gym to the other while holding weights, no less.

Mirror mirror
My ego loves the mirror as it reflects an awkward, badly dressed, close-to-40-something woman having a bad hair day who looks extremely silly and uncoordinated. "Is that supposed to be a lunge? Does she think she's practicing for the Hawaiian Open or what?" Of course, then my ego tells me that the strangers around me (who my ego sees as normal, beautiful and trendy) must be thinking the same thing.

Focus, Daniel-san
If I listen to these thoughts or loose focus for one moment worrying about what the guy next to me may or may not be thinking (something I could never know anyway), I loose my balance and my connection with the power the present provides me. Then the real practice begins, to regain my focus, ignore the guy and the ego, feeling the sensation in my legs as I bend again, the muscles growing, my brain adapting to the movement. Months later, lo and behold, I can bend deeper and balance better than ever before. Wax on, wax off. Wax on, wax off. Pow!

So, perhaps the next time you go into the gym or workout at home, you'll think of this added spiritual dimension and gain more than you thought possible. By the way, thanks for all the responses on the latest few posts. It's good to be back. Love, light and keep in touch.