“The physical body expresses conceptual error, will-imbalance, and stagnant, denied feelings by muscular blocks. The tensions and energy stagnation caused by distortions on any of the other levels can affect the body by distorting it, by creating all sorts of symptoms and, when neglected long enough, physical illness.”
From Pathwork Lecture 193: Résumé of the basic principles of the Pathwork: its aim and process
Man believes in the illusion that he only survives by defending himself against the instinctive life force – which strives for unification, contact, merging and pleasure. This negative attitude to life creates a very deep conflict because a person cannot trust himself as long as he distrusts and rejects the instinctive life force. Because of this distrust in the life force, man has created a separation between body and soul. Mankind has the misconception that the instinctive life force in the body is sinful, evil and dangerous and that the soul is the opposite of the body and therefore good. We do not realize that enjoying the body is as spiritual as mental and emotional pleasure and that peace between body and soul is a prerequisite for a state of self-realization. To the extent that we do not accept our body, to the same extent we unconsciously identify with this body. Then we believe in the illusion that with the death of the body, thinking and consciousness also cease to exist. When we respect our bodies and accept our mortality, we are truly alive and we know our true identity. Then we also understand that our body is a reflection and an expression of our consciousness and that every physical symptom is an invitation to develop into an Aquarian person. When our muscles are tense, the life force cannot penetrate the body and over time this results in illness, decay and physical death. When we fully experience all emotions in body and soul and express them honestly, those tormenting emotions turn into warmth and pleasure. Body and soul will flow with pleasure when we no longer run away from emotions that we fear. In this workshop we will explore with a loving curiosity three themes of the Pathwork Lectures regarding the lessons of our body.
1st theme: Learning to understand physical symptoms
The body functions perfectly as long as we respect its laws and open ourselves to the life force. But with all forcing currents, such as defending ourselves without necessity out of fear or being torn by conflicting desires or being emotionally dependent, etc., we violate these laws, poisoning our entire system – spiritually, psychologically and often also physically. Ultimately, all disease is a manifestation of blocked life force and every physical symptom is an invitation to remove the poison so that the life force can flow through us again.
“Your wrong conclusions, misconceptions, distortions, create an inner world of illusion. They create fears and tensions. This is bound to weaken you first in your emotions, then, when a wrong condition persists long and strong enough, eventually also in your body. Inner errors cause you to fear life, therefore, often unconsciously, to wish for death in various degrees. The unconscious desire for sickness is a degree of death. The weakness, resulting from tension and fear, indirectly creates a weakening of the physical body, and directly an unconscious desire for sickness and death.” (Quote from Pathwork lecture 70)
2nd theme: Learning to live and die
The basic conflict in man is his struggle with duality: with life and death. It is impossible to love life as long as one fears death. We can prepare for physical death – and also transcend duality – by examining and moving through all the daily aspects of dying, which present themselves as trials and struggles, until the fear of them disappears. The healthier our attitude toward mortality, the better the life force flows through us and we enjoy life with joy.
“If you do not flee from your fear of death, suffering, and the unknown, but go through it, you could truly have life in its deepest sense while still being in the body. Pure life can be had only if death is met squarely.” By “pure,” I do not mean what is generally understood by this word in an insipid and bodily rejecting way. For the body is part of the spirit, and the spirit is part of the body. All are one whole.” (Quote from Pathwork lecture 82)
3rd theme: Loving the unity of body and mind
Due to collective misconceptions about the body, we tend to ignore the body and view the body’s needs as secondary. On the one hand, we overestimate the body by thinking that this is all there is to it and on the other hand, we deny the importance of treating our body as a precious gift. Only when we love the body will we let go of identification with the body. Enjoying the body is no less spiritual than spiritual, mental and emotional pleasure. The Aquarian person recognizes the unity of body and mind and loves all aspects.
“In a meditation of the deepest sort you bestow tender love upon every aspect of your manifestation, every organ that you neglect loving, every attitude, no matter how distorted. Once you face it in truth, you can find its underlying divinity. But that is genuinely possible only when you no longer excuse, hide, deny, rationalize, project, and hate others in order not to feel your self-hate.” (Quote from Pathwork lecture 240)
The workshop lasts 1,5 hours. We will start with an introduction meditation. This will be followed by the opportunity to discuss your experiences on this subject and to ask questions.
The last part of the workshop consists of a guided meditation and the sharing of received inspirations.
The free workshop will be held on Saturday at PST 8.00-9.30, EST 11.00-12.30, GMT 16.00-17.30, CET 17.00-18.30.
After you have registered for the free workshop (s.hontele@hetnet.nl), you will receive a zoom link.
