Bodily Health Is Like Spiritual Health

[kafka]

Maybe this is an interesting thought or metaphor. Spiritual health is like bodily health.

For a healthy, well ordered body there are three basic necessities:

sleep, nutrition, exercise.

For a healthy, well ordered soul one needs:

prayer, self-denial, works of mercy.

Prayer, especially the higher forms of prayers is sometimes described like sleep. Resting in God. Praying the Psalms restores one's spirit, and spiritual vitality, strength, etc. like sleep to the body.

Self-denial to be virtuous one has to deny what is licit and lawful in an ordinary life. To be truly healthy in body one must deny himself the foods with less nutrition in favor of foods with a greater potency of nutrition like fruits and vegetables. So there is some likeness.

Works of mercy are specific good acts. Exercise is a bodily action.

Perhaps a metaphor or a good teaching aid, not to be taken too far of course.
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[Bennn]

Body and soul are intimately intertwined, for this is what distinguishes us from Angels and animals. Perhaps eating healthy could be a good ascetical practice for the soul as well, and not just for the body? Seeing that modern man is pretty much addicted to what L_D would call 'highly illogical foods'. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/sweat.gif[/img]

[FaithfulRoseofMary]

[quote name='kafka' date='10 July 2010 - 07:29 PM' timestamp='1278800945' post='2140938']
Maybe this is an interesting thought or metaphor. Spiritual health is like bodily health.

For a healthy, well ordered body there are three basic necessities:

sleep, nutrition, exercise.

For a healthy, well ordered soul one needs:

prayer, self-denial, works of mercy.

Prayer, especially the higher forms of prayers is sometimes described like sleep. Resting in God. Praying the Psalms restores one's spirit, and spiritual vitality, strength, etc. like sleep to the body.

Self-denial to be virtuous one has to deny what is licit and lawful in an ordinary life. To be truly healthy in body one must deny himself the foods with less nutrition in favor of foods with a greater potency of nutrition like fruits and vegetables. So there is some likeness.

Works of mercy are specific good acts. Exercise is a bodily action.

Perhaps a metaphor or a good teaching aid, not to be taken too far of course.
Edit/Delete Message
[/quote]


Thanks for your post. Yes, good metaphor... so much is related.
Have been exploring and 'exercising' the relationship between physical health and spiritual health. One does indeed help the other.
The discipline of exercise helps with the discipline and focus of prayer.

rosaryworkout.com explores this concept.


Will be interested to see other responses....

Thank you again,

[Sarah147]

Interesting comparison.

I would say more like love and prayer are the exercises of the soul, and Holy Communion is the nourishment and life of the soul. And prayer and adoration is restorative to the soul as sleep is to the body.

[Bennn]

[quote name='JoyfulLife' date='28 July 2010 - 08:58 PM' timestamp='1280343516' post='2149171']
Interesting comparison.

I would say more like love and prayer are the exercises of the soul, and Holy Communion is the nourishment and life of the soul. And prayer and adoration is restorative to the soul as sleep is to the body.
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Yes, Holy Communion is in the first place Divine Nourishment for the soul. Sometimes Communion also increases bodily health.

[lookingforfaith]

[quote name='JoyfulLife' date='28 July 2010 - 02:58 PM' timestamp='1280343516' post='2149171']
Interesting comparison.

I would say more like love and prayer are the exercises of the soul, and Holy Communion is the nourishment and life of the soul. And prayer and adoration is restorative to the soul as sleep is to the body.
[/quote]


This is absolutely right.