The problem: in the worlds of academics, healthcare, and religion/spirituality, each tends to focus on their individual benefit, often ignoring the others. Academics focuses on the mind and logic but ignores nutrition and the gut-brain connection! Healthcare tends to only look at the physical body – how often or hard you exercise, the foods you eat, and pharmaceuticals, however, ignores how feelings bring stimuli to the body.  Each concept teaches to be the dominant aspect and more important than the other.  In most cases, both completely ignore one’s necessity to connect with that higher source, aka God, and the spiritual aspect of oneself.  Religion and spiritual teachings also often ignore the importance of having a balanced mind and healthy body. Although each factor is important, it is through connection and integration of the three that we can obtain true harmony and peace with ourselves.  

 

Mind 

A healthy mind comes about healthy and balanced thoughts.  Here is where the primary source of our problems lies.  Most people are not aware of the thoughts that they think throughout their day. With everything we have going on, it’s understandable that we have busy minds. Most people are regularly juggling work, family schedules, and general life. With so much to get done throughout our day, we become stressed.  When we are stressed day to day, and we are not aware of the constant worry and thoughts we are thinking, we are overly creating cortisol.  Cortisol is our body’s main stress hormone. It is our body’s natural built-in alarm system also known as fight or flight. When our mind is in constant “fight or flight,“ physiologically reaction occurs in our body.  Day to day this creates an imbalance in our body that leads to dis-ease.

 

The above is in addition, to most not being aware of the agreements they have made about life due to daily subconscious programming and negative conditioning we have experienced growing up.  Are your thoughts pessimistic or optimistic? Are you harshly judging and criticizing throughout your day? Are your thoughts primarily fear-based? Are you creating expectations from others?  Can you become aware of the repetitive thoughts you are thinking?  Do you see what I’m getting at here?

 

Thoughts can create stress, they both create dis-ease.  What you think matters, literally.  Thoughts affect our physical bodies.  It all begins with thought.  Our thoughts produce feelings.  Feelings enact stimuli in our body which are physical sensations.  For example, thoughts that make us feel nervous can cause stimuli of sweaty palms and rising body temperature (fight or flight).  Healthy thoughts enable a healthy mind. Having a healthy mind allows us to handle life’s challenges in a calm matter which in turn reduces the feelings of anxiety and stress.  Being present and aware of our thoughts helps us to consciously choose and discern how we want to think and create an aware intentional response.  This reduces the emotional triggers that cause physical ailments.  This helps prevent illness.  A healthy mind also promotes better engagement and focus.  This is the importance of a healthy mind.

 

Body

Physical wellbeing is made possible by nourishing our body with clean and adequate nutrition, intake of clean water, regular exercise, getting enough sleep, getting enough sun, and grounding.  A huge factor of consuming the right (clean) nutrients and minerals is not only to build a strong immune system, and prevent dis-ease, it is also to maintain good gut health which has a direct correlation with your mental health.   A healthy body that is active, gets enough sun and rest and is free of harmful toxins and harmful thoughts not only prevents dis-ease, but it also provides more life-force energy, which in turn, promotes longevity, and increases confidence and happiness! In addition, having a body that is free of harmful toxins and thoughts, enables us to enhance and heighten our spiritual senses.

 

Your body never lies! The body has an intelligence that lives in and between our cells, that guides our cells, and provides us with information about ourselves and our state.  Our body is like a textbook that reflects to us our mental (mind) and spiritual health.  For example, pain in our body is an expression of love from our body asking us to pay attention to something we need to work on, not only on the physiological level but also on the mental and spiritual level.

 

Soul

At one point or another, you have wondered and asked, “what is the soul?” To put it in a nutshell, your soul is the immaterial essence and totality of who you are at your core.  It is your true nature, your innermost being.  All of life at its core level is energy.  Your soul is the vital force of energy which is a unique expression of the Divine, which we call Spirit or God. Your soul can be thought of as Spirit embodied.

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When Spirit embodies into the human form, it spits into 3, Mind, Body, and Heart.  As the force that animates, moves, and even speaks to us, our souls (heart) are said to be the source of our intuition and higher knowing.

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Spiritual health is not just religion or new-age beliefs.  It is your direct connection with your true essence, your true self, your knowingness, with Spirit/God.  It is most unfortunate that many do not consider their spiritual health as part of their overall well-being.  When we are spiritually healthy, we are connected to something greater than ourselves.  The result of this is a knowing, a trust that one is taken care of, which brings about peace and true joy in our life.  When we trust life and are at peace, this is the opposite of fear, anxiety, and our (ego) mind’s need for survival and control, thus we have greater emotional resilience.  In addition, our spiritual connections enhance our sense of purpose and direction and activates kindness, compassion, inclusivity, and gratitude.  All of this brings about greater for our mind and body!

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Suggestions on HOW TO strengthen the connection between your Mind, Body, and Soul:

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Mind

Meditation.  Meditation does not have to be perfect. Just 5-10 minutes a couple of times a day can be extremely beneficial. Quiet outside noise and sit in silence.

Create a balanced daily agenda that allows breaks throughout your day.

Pause and take these breaks throughout the day.  This can mean no stimuli (phone/social media, etc.) Check-in with your mind. How is it doing? Take deep breaths. Which leads to Mindfulness. Mindfulness means being moment-by-moment (as much as we can) aware of our thoughts.  It also means being aware of our feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a nurturing, non-judgmental lens.  Mindfulness involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment. When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we are sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future. Choose and be intentional about where we place our focus.  Focus on things that support your objectivity. If you choose to focus on items that can be negative, for example, the news, then do your best to have an awareness and balance objective on how you think about the information being shown. Choose a healthy response.  This starts with awareness of our thoughts in your mind.  Discern.  Pull back from harsh criticism and judgment.

Be present.  Thinking of the past may bring regret.  Thinking of the future may bring anxiety.  With intention, we can choose when we need to reflect on the past to heal, and when focus on the future to plan.  Other than that, BE HERE NOW.

Creating and writing affirmations.  This assists us to remember how we can choose to think and believe.  This helps re-wire our mind.

 

 

Body

Mediation. This can be a walking meditation where you ae moving your body, and present to yourself.   

Get at least 7-9 hours of sleep. Provide your body-temple a balanced, clean, and adequate nutrition. Ingest live foods that carry life force energy (which is the light of the world).  If you eat meat, consider the treatment and care of agricultural animals – including how they’re raised and what they’re fed.  Eat organic as much as possible. Hydration. Give your body adequate hydration.  The adult body is made of 60% water. Drink at least 8, 8 oz cups of clean water.  Alkaline water is best.  Your body also contains electrolytes. Electrolytes help your body regulate chemical reactions, maintain the balance between fluids inside and outside your cells. Get your daily dose of Vitamin D by getting out under the Sun daily for at least 1 hour.  This is especially true if your skin pigmentation is brown. Ground, electronically reconnect with earth.  Grounding can reduce physical and emotional stress, can reduce fatigued, and depression. Exercise, move your body!  The benefits of moving our body are increased circulation, assimilation, and stimulating the secretion of mood-enhancing endorphins.

Provide your body with opportunities for detoxification.  Do this by fasting, eating less, and/or drinking only liquids at least once a week. Rest and downtime are important. The body needs downtime to replenish and repair. Forgiveness. This is real. From a metaphysical aspect, traumas “big” or “small” (we cannot measure what we’ve experienced against others as worse or better) are stored in our bodies.  Forgiveness allows us to release this energy. This purifies our mind, body, and heart (soul).

 

Soul

Check-in with your heart.  Many are unaware of what the mind is thinking, therefore, they take what they think as fact.  Adyashanti calls this ‘Ego-in.’  We have an ego.  The ego is always on the defense or offense, but never in the HEART center .  The Heart is where you can hear the truth of your soul.  Your authentic power comes from the energy of the soul which and the quickest way to KNOW your truth is by quieting your ego-mind and checking in with your heart. Mediation.  You will notice that mediation is listed on all three here.  This is because mediation is beneficial in all areas of our being.  Mediation does not have to be a perfect silence of the mind, or to sit for hours like monks. For example, we can do it while doing dishes or brushing our teeth.  This can also be called mindfulness. Being present can be a form of mediation.  The goal is to give yourself space to be with yourself. Journeying.  This has been extremely effective in my healing.  Getting in touch with oneself is immense.  Who am I? Why am I here? What is my gift to give and/or purpose? You can start with, ‘how am I today?”  This information comes from our true-self, your soul/heart, and connects with it. Gratitude – is the #1 instant remedy when we are feeling out of sorts.  Being grateful for all the blessings we have is very effective in enhancing our connection with the divine and thus strengthens our spiritual health. We all have something to be grateful for, big or small.  There are blessings all around.  Not taking anything for granted keeps us connected to our souls! Yoga (stretch).  Yoga improves various aspects of our spiritual well-being. Yoga can connect us to our innate spiritual intelligence.  Having a yoga practice can enhance our spiritual health and by default, you can experience a more positive outlook on life and an internal lasting sense of peace and joy. Go outside and connect with nature. I see God in nature.  To me, I experience God in the wind as it flows through the leaves of its branches, in watching the birds, or in appreciating the clouds.  Your soul can be renewed by nature.

Writing affirmations that support your soul’s purpose. 

Life visioning that supports your soul’s purpose.

Affirmative PRAYER.  Connect with GOD/the Universe and your guides.  Pray with Faith, not fear.  Ask to connect with your guides.  Request to connect God.  Prayer to me is a direct lifeline to God.  Prayer is dialog.  Then pause, breathe and listen – and we come back to full circle – mediation. 

 

Written by Karina Velasquez, Certified Healing Practitioner and Spiritual Guide.