Bodybuilding as Spiritual Metaphor

[6.8SPC]

I may be guilty of looking too deeply into things, but I have been thinking recently about the parallel bodybuilding has with real life and spiritual growth. A simple way to expand on this would be to say that you have a weight you have never done before, even if it's only five pounds heavier or one rep more than your PR. You attempt to lift this new weight (challenge or stimulus) and there is a certain amount of pain, even damage involved (struggle or hardship) . When you do finally lift the weight a new connection/s is made in your nervous system, and (sometimes) actual new tissue (mental/spiritual abilty or new insight) is grown. This makes for a more improved, more capable system (you) than before going outside of your comfort zone and lifting the weight. Maybe this is obvious to most people and I am a blthering idiot, but I have been thinking that if I could apply the same tenacity, determination, and willingness to suffer if need be to other areas of my life I think I would be unstoppable in my personal endeavors. When 'normal' people see someone struggling under a huge weight they usually say "that looks like it hurts" or "that looks hard". To me it's just what is necessary to achieve growth and strength. Does this make sense to anybody? Has anyone noticed their ability to struggle, feel pain, and be consistent with eating or contest prep spill over into other areas of your life? i.e. If you can complete a grueling 16-week contest diet to win a show why can't you use the same discipline to advance your career, start a business, build great relationships, etc. I just read "Think and Grow Rich" for the second time and have been pondering the mysteries of perfect wisdom and true happiness lately> Hope this is food for thought for some. Peace In.

 

[bigshadow]

Excellent post! I too like to ponder such things....lol
Personally, I think of my health as three categories. Physical, Emotional, and I add a Spiritual component to my life. I try not to neglect any one certain area. Build each of these areas up in order to live an improved life. For a long time I focused solely on the physical and suffered the consequences of doing that. Taking the principles of goal setting from bodybuilding and applying it to the rest of your life sounds like a great thing to me. I have a different tactic in applying this to bb'ing. When I train... I think of energy. Sometimes I pray before or during a workout or recite scripture. Before each set I tell myself I am "energy." In a physical sense atoms are composed of 99.95% energy and .05% mass...according to Einstein...so I try to communicate to my energy. Sounds hoakie and weird...but it gets me through many greuling workouts and I am more focused.
You mention "happiness" though. Spiritually, I do not believe "happiness" should be the focus. Content or satisfied is a better goal. We live in a world with a vast array of emotion...and I believe it should all be experienced. That allows us to grow. Learning to control your emotion improves your emotional health.
I know your post wasn't solely about happiness, but most people live in a world of physical, emotional, and spiritual "wants" and desires. Now the next step, as I see it, is to get to a life of only spiritual, physical and emotional "needs." Wants and desires far outway our "Needs." A persons need are very few in number... Let's take it another step though...Living a life only based on spiritual needs. I have not been able to get to that last place. Think how simple life would be...then again...maybe simple is boring...lol
Spiritually the body is just a shell to me. When I leave this world I cannot take it with me...just like any other physical "thing."
I've gone off on a tangent, but I guess given some a glimpse into a different way of viewing things...

 

[tkav1980]

i think this all comes down to dicipline and mental toughness. for me the gym has been a great learning tool on how to focus and dicipline myself over long periods of time to achieve a goal. some people pray, others meditate for me when my body is in pain, and im exhausted and i have to ignore all of that to complete the task at hand its the same for me. you learn to control your mind and body through trial and pain. shaolin monks have been doing just this for centuries. they train their bodies to train their minds. if you have a chance watch "The Human Body: Pushing The Limits" on the discovery channel, specifically the episode about the brain. it goes into some detail on this subject.

 

[Flex4777]

What a refeshing topic! It's nice to know there are others in this world who realize such things and use them to make the world a better place by starting with themselves.

The physical is most often times, if not always, just a symbol or reflelction of the spiritual.

 

[slimjones]

a great topic! I'm sure there are many religions that speak somewhat to this but my faith says to "Consider it pure joy my brothers whenever you face trials of any kind, KNOWING that the testing of your faith develops perserverance. Perserverance must finish it's work so you may be mature and complete not lacking anything." James 1:2-4

Testing of our Faith through trials is simply an opportunity for growth. When we work out we are constantly testing our physical strenght limits so we can push through to a new level and this becomes a new floor for us or perserverance as we push higher towards a new ceiling.

My Faith also says that God will never give me more than i can handle when it comes to this. In other words, when i go to max out on bench....He's always there as my spotter.....Just like a Father would be!

Great topic...I could type for hours on this...especially since i've just been in this as of late studying it out!!! Coincidence???? Probably not!

 

[Pekkerwood]

I think these a couple of great posts. I have given a reasonable amount of thought to these issues as they apply primarily to me and to a lesser degree my friends. When people questioned me about my gym time over the years and how regularly I trained, I used to refer to the Gym as my bank. Every day I will go and make a deposit, some days a larger deposit than others, but every day a deposit. I may never have to draw upon this account but it will be there for me in my time of need.

I have often wondered why many of us have a harder time mapping the success achieved in the gym to successes in other areas of our lives. The capacity for the dedication, consistency, ability to overcome obstacles, to meet goals, to meet time deadlines are all things that would seem to translate to success in other endeavors. While many do lead balanced, successful lives, I am sometimes disheartened by the number of people who seem to only corral these tools in the gym and accept an average existence outside the doors of the gym. Its almost like they have all the tools available to them and don't even know they are there. They continue to look for something they already possess in abundance.

With that said I much prefer the company and bond closer to my workout brothers than my business associates. Lifting "heavy assed weight" as Ronnie would put it, just seems to make a person more "real" to me. I guess its the shared struggle.

Pekkerwood

 

[Hiramabiff]

The other day i was asked by the front desk girl (at the gym) why i was so quiet and never talked in the gym. I told her it was b/c the gym is like a sanctuary for me. a place where there is order and no chaos.
outside in the world everything is chaotic and little is in my control. but inside the gym, surrounded by metal and iron, things make sense. things go up and down, methodically. all in the control of my will. that is sanctuary. in the gym i can control everything. and so it is my refuge.
but, out in the world things are a bit chaotic. BUT, taking what i have learned from the gym is exaclty how i try to approach life and goals. i started doing this only a year ago. when i started lifting i wanted 18 inch arms. 5 years later i had them. achieveing this rather "useless" goal was a catalyst to achieving goals outside of the gym. if i had the patience and the diligence to take a step every day toward a goal then anything is possible. i built my physique over days, weeks, months, years and i try to approach life the same way. it is LITTLE steps EVERYDAY that will yeild the result i want. it may take years, it may take some sacrifice but it is most certainly worth it.
-STEELE

So did you get her number? She was flirting and all. You probably blew her mind with your response. She was like "dang and he is deep too" as her heart fluttered.

 

[EVERLAST]

FAITH.................

Bodybuilding, and weightlifting in general, teaches us
to have faith in the possibility of things not currently possible.
To believe in the plan of our own choosing,
TO EXECUTE THAT PLAN,
and to succeed.

A competitor faces his only true equal
through the process of iron against muscle,
hammer forged in sweat and pain
to pound away at past goals
and set new ones
with the will of determination "to be",
what we desire "to be".

To become the greater self that we envision.

 

[6.8SPC]

Wow!

I have been amazed by all the thoughtful responses to what I consider to be an "out on a limb" type of thread. We are all infinite potential! Enlighten me more bros. and sis's.!

 

[Mike Pulcinella]

Wow! Great thread. The sensitive side of BB!

Don't let this discussion leak out into the general public. They might start to see you as human beings! ;-)

 

[StoryOfTheYear]

I totally understand the idea you are presenting as well. I feel that bodybuilding is a great metaphor to any hardship or struggle in life. I agree that if you apply the same motivation and dedication to life you can get through any hard situation that may arise. If you guys have been pondering different ways to view life or just some good reading material that makes you think, you should check out Alan Watts. He's this author I've been reading lately. He studies Eastern Philosophy and shares his views and ideas with Western civilization. A good book to start off with and get your mind warmed up is called "The Book: On The Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are". It really opened up my eyes to new ways of viewing situations and also the world in general! later! -StOrY

 

[bigshadow]

WOW! Great responses here guys! Let me tell you what I think of as I read all these great posts...

In society we tend to want to put a label on things. That is how our culture works. Through science, mathmatics, sociology, psychology and even literature and fine arts. We tend to try and use our "logic" to figure things out and label them. I know I'm guilty of it. However, as Mike points out society is guilty of it too...labeling bodybuilders and associating them with the emotion of anger or rage...and insensitivity...maybe even a low level of intelligence...

I used to label myself as a bodybuilder and before that wanting to be in that elite group. That was a big mistake on my part...b/c of course I'm more than just a bodybuilder. "Bodybuilding is one way I choose to express myself." I made that switch in my mindset and paradigm. My way of thinking. So...I'm not an accountant...I choose to express myself through accountanting... etc...

This is what I think of as I read all these great posts. We are more than just "bodybuilders."

 

[Mike Pulcinella]

WOW! Great responses here guys! Let me tell you what I think of as I read all these great posts...

In society we tend to want to put a label on things. That is how our culture works. Through science, mathmatics, sociology, psychology and even literature and fine arts. We tend to try and use our "logic" to figure things out and label them. I know I'm guilty of it. However, as Mike points out society is guilty of it too...labeling bodybuilders and associating them with the emotion of anger or rage...and insensitivity...maybe even a low level of intelligence...

I used to label myself as a bodybuilder and before that wanting to be in that elite group. That was a big mistake on my part...b/c of course I'm more than just a bodybuilder. "Bodybuilding is one way I choose to express myself." I made that switch in my mindset and paradigm. My way of thinking. So...I'm not an accountant...I choose to express myself through accountanting... etc...

This is what I think of as I read all these great posts. We are more than just "bodybuilders."

Well put! This applies to everyone everywhere no matter what they do.

 

[EVERLAST]

SHOW ME..............

show me a bodybuilder and I'll show you....
an artist
an athlete
a chemist
an engineer
a motivational speaker
a nutritionist
and a showman.

I know everybody has their own style and personality, but don't you find all of us have so much more going on than would be expected by the casual observer.
We are all a diverse, dynamic and intriging bunch.
People think we are vain and silly birds.
Strutting around on some ego trip.

I find that most of the truly big guys are quietly fierce competitors who've found the ultimate competition is with yourself.
The only true equal match up.

Successful and well adjusted, highly intelligent and organized people with an eye for details and a willingness for hard work, planning and lots of follow through.

Sound familiar?