At this day and age you would think the fact that our physical bodies require exercise is such as no brainer... however I keep coming across 'spiritual' people who feel they are on the journey of their lifetimes without getting off of their arse.

Well, that is simply not possible - you can get some of the way down that long road, however, without being physically active you are not going to get far. This trip simply requires all of you - body, mind and spirit to be fully present and in working order.

Exercise or physical activity has many benefits for the body and mind. Science has been studying some of them for well over a century and perhaps longer and there is much written on this subject. Sport psychology is newer science but nevertheless equally important with some well known axioms such as the part played by the mind in achievement.

One aspect of our humanness that often gets left out of this equation is how exercise has many positive benefits for our spiritual selves. We often think of this part of us as existing outside or separate in some manner from the rest of our denser attributes. However, it is not, we are not and physical exercise is critical to the health of our entire being.

Some of the ways that exercise can benefit those of us walking a spiritual path in particular are centered around our energy field, while other positive aspects are more grounded in this reality. The following are a few of my own observations about spirit and exercise.

1. Exercise helps build an energy bridge between body, mind and spirit. We can look at this in terms of newly formed synapses in the brain or to better development and function of glands such as the pineal gland involved in the awakening of higher consciousness. Of course, our minds are far clearer, insights and ideas often arrive through activity and we feel more connected within.

2. There is a large element of detox arising from exercise which has immediate and far reaching advantages for the entire body, but also for the spiritual aspects of our beings. When we are detoxing regularly some of the poisons we have been exposed to, every cellular process benefits from this. Not only are we brighter and lighter we are also able to experience our path more and perhaps enjoy it. Detoxing clears the spirit as much as the body and mind.

3. When we move physically our energy field responds by shifting and realignment - this is an important function of exercise, energy blocks, resistance and stagnant areas within the energy field will be forced to loosen up and will be easier to work on. It's like any other place where there has been little light for some time, once you give it a bit of a shake, the whole thing may unravel.

4. Building the body is not the least of these - perhaps it is the most overlooked aspect of exercising for spiritual reasons. Even for those of us walking this spiritual path, we often lose sight of the fact that 'god' or our divine light, resides inside of us. This means we are literally the 'house of god' and must take care accordingly. This is not complicated - take care of your body and it will reward you with wonderful health and a deeper connection to higher consciousness.

5. Another aspect to having a daily exercise regimen is the fact that nothing else on earth balances hormones as quickly or as easily as adequate exercise. Our endocrine function is a fundamental piece of communication for inner worlds in a multi-dimensional human being. When any part of our hormonal transmission and exchange is not working - we are not receiving inner guidance as we should. This can be a risky experience for those walking the path of higher consciousness.

There are many other positive benefits of exercise these are just a few listed here that I can say I notice on a daily basis. You must be in your body to walk this path, it is the only place where it all happens and the only space you can occupy.

Make the most of it, for your own benefit.

April