ninehillsRAMBLE in the JUNGLE
Stunted Growth
By Wanaku Verdzekov · · Global
Tags: spirit, measurement, philosophy
Some humans are tall, some are short, and some are in the middle. That is how we see them. We even have tools for measuring this.
Now here is the question: if humans also have a spiritual (or spirit) body, is there a way to measure how tall or short a human's spirit body is? And if there is, what would the measuring tool be?
Further questions. If a human does not eat well or enough, the body shows the consequences for everyone to see. The solution is simply to eat well, or find more good food somewhere. Now, if it is determined that the spirit body is in trouble with its diet, is there a prescription to fix the problem?
Children who are not fed well can have stunted growth. Is it possible that a human spirit body can have… ahem… "stunted" growth?
You tell me.
TribalMonk
— Wanaku Verdzekov
Reading & grammar
Reading level: Gr 7–9
Understand
- What "spirit body" question does the author ask?
- What comparison does the author draw between food for the body and food for the spirit?
- What might "stunted growth" of the spirit look like, in your own words?
Grammar focus: conditional sentences. Conditionals use if: "If a human does not eat well or enough, the body shows the consequences." The first clause sets the condition; the second gives the result. This one is a zero conditional: a general truth, in the present tense.
Try it: Write three zero-conditional sentences about how people grow (in body, mind or spirit).
Discuss: What "feeds" a person's spirit: religion, art, community, nature? Argue for the one you think matters most.