“Thou art not thy body, nor is thy body any portion of thee. It is an estate which thou hold'st for a time, and after a time shall pass from thee. Therefore, have governance of thy body, nor let it be in any thing thy ruler. Keep it in purity as a temple built of earth and a place of devotion. Thou art not thy mind, nor is thy mind any portion of thee. It is an estate which thou hold'st for a time, and after a time shall pass from thee. For longer than the body shalt thou hold it; and when the body passeth into dust, still it shall be with thee. Yet in its turn shall it pass away, and in its appointed season. But thou shalt never pass away; when all the worlds are dust, thou shalt endure.”
- The Clew of the Horse 47-55
Our bodies are precious things, but eventually they wither and decay. Filianists are called to take care of ourselves, as one would take care of their house which shelters them, as well as help others be safe and healthy in theirs. But we are also to be mindful that we are more than the flesh we wear and not to obsess over our physical selves.
The same is also true for our minds. Mental health is vitally important to take care of as much if not more so than physical health. Our minds are also temporary; many confuse the soul with the mind as the same thing. But our minds change constantly. Our minds, our personality, can be altered with a head injury or a traumatic/enlightening experience. The memories we cherish are lost with dementia. The person you are today is not who you were last year.
Both our bodies and minds will one day crumble and fall away, that is inevitable. The Spirit is eternal and the Spirit is Déa. Do not suffer in grief for what you lose in your body or mind. Do not judge or resent others for how their body might not be in the best shape or their mind sometimes fails them in wisdom or knowledge.
Let the Spirit be the one in control of both the body and mind. Let it be a firm but devoted and caring mistress to both, just as Our Mother is with Her children. And when both fall beyond our use, do not be afraid, for the Spirit - your true self - will remain.
~Sorella Roselyn