Physical Body and Wisdom, What?
“Our own physical body possesses a wisdom which we who inhabit the body lack.” – Henry Millersanct
I believe most of us don’t realize this truth said by Henry. Henry was an American writer who died in 1980. I think if we had believed in the fact that the body possesses wisdom there would have not been any junk food manufacturers, whatsoever. I believe because then we would work to preserve the sanctity of the body. Alas! We have blatantly neglected our human bodies. We think that no matter what it will get diseased, and continue to eat unhealthy food.
We should have realized, however, that our bodies are not garbage stores that can take in whatever is fed. We wait for the alarm bells. The alarm bells can be in the way of high blood pressure, setting in of diabetes, or a mild heart attack. We continue to anticipate, for the alarm bell to make some positive changes in our lifestyle. We never think that prevention is better than cure. I know that it is a cliché, but it cannot be denied.
Coming to the quote, I honestly believe what Henry says. It is not an irrational statement. You should have the will and desire to know how your body functions, responds, and conducts. It provides various clues and pointers to move in the right direction. It is not a foreign entity, but an inherent component of your own existence. Moreover, physical exercise here takes on the spotlight in understanding the physical body. You interrogate each and every aspect of activity, and further question the other connected aspects. For example, you query about nutrition, sleep, habits, etc. Slowly and steadily you acquire undeniable judiciousness. You realize that your body is not anymore a foe and a burden you carry, but a trustworthy companion.