Right now, too many things are happening in my life and not all of them are pleasant. I am getting ready for a major surgery and I don’t know how that will turn out. At the same time, I am being buried by tons of work related to my teaching, research and writing. I also have to carry the burdens and cares for my family, friends and students. Then there are the ubiquitous political battles which I can ignore only at my own peril.
Does my Christian faith provide an answer to all the stresses and problems of human existence?
Can I incorporate God into my daily living so that I can experience His presence and grace in all of life’s circumstances?
Can the Bible give me the guidance, wisdom and inspiration I need so that I will always do the right thing with courage and compassion?
Is there a genuine spiritual transformation in my life that empowers me to overcome and transcend all the trials and tribulations?
Do I have a sense of the sacred in spite of my busyness?
In short, does my Christian faith work in real life?
All the above questions have to do with practical spirituality, which can be defined as the intertwining and integration of spirituality with practicality in a continuous and seamless manner. Thus, our religious belief or spiritual faith should play a vital role in how we live. The practice of spirituality is no longer relegated to Sunday worship service and there should no longer be a wide gap between what we believe and how we behave throughout the week.
In this blog, I want to share with all my readers my journey in the quest for practical spirituality. I also interested in hearing from you about your struggles and discoveries.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
What is total fitness?
Before moving back from British Columbia to Toronto last year, I used to work out at the Fitness World in Coquitlam regularly. While there, it was uplifting to see men and women taking their physical exercises seriously – sweating, grunting and straining themselves with gusto. They don’t mind the price they pay, because they know the reward they get. The benefits of regular physical exercises can be experienced immediately.
Each time I went to the Fitness World, I asked myself: Why can’t we have spiritual fitness? Why can’t we have psychological fitness? Why not total fitness?
The idea of total fitness has been percolating in my mind for several years. Instinctively, everyone can appreciate the need for total fitness that encompasses physical, psychological and spiritual well-being. But I did not know how to combine the three in some form of exercises.
Eastern religions and physical exercises
During the same period, I made several trips to Taiwan to give lectures and workshops on meaning-centered counselling, mostly at Buddhist universities and organizations. These trips gave me some opportunity to learn from the Buddhist masters on mindful meditation.
It was particularly instructive for me to learn a particular style of active mindful meditation, which includes a set of physical exercise as well as regular practice of mindful meditation. While learning this exercise, it dawned on me that active mindful medication was actually a promising way to achieve total fitness.
Since then, I began to do some research on how Eastern religions are related to physical exercises and the various schools of martial arts (Wu Shu). Here are some examples of religion-exercise connections:
Buddhism – Shaolin Kung and Mindful meditation
Taoism – Tai-Chi Chuan and Qi-Gong
Hinduism – Yoga
Shintosim – Aikido and Kendo
All the above exercises are designed to benefit practitioners physically, psychologically and spiritually, but it is possible for individuals not to get involved in the religious root of their preferred exercise.
Western religions and physical fitness
When I survey Western religions, I don’t see any clear connection between religious faith and physical exercises.
The Bible recognizes the value of physical exercises, but priority is given to spiritual exercise. For example, 1 Timothy 4:8 says, “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
The Bible rarely encourages sports, but frequently refers to athletic metaphors for spiritual training. Here are some examples:
“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”(1 Corinthians 9:25-27) “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)
However, the Bible does emphasize the importance of taking care of body. "After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it." (Ephesians 5:29)
Christian total fitness
Is it possible to develop the same kind of Christian total fitness as we find in Eastern religions?
The answer is affirmative. There are already some efforts to integrate Christian beliefs with physical exercises. For example, Laurette Willis has developed stretching exercises as a Christian alternative to Yoga. She has already published two books and DVDs (a) PraiseMoves: The Christian Alternative to Yoga and (b) BASIC Steps to Godly Fitness: Strengthening Your Body and Soul in Christ
There are also various physical fitness training programs that emphasize Bible memorization. Often, such programs are done in boot camps, which provide ample opportunities for rigorous physical activities. BIBLE DRILL is noteworthy for its work with young men ages 11--16.
But we still do not have a well developed systematic approach to integrate physical exercise with Christian faith and psychological well-being. My entries in this Blog represent my personal quest for a Bible-centered total fitness. I invite others to join me in this adventure.
Each time I went to the Fitness World, I asked myself: Why can’t we have spiritual fitness? Why can’t we have psychological fitness? Why not total fitness?
The idea of total fitness has been percolating in my mind for several years. Instinctively, everyone can appreciate the need for total fitness that encompasses physical, psychological and spiritual well-being. But I did not know how to combine the three in some form of exercises.
Eastern religions and physical exercises
During the same period, I made several trips to Taiwan to give lectures and workshops on meaning-centered counselling, mostly at Buddhist universities and organizations. These trips gave me some opportunity to learn from the Buddhist masters on mindful meditation.
It was particularly instructive for me to learn a particular style of active mindful meditation, which includes a set of physical exercise as well as regular practice of mindful meditation. While learning this exercise, it dawned on me that active mindful medication was actually a promising way to achieve total fitness.
Since then, I began to do some research on how Eastern religions are related to physical exercises and the various schools of martial arts (Wu Shu). Here are some examples of religion-exercise connections:
Buddhism – Shaolin Kung and Mindful meditation
Taoism – Tai-Chi Chuan and Qi-Gong
Hinduism – Yoga
Shintosim – Aikido and Kendo
All the above exercises are designed to benefit practitioners physically, psychologically and spiritually, but it is possible for individuals not to get involved in the religious root of their preferred exercise.
Western religions and physical fitness
When I survey Western religions, I don’t see any clear connection between religious faith and physical exercises.
The Bible recognizes the value of physical exercises, but priority is given to spiritual exercise. For example, 1 Timothy 4:8 says, “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
The Bible rarely encourages sports, but frequently refers to athletic metaphors for spiritual training. Here are some examples:
“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”(1 Corinthians 9:25-27) “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)
However, the Bible does emphasize the importance of taking care of body. "After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it." (Ephesians 5:29)
Christian total fitness
Is it possible to develop the same kind of Christian total fitness as we find in Eastern religions?
The answer is affirmative. There are already some efforts to integrate Christian beliefs with physical exercises. For example, Laurette Willis has developed stretching exercises as a Christian alternative to Yoga. She has already published two books and DVDs (a) PraiseMoves: The Christian Alternative to Yoga and (b) BASIC Steps to Godly Fitness: Strengthening Your Body and Soul in Christ
There are also various physical fitness training programs that emphasize Bible memorization. Often, such programs are done in boot camps, which provide ample opportunities for rigorous physical activities. BIBLE DRILL is noteworthy for its work with young men ages 11--16.
But we still do not have a well developed systematic approach to integrate physical exercise with Christian faith and psychological well-being. My entries in this Blog represent my personal quest for a Bible-centered total fitness. I invite others to join me in this adventure.
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