The majority of New Year’s Resolutions have to do with one of two topics:  finances or personal health.  We’ll be talking about finances in our next post.  For now, let’s get real with this earthy sphere of self-improvement.

Before I get too far into this topic, I will openly admit that, when it comes to being fit and healthy, I have things to learn, pounds to lose, and better habits to establish.  So, I’m preaching in front of the mirror here, making sure that I have an unwavering eye on the person who most needs to listen to this — that is, me. 

Sadly, however, I am not alone in failing to master this sphere of personal empowerment.  I won’t go so far as to say that Pagans, as a whole, are overweight, out of shape, and in poor health.  It’s not just Pagans — it’s the Western world.  Stress, processed food, lack of movement, lack of self-control, long working days and increased societal “do-it-all-and-do-it-yesterday” expectations make for the perfect storm when it comes to taking care of our bodies.  Add to this list preservatives, pesticides, water additives, genetically modified food crops, artificial sweeteners and fillers designed to give us “all the pleasure, none of the guilt” and we’re sinking ships from a health perspective.

It’s ironic, if you think about it.  Earth-centered spirituality adherents, you would think, would be shopping organically, growing their own food perhaps, and super-conscious about the chemicals, harvesting methods and animal testing involved in products they consume.  You might also expect that Witches, especially, would understand and espouse the need for elemental balance and thus give some extra attention to the physical sphere of their existence.  Please don’t think I’m calling anyone on the carpet here… you know what things you could improve and, I promise you, I have some of those things on my list, too.

The physical sphere tends to be the last arena of change for many Pagans.  It’s not really any surprise – modern Pagans tend to focus on our upper chakras and their related gifts and abilities (spirituality, psychic development, communication, intelligence and learning).  It’s what we love — though I would say we also love our food based on the queues at the feast hall I see at gatherings! 

And regardless of whether or not you’re Pagan, our society seems to push us towards one extreme or the other in regards to health:  either we must obsess about it to a point that is unhealthy, or we must focus on the million other things we have to do and put our physical needs last on the to-do-list.  Neither approach is balanced, healthy, or supportive of the Earth sphere of our lives.

To make things even more difficult, there is quite the movement within the modern Pagan community about Acceptance.  You might have heard the phrase, “I have the body of a Goddess… the Venus of Willendorf!”  While no modern doctor would agree that our dear Venus had even close to an acceptable BMI, I will step forward and state that acceptance of one’s current state of health (or lack thereof) is an important part of the process when it comes to making a change.

The only problem is, so many people believe that Acceptance is a good stopping point.  It’s not. 

Acceptance allows us to relax and become comfortable with all the aspects of what is.  Once we fully embrace that knowing of our situation, we can more readily decide if we wish to remain in that situation or not.  It might be “traditional” these days to embrace our bodies for what they are — svelte or obese, skinny or curvaceous — but rarely in times past was poor health a positive attribute for a member of the priesthood.

Magickal energies take their toll on the physical body.  Good health is necessary for optimum energy conduction and flow.  Stamina is important to ensure control of forces over a long period of time.  Internal balance and constitution assists with healing, channeling, and the simple requirement of having the energy on hand to tend to an emergency.  Many priesthoods subsisted on special diets, choosing to abstain from meats or fermented drinks.  Many partook in fasting for cleansing and attuning purposes.  Basically, those who are vessels for the gods have long understood that the physical body is indeed a temple.

So, I ask you — what is the state of your temple?  When is the last time you walked through your body mentally?  Do you feed it basedon what you crave or what it needs?  Every time you eat, are you aware that you are partaking of part of the cosmos?  Do you read labels and understand what you are making part of your cellular structure?  Do you aim to maintain physical clarity in order to maintain spiritual clarity?  Do you move your body and give it the resistance it needs to remain strong, to pump the blood through your system and circulate and remove toxins?  Do you get enough sleep to allow your body to heal and your mind to process the day’s events?  Do you breathe?  Do you know how to breathe in a way that lowers stress hormones and cleanses your system?  Do you drink enough water?  Do you care for your skin and hair and teeth and nails as the outer edges of your sacred body, the part that everyone else sees?  Do you, truly and in action, love your physical self?

It’s very easy to put yourself last on the list, especially when you are run down and frantic.  That happens to be the time you need to make the effort to really nurture your physical self.  Choose a physical resolution, something you can change about how you love and tend to your physical body.  Do something to assist your health and heal yourself, engage that Root chakra and deal with your most basic of needs:  food, water, rest, air, warmth. 

Your physical wholeness is the foundation upon which all other magickal skills are built.  If the foundation is small, your overall growth will equally be small.  Enlarge your wellness this year and watch everything else flourish when you begin to practice better self-care.

Photo by Eddi 07 (via Flickr).