We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience. – Teilhard de Chardin

Identifying with the body sows insecurity and fear. Realizing our divine, eternal nature of Love, peace and joy brings a deep sense of calm. Associating one’s self with the body is common. When we are young, we imagine the body will live forever. For many people aging engenders anxiety and insecurities. Appearance is so important that the inner being is ignored. When we go deep and realize the body is like an old dress that will be changed at the end of this short life span  we begin to feel liberated from fear and recognize our true nature as infinite, spiritual beings. If we have not learned all the lessons we will come back in a new dress.

We only have the body to use for a short time. It is a precious gift where we can realize our divine nature. It is a precious temple of the eternal spark of the divine — our soul.  When we leave the body behind, we do not die. Only the body goes. It returns to the earth. The organic material is recycled into something else as it enters back into nature. For a moment today, practice going deeper and identifying with the Spirit, the Self, the Soul or whatever you choose to call the part of us that continues to thrive and grow even after the body ceases.

In India I have heard people repeat, “I am atma,” – meaning the divine spark in Sanskrit. In our culture it might be more appropriate to repeat, “I am Love.” Love is a delightful Divine Energy. Love is energy that lives forever. By recalling our true nature of peace and love, we are free to be immortal beings in a mortal coil. For today, remember your divine nature and associate yourself with the Infinite and Eternal.

Bio: Debra Moffitt is author of Awake in the World: 108 Practices to Live a Divinely Inspired Life. A visionary and teacher, she’s devoted to nurturing the spiritual in everyday life. She leads workshops on spiritual practices at the Sophia Institute and other venues in the U.S. and Europe. Her mind/body/spirit articles, essays and stories appear in publications around the globe and were broadcast by BBC World Services Radio. She has spent over fifteen years practicing meditation, working with dreams and doing spiritual practices. Visit her online at http://www.awakeintheworld.com.