Linking Spirituality to Physical Fitness & Recreation

By Mark Bodnar

This presentation was delivered to the congregation of Mountain Light UUC on 2016 July 03.

When Bruce first asked me to speak to you linking Spirituality and fitness, in particular recreation, I must say, despite both being important themes in my life, I had never really given it much thought, so my initial reaction was, "Huh, OK, sure." I wasn't quite sure where to begin. It just so happen that, that evening, the PBS Saturday night movie of the week was Chariots of Fire. There was a quote in the movie by one of the main characters, a Scotsman who was a devout Christian, but who was getting some flak from his wife for investing a little too much time and effort into his running instead of devoting more time to mission work. His response was, "I believe that God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast; and when I run, I feel God's Pleasure." It must have been an important message the movie wanted to drive home, because the quote was repeated again at the end of movie. So take a moment to consider, "When do you feel God's pleasure?"

To be sure, this is the season for recreation – to re-create ourselves, to engage and play, and delight with family, friends, picnic, swimming, travel, and to delight not only in the creation of ourselves, but to delight in the natural creation and wonder of the world. And while for many, recreation is not the same as fitness and health; take a moment to consider "what might Fitness and/or recreation have to do with what you feel is 'your purpose'?"

The Correlation between Health and Spirituality

So I want to look at the relationship between Spirituality and fitness from three points of view; as well as consider several possibilities of how Recreation can serve as a spiritual practice in and of itself. First, let's consider, how health, fitness & recreation can enhance our spiritual lives, in particular, the relationship between health and happiness. Secondly, we will consider the darker side of physical fitness and a potential inverse relationship between fitness and spirituality. Finally, we'll consider the potential upside to infirmity: how illness, injury or decline in health and fitness can serve as an indicator for change or an opportunity for transformation.

So, how can fitness improve our spiritual lives?

I begin with my own personal story. My bridge back to the land of fitness as an adult came through yoga, which I used as a means of rehabbing a serious back injury I incurred at the age of 36. At the time of the injury, I was about 30 lbs. overweight. I was also suffering from clinical anxiety and depression, not to mention Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The injury left my back misshaped and in a state of constant pain. After not having much success with a number of conventional medical approaches I turned to yoga. When I did it, I felt better; when I didn't, I was in pain. So I had a lot of incentive to practice early on. It very quickly became something I was doing every day, several times a day, often several hours a day. Not only did it improve my back, but the other conditions, the chronic fatigue syndrome, the depression and anxiety were disappearing. I wanted to know what was going on.

The next several years I intensely studied this topic. I was continually pursing an aspect of yoga, whether it be taking classes, practicing on my own, or reading various texts on the subject, sometimes up to eight hours a day. I discovered that there was a lot more to yoga than making strange bodily contortions. More importantly, I knew I had found what I was looking for; I had found my purpose and my LifeWork. Even though I would spend the next three years living in poverty while trying to become established as a yoga teacher, I knew with great confidence I was on the right path. I had to share what I'd learned with others.

Over time, I began to incorporate Cardio and Resistance training into my fitness program. This was due in no small part to a book that several of my yoga students told me about called Younger Next Year. At least four of my older male students stated in reference to the book that, "It changed my life." I have to admit, it had the same effect on me. The book focused not only on the importance of diet and exercise, but also on the importance caring for others, staying socially and emotionally connected, and committing to a cause. I was also highly influenced by the work of renowned cardiologist Dean Ornish and Mindfulness Guru Jon Kabat-Zin, who were combining western medicine and psychology with Eastern Practices like yoga and meditation. This eventually led me to go back to school and acquire a degree, initially in mental health counseling, but eventually in Exercise Science.

When talking about the body and spirit, it is impossible to neglect the mind, which I see as the link between the two. In the last few decades it has become axiomatic to see that the body and mind are inseparable, and one often speaks of them as a single entity, "BodyMind" or, "Mindbody" The state of the mind creates illness and impairment in the body and vice versa. During my studies, I became particularly interested in the psychology of exercise and physical activity.

Much of the research in the field of exercise science in the last couple of decades is not about how exercise and fitness affects the body, but instead, how does exercise affect the mind. We have known for some time the positive physical effects of exercise. What the latest research is showing us is that exercise and physical activity can improve our ability to learn. It can be as effective as pharmacology and psychotherapy, in the treatment of mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. Exercise is one of the best ways to reduces stress; and is now believed to be one of the best means known to ward off cognitive decline, dementia, and even Alzheimer's disease in aging populations.

Tens of thousands of years ago our biped ancestors would spend on average 11-13 hours a day looking for food. Now days we get irritated if way have to spend more than five minutes in the drive-through. Our genetic blueprint was based on a lifestyle that required us to walk or run long distances, to hike up and down hills, to climb trees, to lift and carry objects, to dig, and sometimes to fight or run for our lives. Our bodies were designed to move. When we don't, our bodies suffer. When our bodies suffer, our minds suffer. When our minds suffer, our spirit suffers.

Having been diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety in my thirties, I am well acquainted with mental suffering. When we are in misery, whether it be physical or mental, our minds and our spirits have a tendency to become closed. We isolate, we implode, and we shrink inside. We no longer feel connected to the rest of the world. The Holy Spirit is no longer free to flow through us. We build a wall that closes out the working of the Holy Spirit, and we become numb to the aliveness of our own soul. We lack energy, and everything is a struggle. By contrast, when one is healthy and happy, one has an increased sense of soul-aliveness, and one expands outward into the world. This engenders the rise of compassion. When one is happy, one enters into relationship with others and allows others to flow into oneself. Life becomes a celebration. And celebration is a great prayer, where God laughs with us. Real celebration has nothing to do with money, power, status, gain, winning or success. The celebration comes from knowing that one is part of and connected to the whole.

It might to be interesting to note here that the words health, religion and yoga all have something in common, that being the idea of wholeness, unity, connection or communion.

Listen to the following excerpt on the purpose of yoga by Eric Schiffmann. To some degree one could also apply these comments to fitness, play and recreation.

"The purpose of yoga is to facilitate the profound inner relaxation that accompanies fearlessness. The release from fear is what finally precipitates the full flowering of love. In this state you will love what you see in others, and others will love you for having been seen. This is the softened perception of the world that yoga promotes.

Therefore, the apparently simple benefits that accrue from the regular practice of yoga can change your life in very profound ways. Do not underestimate the value of being balanced, centered, and coordinated, of being strong and light, of being more flexible, without pain, experiencing the subsequent feelings of invisibility or transparency, and being more sensitive…

Yoga will make you sensitive to the stillness, the presence, the hush, the peace of God. This deep inner stillness is at the core of your being. It is the ground, the joy of your being. The radiant peace you'll experience is what happens naturally when the creative energy of the Universe is allowed to flow through you unobstructed."

~ Erich Schiffman 

Recreation as a Spiritual Endeavor

It is God Himself who is sporting in the form of man.
~ Sri Ramakrishna

If you can't laugh in heaven, I don't want to be there.
~ Martin Luther

Many religions and Spiritual traditions speak of the importance of stilling the mind, i.e. Psalm 46:10 "be still and know I am god." When the mind is preoccupied, worried, bouncing around, it is considered that all finite thoughts keep one from God. The sages say that the true and original state of the mind is empty, open, silent. In the yoga sutras of Patanjali, yoga is defined as a cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. So much of the time our minds are constantly worrying about imaginary events that may or may not happen in the future, or ruminating over things of the past. Rarely are we truly present and focused on the here and now. In the yoga sutras, Patanjali points out a number of obstacles one may encounter in an attempt to still an over-active mind. These are illness, lethargy, doubt, haste or impatience, resignation or fatigue, distraction, ignorance or arrogance, inability to take a new step, and loss of confidence. This is precisely why the yoga asanas (or postures) and breathing techniques were devised, to overcome these obstacle and prepare the body and mind for meditation. As one who meditates daily, I am a firm believer in taking time to be still; but I also recognize that fitness and recreation can be of great use in overcoming many of the aforementioned obstacles.

Let's consider the importance of Play and Recreation as a means Being present, living in the moment  A number of spiritual disciplines point to the importance of being present, of being here and now. This is one of the greatest attributes of play or recreation. So what exactly is play?  It's when we engage in something we love doing just for the fun of it. Even if it is work, if we love doing it, it can feel like play. One of the things I love about my job is that I get people to step outside of their comfort zones and experience their bodies in a whole new way, with a sense of exploration and playfulness rather than competitiveness. I also love the way the members of the group support one another, as well as tease and cajole each other. There is usually no shortage of laughter in class. Play loves laughter, but it is far more than play or pleasure. Just as I delight in helping people make new connections with themselves, so play is creating. Play is engaging in making new worlds and new possibilities.

Consider recreation and play as a means of connecting to others and our deeper selves Play gives us a sense of unity and connection where we can "forget ourselves." Christ frequently said, "Leave all and come to me," or to paraphrase, "get over yourself and be open to the possibilities. Forgetting the self (with a small "s") and coming to know our true Self (with a capital "S"), that which is in the likeness of God, is also a key theme in all major religions and spiritual practices. This is actually stated in the third yoga sutra, "When the mind is tranquil, it reflects the nature of the soul as it is." Play here is not about competitive sports or winning, it is about "flow state." It's dancing without caring whose watching. It's singing loudly without worrying if you're out of tune. It's rolling around on the floor with a puppy. Play is nailing a handstand in yoga class for the first time after weeks of preparation, and boom, all of a sudden there it is. Or as the child psychology Guru Jean Piaget would say, "Play is "creating a world" in a sandbox." It's basically doing something purely for fun without worrying about perfection, getting it right, looking foolish, or some sort of personal gain.

Recreation as a means of service, creativity, worship and devotion

For me personally, Fitness and recreation is my form of service. This is how I help others. I try to make my classes fun, as well as healing and informative. I like watching how people find themselves in a very different place than were when they started after a 90 minute class, or how they transform over a period of weeks, months, or years.

Another way for me to practice service and devotion through recreation comes from participating in my church choir. Music and "getting lost in Beauty" is another form of play and delight, and has the same effect as stilling the mind. It not only enhances the worship service for the congregation, but it's just good clean fun. Rehearsals are usually filled with lots of laughter. I get a real high from playing and singing with the group, much more so when at church than when practicing on my own. I can truly feel the spirit in the music of the mass. One can witness it moving through the congregation as they sing and move to the music.

For others, recreation as devotion might take the form of doing a flower arrangement for the sanctuary, leading a youth activity, or preparing your favorite recipe for a group function. There is a relationship between play, creativity and beauty.

Another form of what we experience as recreation is being profoundly present in nature. Being in what some call a "macro-environment" such as the ocean, the deep forest, the mountains, the prairie, the desert, these have the effect of hitting some "reset button" in us, renormalizing and clearing us, and we feel we can see better. Both Bruce Wood and I are volunteer trip leaders for Touch the Earth, the outdoor recreation program at GSU. I have been on many a river trip with Bruce. He is extremely generous with his time and skills, not only by taking the time to introduce young people to the great outdoors, but also in training aspiring raft guides. Outdoor recreation in particular gives us an opportunity to appreciate the awe inspiring diversity and beauty of the universe.

Often when individuals are asked, "when do you feel the most spiritual or closest to God," the response is, "when I am in nature." Once on a Touch the Earth trip, while floating down the Ocoee River, a participant stated, "This is my church."

So in wrapping up this first look at the relationship between Spirituality and Fitness/Recreation, I just want to reiterate Health, Happiness and Holiness go hand in hand. They actually come from the same root word. Fitness can and should be fun. Our fitness program or exercise routine should be something we look forward to doing, rather than something just to get through. And that play and recreation can be a great way to be more present, connect with others, and connect with our deeper selves.

Now let's take a look at the darker side of Fitness.

The Darker Side of Physical Fitness

In a culture that is preoccupied with youth, power, and physical beauty, the goal of fitness can easily become to create the "perfect body." We can forget that the body is merely the vehicle for the mind and the spirit. When this happens, the body can become a trap, rather than a springboard to freedom. This obsession with the body can lead to never-ending comparing and competitiveness, and thus the subsequent feelings of guilt, shame and inadequacy on one end of the spectrum, or feelings of arrogance and superiority on the other. So while body is both the temple for the spirit, the residence of Soul, and so we care for it; but at the same time, the body is not permanent, and so it is counterproductive become overly obsessed with and attached to it.

This might be a good time to bring up the concept of body image. Body image: reflects how we see our own body, and how we think, feel, and act toward It. Body image reflects an interplay between our body reality (our actual physical characteristics) and our body ideal (how we think our body should look and function). This is fertile ground for pathology to flourish. When people's body reality and body ideal are the same or very similar, they usually have a positive body image. But when people perceive their body reality to be worse than their ideal, this judgment results in negative thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and behaviors. A healthy body image is related to better psychological well-being in at least two ways: better self-esteem and lowered risk of depression and anxiety.

Paradoxically, when men and women workout out primarily for appearance-related motives, exercise may actually exacerbate their body dissatisfaction. The exercise program can begin to resemble the same sort of unhealthy behavior such as an eating disorder.

It seems odd to suggest that one can feel a little "too" good about their health and fitness. When life is good and our bodies look and feel great, it's easy to get a little cocky, a little arrogant. We can kid ourselves and think we have it all figured out. We can also forget that many around us are suffering, and what that is like. I have certainly found myself of being guilty of this on more than one occasion. So we need life's little speed bumps, those little hiccups in our health to remind us that we may be flying off course. And while I am a firm believer that God loves us wants us to be happy, above all else He wants us to know Him and yearn for His grace.

How illness, injury or decline in health and fitness can serve as an indicator for change or an opportunity for transformation

When one encounters some sort of physical calamity, the knee-jerk reaction is, "how can I fix this as quickly as possible?" The next response is, "What is my body trying to tell me?" Pain, illness, or infirmity doesn't have to be seen as an enemy, but as a point of possibility and transformation. The ego may want to hold on to ill health for reasons we are not conscious of. We may have a lesson to learn, and so immediate healing may not be what is best for us. It may be necessary to go through illness in order to have the time to reflect, to develop humility and devotion, and/or to overcome selfishness. Illness may not be a punishment but a learning process, an opportunity to reflect because you have been too duty bound to care for yourself properly. As an aside, often those in helping professions are the ones who struggle most with self-care.

Illness can be a teacher leading one to forgive one's own failings, and hence be ready to forgive the failings of others, and have more understanding of those you wish to help or serve. The search for healing brings many aspirants to the spiritual path. It has certainly brought a number of people to my yoga classes. And when polling my students at GSU as to why they are going into this field of fitness or Physical Therapy, the most common response was, "I, or someone I cared about, was injured, and I was grateful to the one who facilitated the healing process. I wanted to do the same."

At the beginning of the semester I polled the class to see why they were in Exercise Science. Only about five out of the 25 students in the class were interested in going into a fitness related career, most wanted to apply to physical therapy school. And only about five of the students were currently exercising. I told them, "well, all of that is about to change." Every class we would engage in some sort of fitness activity, which usually began with a considerable amount of moaning and groaning and excuse making, but would shortly turn into laughs and smiles as they began to move their bodies. About five weeks into the semester I asked the class, "no guilt trip, I'm just curious, how many of you started exercising outside of class." Almost all of the hands shot up. "Oh really, tell me about that. How would you say you feel now compared to five weeks ago?" Their faces all lit up. One person said, "I have a lot more energy." Another said, "I sleep a lot better," One said, "I'm a lot less stressed." And another replied, "I really like the way my body is starting to tone up." My response was, "don't take my word for it that exercise is good for you, let that be the proof."

Toward the end of the semester, we spent the class time playing a game of ultimate. Everyone participated and had a great time, laughing and smiling all the while. At the end of the game I said to the group, "Do you realize you have been running continuously for 45 minutes, and you were laughing and smiling the whole time. You were totally present. You weren't stressed about anything else. How do you think that activity would have gone if we did it the first day of class? The response was, we wouldn't have lasted nearly as long and had as much fun." I told the group, "The moral of the story is, being fit doesn't suck. If you've learned nothing else the rest of the semester, remember how good you feel right now."

Questions to Consider:

When do you feel God's pleasure?

How does health and fitness impact other areas of your life, in particular your relationship with others? What is your purpose? What do you most look forward to? And how might a change in fitness affect that?

In closing, I just want to say: be grateful for the body you have, right now, right where you are. If you are not grateful for have now and what you receive, you will lose it. Cultivate gratitude, for it brings many blessings. Do not waste this life. Seek God's pleasure. Remember your purpose; and remember that we can live a life that's a little kinder, a little gentler, and a little more playful, when we know that the function of the body and mind is to bring us closer to the divine. Thank you so much for your time. Namaste.