There was a moment a few years ago when I had to pause and ask myself a hard question… If I do not have the best body I can have, will I ever have the best mind? I realized that for all the thinking, reading, and striving I was doing, my physical foundation was shaky. Sleep was inconsistent, my body was not cared for as it should be, and my mind could only rise as high as the health of my body would allow.
So I began to focus on the basics. I committed to better rest. I welcomed the light, sun, and morning air. I let go of alcohol. I embraced the shock and energy of cold showers. And what I found was more than a healthier body. It was clarity. It was a strength. It was a mind illuminated in new ways.
At first, it felt like I was simply supporting my physical health. But as the days and months passed, something deeper began to awaken. It was not just sharper thinking or clearer concentration. It was a sense of spirit. The heart began to light up as much as the mind. A deeper intelligence—one not only of thought but of feeling—made itself known.
We sometimes forget how closely the body and spirit are intertwined. To neglect the body is to dim the mind. To honor the body is to unlock the higher parts of ourselves. My body was not just sustaining me. It was teaching me what it means to live with awareness, both in the conscious and subconscious layers of life.
The Lessons of the Sky
At night, when I look up at the sky, I am reminded again of this mystery. Most people notice the stars, the planets, the brightness scattered across the dark. But occasionally, someone will say something different. They will point out the darkness itself. The vast, endless backdrop that holds it all.
We often overlook this truth. The darkness is not emptiness. It is not an absence. It is fundamental. It is always there, even when we do not recognize it. When we begin to look past the darkness, to gaze into what seems like nothing, we discover that it holds everything.
Living in Awareness
Caring for the body gives rise to clarity of mind. Clarity of mind awakens the spirit. And the spirit, when it is awake, sees the fullness of life, both in the light and in the dark.
What once felt like mere discipline—early mornings, healthier choices, cold showers—has become something greater. It is not about a stronger body alone. It is about a sustainable mind and an open heart. It is about finding the wisdom to look at the sky and see not only the stars, but the dark space that carries them.
The body is the beginning, but the journey leads far beyond it. It leads us to believe, to see with new eyes, and to understand that what appears empty often holds the greatest fullness.
