Feb 2014 I had a chance to go on a field trip to an anatomy lab recently with a class studying the nature of the human body. There are Buddhist meditation practices related to bringing us into right relationship with the body through contemplating the human body in various ways. One is a contemplation on the “32 parts of the Body”. More details can be found at the excellent website of my colleague Bob Stahl who teaches a class on this topic in Santa Cruz, CA.
Mar 2013 One of the interesting contemplations you can do is recognizing your body as nature. The elements of earth, air, fire, water (or solidity, movement, heat, and liquid) can be felt directly in the body and seen in nature. Our bodies are made of these elements, supported by these elements, constructed by these elements. You can read my piece Urban Elements on doing this contemplation in an urban setting. I recently saw this dynamic wind map of the United States which shows the movement of wind currents over the country. It is mesmerizing to watch, but maybe can also help us to get in touch with the constant movement in our own body at the same time.