In ancient Greece education was divided into three main schools. The school training the spirit through music, the school training the intellect, and the school training the body, also know as gymnastic. The Greeks realized that the body was important to train and cultivate. As Christian we know the spirit is of much more importance, however the Scriptures also tell us in 1 Timothy that training the body is of some value. Therefore to engage in a complete Christian classical curriculum some attention should be given to the area of training the body.To be honest this is where I am most lacking in knowledge, ahem.. discipline. I have some great mentors in my life helping me to take this area captive. Like all things, this is also a process.
Training the body is all about taking he physical self captive into obedience to Christ. I see it as part of the sanctification process. I believe it was George Washington, our first president, who said that he would be master over his body rather than the other way around. Lets be honest, we live in a world that tells us to give in to every desire and craving. I believe training the body is all about becoming self controlled human beings. Whether it be self control to sit still, to eat only when hungry, or to be pure in relationships.
In addition, being healthy and as fully alive as we can physically directly effects how much energy we have and how much we can do. I also notice a direct connection between my focus and alertness and my health.
I am super excited about the guest bloggers we have lined up for this topic. Some great professionals in the area of health and wellness, discussing the interconnectedness of the body, spirit, and soul; with a particular emphasis on how stress impacts every single area of our lives and what to so about it. I don’t know about you, but for this busy homeschool mom stress is something I frequently have to be on guard for. Until then, here are some resources where you can find more information about training the body.
What it could look like in the homeschool:
– Play out side everyday and/or exercise, even if it is walking around the block once a day. In our family the kids and I workout to the Maximized Living MaxT3 video. It has been the only thing I have EVER stayed consistent with.
– Choose to eat healthy, our family tries to stick to the foods God made
– Train the kids in healthy habits for living (just a normal part of life)
– practice sitting still and waiting. I have one friend who has her kids all
sit at the table for 15 minutes before dinner is served silently and still in order to practice quiet waiting.
Cross-fit has a PE curriculum you can buy for different ages. It is called Cross-fit kids. I am sure there are a ton of other resources out there. Let me know if you find any good ones. I would love to hear about them.
Articles at Expanding Wisdom related to Training the Body
Outside Articles and Links
The 5 Essentials by Maximized Living (my favorite)
Fitness at a Glance by Maximized Living
Holy Yoga (A Christian yoga worship experience)
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