We had just participated in a self-compassion session, wherein we practiced touch as a way to be kind to ourselves. Father Matthew mentioned that he often places his hand over his heart before entering stressful situations, as a reminder that both he and God are present.
It brought to mind some Orthodox services I have attended. I visited one Greek Orthodox mass in Athens, and one Russian Orthodox mass in my own neighbourhood. Neither of these services featured any English, but I was still able to discern much of what was going on. This is because Orthodox worship is extremely embodied, filled with scents, sounds, tastes, art, ritual, crossing, bowing, and kissing icons. Whole families were there from infants to elderly, which also communicated something very grounded and stable.
It's almost as if God was interested in us as whole people - body, soul, spirit and family - the way these worshippers behaved!
This is quite different from my inherited low Protestantism, which stresses the intellect, sometimes at the expense of the body, or perhaps in fear of the body (especially the female body).
As I dwelt upon this a little more, it struck me how essential it is for us to acknowledge our bodies. Jesus took up a human body, first by being housed and nurtured within the human womb of his mother, Mary. Our distancing of the body and soul is an unnatural break that threatens to blaspheme the very flesh that God divinised in Jesus. It can also lead us to dismissing the bodies of the poor, the abused, the other, which is another blasphemy.
On the positive side, our physicality gives us the chance to worship God with every sense we've got! What is worship except the attuning of our whole selves, body and all, towards the glory of God?
One final thought. I know a young man with autism who, when he is feeling overloaded with sensory data, will shake his hands to soothe himself. This behaviour, as many will know, is called "stimming." Far from being embarrassed about this, he enjoys the activity. Even more, he loves to move his body and dance, and when he does this as a regular practice it helps prevent over-stimulation. He sometimes says that in these ways he is "using his autism," showing that he sees his particular body and mind combination as a gift, not a burden.
Perhaps we could do a better job of teaching everyone in our Churches and communities how to use and enjoy our bodies, and to embody our spirituality in a way that honours the Incarnation of Jesus?
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