The last few months I have been studying and reading on the idea of our body, soul and spirit. Most of us don’t even think about it, I usually don’t. These last few months, the idea has been coming up a great deal. In conversations, podcasts, and my scripture reading. What does it really mean? Some of us may think of it as the flesh, mind and soul. Others as the mind, body and soul. Still others may say spirit, soul and mind. It is confusing. Is the body the flesh? The soul the spirit? The mind the soul? It just depends on who you listen to and how you interpret it all. Well as I started to wrestle with this concept and what it means for me, YES I started to paint it. Here is the story.
This is the piece I started. The symbols and marks I used spoke to me about the idea of unity and three parts to a whole. As this work progresses I clearly heard and realized that it needed to be a triptych…3 paintings that make one piece. More symbolism. I was also learning to allow my spirit to take control and to bring my soul and body into submission. As I did this and do it, I am led by The Spirit, who directs my spirit and I enter into the flow that allows me to paint from my heart.
As I continued to work out this idea of unifying the body, soul and spirit, it became clear to me what a battle it is. Like the painting its self, it is a process. One that many times starts with joy and enthusiasm, but gets stuck in the ugly middle. There we can either give up or press on to know the answer and the results. But this takes work and sometimes long hours and answers we may not want to hear! Oh my flesh, submit! So with hours of meditation and pressing on we can arrive at a different place. A place that brings revelation, healing and growth.
As these works progressed, so did my understanding of the parts that I am. The real me, not my body or flesh, my soul…the part that is who I am and that same part that when I allow it to come into union with my spirit, who in turn is lead by the Holy Spirit; then I am all I am meant to be in this flesh and body. That is what this middle piece represents. My soul, your soul when it is in unity. Can you see the joy, freedom and pleasure here?
The final piece, the body. It is just a shell, it does not define us, but it has great power over us. Body image, we’ve all heard this term. For many of us it is very defining, but it shouldn’t be. We all struggle with this: some of us love our bodies too much and it becomes a form of idolatry. Others, well we all have parts of our body we don’t like and struggle with! Have you ever thought about the bodies Adam and Eve had before the fall? The Bible says that God had to make them coverings…The Hebrew word there is skin. Hum, think about that! The body is very complicated and someday our bodies will all be changed. This last piece has a lot of those complexities in it.
I wish I had the answers for you as to the difference between the body, soul and spirit. This was my journey and my story, yours will be different. Maybe this will inspire you to take that journey, or maybe not. It doesn’t matter, we all have our roads to run, this was and is mine. What ever conclusions you come to they will be yours and yours alone.
Here is the work as a whole. I invite you in to see what your spirit says to you about the work. Ask questions. What does all this mean for you? How is your soul moved? Your spirit stirred? SFT…See it, Feel it and Trust it!
If you are in the Central Oregon area this triptych is on display at Bend Spinal Care through November, 30, 2023. Make sure to put on the special glasses when you are there so you can see how complex it really is!
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