Fit for Faith?

So I've been running 5k's lately...on my treadmill that is, and I'm not a huge running fan. But in my quest for Holyistic living; I'm on that thing burning off the excess fat on my body. I broke my personal record of doing a 3mile run in under 30 minutes. And the next day I actually ran the entire first 1.5 miles. Which for those who know me is super good, considering I couldn't even run a 1/10 of a mile before. I'm proud of my successes this week and can't wait until I run the entire 3miles. Which brings me to my point. In the quest for a better physical well being, I also noticed an improvement in my spiritual life as well. I found myself reading more scripture, praying more often throughout the day. I often wonder if there is a correlation between physical fitness and spirituality? Are people fit people more inclined to have a "better" spirituality than those who are not? If so, Why?
Considering that when people are fit they tend to have better self-esteem. Their outlook on life tends to be more positive. Notice I said fit, not "skinny." In our thin obsessed culture skinny is not fit, it is skinny. In my work I have met many skinny unfit/unhealthy people for that matter. But making our bodies the best that they can be is a holy act. Maximizing the potentials in the different areas of your life is a great thing. Going back to the story in the Bible where Jesus talks about the "talents." Who is the dude that gets the tongue lashing? The one who "buried" his talents. The one who did not maximize his potential. So are you are living your Holyistic life, be sure to make time for physical fitness and improve your physical well-being.
If you are out of shape, or could "lose a couple of pounds" try a little fitness and you will be amazed at what that does for your relationship with God.
If you are not sure where to start, contact me at: coachdarryld@aol.com and I'll help get you started so you can then live: the Holyistic Lifestyle.

Putting it together

Holyistic Living is about "putting it together."
I'm not talking about pretending to have your act together or putting up the image, rather just the work involved to learning and doing the integrated lifestyle.

I remember a moment of integration (bringing together supposedly contradicting ideas). I remember when I was just starting out in Martial arts in the basement of a church. We had this big burly biker guy as our Sifu (see-foo, instructor). He made it clear that he had been to jail for fighting and that he is okay with going back if need be. But really? Martial arts in the basement of a Catholic Church?
So I asked him, "Sifu, if we are supposed to be loving and kind, how do we make sense of this 'hurting people' thing in martial arts?
He said: "Well the knowledge of martial arts ultimately comes from God the source of all knowledge. How we choose to use this knowledge is up to us. We can use it to be violent offensive people, or use it for self defense and to help people in need."
With that I started kicking butt for Christ! Actually I was kicking pads for Christ. But the moment of mental integration of two supposedly opposing ideas helped me in my quest for Holyistic living.
The beauty of Eastern Philosophy is that there is an understanding that everything is a part of the whole, everything is connected to everything else. Interestingly enough, Jesus was an Easterner (Mid-East). But somehow in our Western thinking we tend to compartmentalize and deconstruct so much that we forget the wholeness of the universe. Yet, the Catholic Church has and still proclaims that we as individuals are a part of a whole called the Body of Christ. Think about it! And live Holyistically.

Integration = Holyistic Life

St. Thomas Aquinas outlined a schematic on a hierarchy of creation. Human beings fall in the middle of this hierarchy in that they are neither pure spirits ("angels") nor are they pure material/matter (creatures/animals). Rather, man is BOTH spirit and matter intertwined and rolled into one. In short human beings are comprised to two distinct parts yet when put together becomes indistinguishable.
This duality is what we want to address today. Thsi duality is not to be confused with that of the early philosophers, rather it is to be seen as two primary colors coming together to create another unique color. (More on that later).
Having looked at Sacred Scripture (the Bible) it is comprised of two distinct sections (the Old Testament and the New Testament) yet it is One book. It would be unfair to try to under each Testament on its own rather they must be addressed within the context of one another. The Bible must be read Holyisticly (Wholistically, or Completely). More interesting is the fact that each Testament can correspond with each aspect of human beings. The Old Testament focuses on the physical and the New Testament focuses on the spiritual. So is the Bible a reflectin of man or is man a reflection of the Bible? It doesn't matter. What does matter is that God promotes wholeness, holyness, or "holiness" for all you grammar geeks. I find it fascinating that God would make the Bible so similar to us.
One fascinating aspect is that the Bible talks addresses both physical and spiritual death. In other words, what happens to the body, happens to the soul. If our body can get sick, our soul can be sick, if our body dies, our soul has the ability to "die" (read: live in hell apart from God, for all you hardcore Catholics). So if we are goin to be Holyistic we need to take care of BOTH body and soul. We need to keep our bodies clean, and healthy and vibrant. We need to exercise our bodies to make them stronger. We also need to keep our soul's clean (read: Sacrament of Reconciliation) and we also need to exercise and strengthen or soul (read: praying and doing good works). So I challenge you to ponder this beautiful notion of both body and soul and knowing that we need to keep both clean and healthy to live a holyistic life.

New Year's Resolutions Month 2

It's the beginning of February 2011, in fact it is Groundhog day! I never checked to see if the groundhog saw his shadow. But Hey, is your year starting to seem like groundhog day (the movie)? Have you fallen off the goal wagon? Do you need help up?
If so, look around you for inspiration. There are people around you doing what you want to be doing, achieving what you want to achieve. Take note from them, and let their example serve you. Also, have you taken your goals to prayer? Have you presented your goals to the Lord and asked Him for help in achieving what you want to achieve?
Often times, we dis-integrate our daily living with our spiritual life. This is not Holyistic at all. Rather, Holyistic living takes into consideration what God wants you to accomplish. If you think that God doesn't care if you set goals... you have another think coming. Man is a "teliological" being. That's fancy great for saying that humans were designed to be goal setters.
So if you have not set your goals this year: GET ON IT!
If you have and fallen off: Get back up!
If you do this, you will be on your way to a Holyistic life.

Warrior Dashing

This past weekend my wife ran the Warrior Dash. A 5K funfilled obstacle running course. Of course my wife whipped my backside as she is a cardio machine.
The cool thing about the Dash was that mentally I knew that my pride was on the line and I had to at least stay competitive. And I did for not training all that much.
However, it was very inspiring to see different people out there having fun. And that is a huge part of being holyistic: Fun.
I wonder how much fun Adam and Eve had in the Garden of Eden BEFORE they sinned and ruined it all. I'd wager that fun was a normal part of their expereince. Fun was probably all they knew. Make sure that you incorporate FUN in your life. Do things for that sake of doing them rather than the fact they serve an end purpose. Take time to do things you enjoy. This time of "re-Creation" will envigorate and energize you in other aspects of your life.

Financially Fit or Fat?

What in the heck does finances have to do with faith life? Really? Well the Scriptures are full of references to money... and more than "you cannot serve 2 masters" quote. Which many people use as a cop out for not maximizing their financial potential.
So, are you financially fit or are you fat with debt. Did you know that debt can be an emotional drain on your life. Debt affects you on an emotional level. If you don't beleive me then run max out every single credit card you have and then borrow some more. Or if you want a positive experience, then work like the dickens and payoff all your debt including your house... then tell me how you feel. Either way you will experience something emotionally.
The Book of Proverbs seems to know understand this when it tell us that "the borrower is SLAVE to the lender." Now I don't know about you but being a slave would have a negative emotional impact on me.
So one step to Holyistic living is to make sure that you are financially strong (read: no debt, live within your means). Get your finances in order this year, and feel the difference in your Holyistic life.

Blessed are the Flexible...

For they shall never be bent out of shape. (Not my original quote).

I have been known to upset some people within our Church. Of course this is not on purpose, but rather a gift of mine I guess. Spritual flexibility allows us to bend and be molded by God. It allows us to flow with the circumstances where God places us in certain times of our lives. However, I am not talking about flexibility in morality or subjective Theology. I am talking about flexibility WITHIN the laws given to us by God. NO, this is not being close minded, rather it is being open to the way God created us Humans to be and live.
On the fitness level compare this to being in a Yoga class and the instructor asks you to stretch your bones. Well, any idiot knows that bones are not created to be stretched, rather that is the job of the muscles. Working within the laws that God gave us. Now, there are many Catholics and Christians who are metaphorically saying that if we don't stretch the bones we are not being "open minded." How stupid is that? Of course our society is thinking the same way: Abortion, promiscuity, "same sex marriage (whatever that is) etc etc.
NO! This is not being flexible or open minded!
So what is?
The open mindedness of which I speak is looking at your life and how Jesus is working within it. Asking yourself, am i being as loving as I can be? If not, how can I do more for the Lord?
Open mindedness is not getting your theological panties wadded up when I mention that Jesus might have had toe jam. And there we go with the True God, True man discussion. Are you flexible enough to look at Jesus as BOTH true God, and True man?
Are you flexibile enough to struggle with the teachings of the faith and look at themn from many different angles. When you can do that you will be on your way to a
Holyistic Life!