Physical body, the
Caring for it the way a rider cares for its horse
October 30th 2021
The image of a knight on horseback is full of meaning: the knight represents the spirit of man while the horse represents his physical body. Each one of us is then both horse and rider. And just as an equestrian must care for their horse, each of us must care for our bodies, keeping them healthy and making them work but without exhausting them. When something goes wrong, it takes a great deal of discernment to recognize whether the problem or weakness comes from your horse or from you, the rider. You are tired – is your fatigue physical or psychological? You feel hungry although you have just eaten and your physical body has had enough – who is hungry, you or your body? At another time, you have no appetite even though you have not eaten and your physical body must surely need food.
A contradictory situation like this can also arise with physical love: your body is surfeited and yet you still want more; or you have had enough but your body still clamours for more. Sometimes, despite using your spurs, your horse leads you down paths you do not want to venture. At other times, it is the horse that finds a way to save its master, having caught the scent of a danger the knight had not seen. This question opens up a vast field of reflection for you.
