It's all too common to ignore the importance of the body. Oftentimes, we simply see it as a carrier for the mind. We only pay attention to its care when the proverbial 'check engine' light comes on: unexplained pain, persistent symptoms of an unknown origin, discomfort that distracts from day-to-day life... we pay attention only when we must.
But is the body simply a "meat vehicle?" Increasing evidence indicates that the body and mind are more interwoven than we've scientifically understood in the past.
For example, the gut hosts so many neurons that it has its own system, often called a 'second brain'. While these neurons perform different functions than the mind, the communication between these two 'brains' are so critical that therapies which focus on one invariably impacts the other.
It's exciting to have scientific research use instruments to measure what has been part of spiritual practice for thousands of years.
As personality type enthusiasts, it's easy to focus on the mind... and diminish the importance of the body.
After all, what can the body tell us about personality? Isn't the mind the infinite playground of personal understanding?
It comes as a surprise to many to learn the groundbreaking work of Carl Jung's followed on the heels of his trip to India to study the body and its relationship to spirituality. The backbone of much personality type theory - Jung's cognitive functions - was heavily influenced by his burgeoning understanding of the chakras.