Intimate with your body

We may tend to think of romance and sex when we hear the word "intimacy," but the word - a favorite of teacher Daniel Terragno - has other meanings. Here are some from The Free Dictionary:

     Relating to or indicative of one's deepest nature: intimate prayers.

     Essential; innermost: the intimate structure of matter.

This morning people on the transplant e-list are responding to a post from someone who feels very depressed a week after she gave a kidney to her father.  She writes that all she wants to do is sleep.  Doesn't want to eat.

Caroline responds in part -
It would be worth talking to your doctor, but I would say that this early in the process you shouldn't expect to want to go parasailing.  If you want to sleep, sleep.  You need the R & R to heal.  Your body has experienced a major insult and it will take a little while to recover.

Nish adds -
If you are not hungry DONT EAT.
Often people eat because they think they should but you may not have hunger because the kidney has all it can handle right now.

The common-sense replies from these helpful internet friends have struck to the heart of the Zen way of living in intimate relationship to your body's needs, a relationship not contaminated by ideas and ideals.  There is a famous saying presented nicely in a post by blogger 3:40 a.m.

The Japanese Zen master Bankei lived in the 17th century. One day another Zen master's students came to him and said, "Our master has a mantra that gives him the power to perform many great miracles. What miracles can you perform?"

"My miracle is that when I'm hungry I eat, and when I'm tired, I sleep," Bankei replied.

Bankei had no sense that the 'magic tricks' of other Zen teachers trumped his own everyday mind. He was content to do 'nothing' while other teachers performed 'miracles.' Their teachings are forgotten, but Bankei's are immortal.

[image posted by Troynie Tschmann and titled "Sleeping Buddha"]