Three aspects of an individual work congruently to keep one in balance, healthy, and one’s mental faculties sharp and fulfilled, they are the mind, body, and spirit. Mental health, physical health, and spiritual health each work together as one holistic influence on one another, whereas if one of the three elements is out of sorts, it will affect the others in some way. I run my own wellness business (no I’m not trying to sell you) and whenever someone comes to me with a problem, I try to address the issue holistically and on a mind, body, and spirit combined basis. Some people don’t understand the connection between the mind, body, and spirit, but it is rather simple honestly… The mind is responsible for a host of physiological responses in the body, for example; Too much prolonged stress, even being stressed without cause, can create an issue with blood pressure management.
Emotions left uncontrolled will cause the body to release various chemicals, such as dopamine being released in response to pleasure. These connections between the mind and body, are also linked to the spirit, which in turn creates much the same effect on the individual when left unchecked or disregarded. I am licensed in many aspects of human wellness, from Neurolinguistic programming to Cognitive behavioral therapy (actually in studies for this), I am a master hypnotist and Ericksonian hypnotherapist, Master Reiki, Herbalist, Meditation instructor, stress management therapist, Strategic life coach, Master instructor in Kenpo Karate and Shodai Soke of Cook’s Kenpo Karate, etcetera.
Mind, body, and spirit have been difficult for me myself, balancing all three can be trying at times for someone as busy as I am and with physical limitations as I have. These aren’t excuses either, because regardless of anything that may stand in my way, I still try and give my best effort.
Mind, body, and spirit
In the area of the mind, I meditate, I look through introspection and retrospection, I think of creative solutions to issues within our familial life, and new ways of viewing things from multiple perspectives. I work daily on being more accepting, loving, and caring towards my fellow living beings, and squashing negative emotions that come outside of proper context. I utilize many of the techniques I do on my clients, on myself, it’s through this that I learn exactly what works, what I need more practice with, and what plain old doesn’t work.
In the realm of the body, I try to eat to fuel my body and workout, generally martial arts, kettlebells, my total gym, biking, and to help my back issues, I use my inversion table. I work out as much as I can, but my issues with Ankylosing Spondylitis and my spine curvature sometimes make that a difficult task. I try to get checkups, physicals, vision, dental, whenever it is necessitated (yearly to bi-yearly in some cases), because having one’s health checked by a Doctor is as important as eating right and exercising.
As for the spirit, well I am converting to Judaism and I’ve never felt a more deeply spiritual connection to anything in my life. I pray three times a day, I attend the Shabbat services at our synagogue, Havdallah, celebrate holidays, study the Torah, attend Minyan and so much more. I have many friends who are secular, other religions, etc… who I often tell for spirit, try meditation, internal martial arts such as Tai Chi Chuan, Pa Kua Chang and the like, study philosophy such stoicism and Taoism… all of these things have a spirit enriching quality to them.
In all cases, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being is paramount to an overall healthy individual and longevity in life. Trying to balance all of these aspects is difficult, but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring or tedious, try new things, be a bit adventurous and do it all in the name of a better you. Spending time taking care of yourself is an often overlooked virtue, but if you are not capable of caring for your well-being, you cannot help others to do it.