First, be a good animal

Photo courtesy of Tambako the Jaguar

Dean Karnazes goes on and on about human bodies being designed for movement. Chris McDougall even finds scientific evidence for this claim. They both argue that the sedentary life that many rich people in cities live (that is you and me and most people that we know), is not natural. That our bodies and minds work better when we do lots of exercise.

It is not hard to imagine that a lot of people would disagree. Or that it may not appear to be true for a lot of people.

But it is true for me. I am at my most natural when I get lots of long, slow, gentle exercise and lots of rest. That gives my body a feeling of well-being, my emotional life stabilizes, and my mind becomes sharper.

This is how I follow Emerson's injunction: "First, be a good animal".

Even if you are not an exersize obsessive, have you discovered what your body needs to thrive? Do you give your body what it needs to be a good animal? What do you do to follow its natural rhythms?

Love

Albert