Attention Must Be Paid To Connect Our Minds, Bodies And Spirits

Think back to a time in your childhood when you felt gleeful, when you felt like you could stay in that place forever.

Was it making angels in the snow, smelling cookies baking, when you came home from school, hearing a special story re-read to you by one of the most wonderful people in your life?
Or, perhaps, was it when you picked a perfect flower or a vegetable you'd planted as a seed, or when you sold your last cup of lemonade at your curbside lemonade stand, or was it holding your brand-new puppy for the first time or getting the exact gift you wanted for your birthday? How about when you were lying on the grass cloud-watching and wondering why they were moving like they did or who was moving them?

Or, maybe, you have your own special memories tucked away.

Can you feel right now like you felt back then? Memories like these make us feel good, satisfied, content, calm and connected to ourselves. When we take the time to recall them, they can change a day for us. When we share them at special times, we can enrich a relationship.

We're all searching for connections to ourselves and others, whether visual, physical, social or even ones we can just sense. Each of us individually is truly the only one who really knows what we need to feel complete and whole. When we speak about the mind, body and spirit connection, I think we are talking about aligning all parts of ourselves to be the very best we can be; perhaps, this also means we call in a higher power, or believe in something that we cannot see and, yet, we know is there. The miracles that show up in my life are, I believe, to show me that there is a spiritual component in my life. When I discover that the Universe is with me, I am excited and have to pay attention to that.

The other night I drove into my garage and soon realized that I did not have my house keys. They were not in the drawer of my car where I usually keep them. I could neither get into the building nor into my apartment. I was stunned; it was after 11 pm. I certainly didn't want to bother Lily, our manager, who is a wonderful, vital 86 year old. So I called a neighbor, who wasn't home. Now, I had no choice. Feeling desperate, I dialed Lily's number. Luckily, she was still up, reading. She graciously let me in, asked if my keys had any identification, which they didn't and told me not to worry.

I honestly couldn't remember putting them in the usual place, but somehow I just knew I'd dropped those keys in the grass, before I'd gotten in my car. I realized I had not been paying attention; I'd disconnected from my mind and body.

I went out at 2 am with a flash light to check. No keys. I started to imagine all the places they could have fallen out of my car.

I even began to make a new key ring for myself, before I finally went to bed.

The next morning at 10:30 Lily called with "good news." A woman who lives in the building next to ours had picked my keys up in the grass the night before and had just brought them over. I thanked the Universe with a deep feeling of gratitude and acknowledged that I'd had another miracle in my life.

Some people believe that they can manifest what they want. That definitely involves paying attention to how they direct their thoughts and connect to their knowingness.

I know that some call attention by another name, mindfulness. I could say that before I drove away, I had been out of my mind. But before I went to bed, I was present again; I knew that my keys were somewhere in the grass. I know that our attention is the most powerful personal tool we have. Only when we pay positive, quality attention to something or someone do we create a connection.

When we pay attention and stay in our minds and bodies, we have less drama and stress in our lives. We find more opportunities to feel good, joyful, content and whole. And we find more time to create new memories full of glee and wonder.

Reconnect Your Mind, Body and Spirit

In many of my Stress Relief articles I advise doing 'absolutely nothing' ie deep breathing and a simple 5 minute meditation. The purpose isn't only to de-stress, although it does a great job of relaxing you, but it is also to reconnect us with our bodies and our energy, something that we often lose in our busy, stressful lives. When we are doing; watching, listening, talking or touching, we are concentrating on everything except ourselves.

When was the last time that you walking into a room and didn't switch on the tv, radio, computer, use the phone or read a newspaper?

Do you ever just sit, have a quick cup of tea and think?

We do it when we need to do a shopping list or a 'to do' list, but we hardly ever do this process to think about ourselves, our ambitions, our job or a relationship. In fact, we probably spend more time organising our shopping list than we spend organising our life!

Getting back in touch with your needs

If you often ignore or suppress your daily needs, which we often do when we have families that we are responsible for, you will find that this is a simple way of getting you back in touch with your emotions and needs.

Try this 5 minute simple exercise once a week, or once a month if you prefer, which will reconnect your mind body and spirit;

Sit quietly at the kitchen table, have a cup of tea or coffee if you like but just sit and think. Think about what you want to do, either now or at some point in the near future. It could be that you think 'I would love to go for a walk in the country this weekend' or it could be 'I really want to do that OU course next year'. It doesn't really matter what you think about, as long as you are thinking about you and your needs.

If you haven't done this before and don't know where to start, you could start by answering these 3 simple questions

I want ____________

I really wish I could _______________

I would love to ________________

Notice that I have purposely kept the tone positive, this is a time for figuring out your needs and this should be based on positive things, not the things that you don't want. For example; if you hate your job, think about positive ways that you can change it and find a more suitable job or you may even want to consider starting a whole new career and what you need to do to achieve that.

Once you start doing this exercise on a regular basis, you will find that the more you practice, the easier it will become and ideas will pop into your head much easier - a sure sign that you are back in touch with your needs and your mind body and spirit is reconnected.

Be sure to keep the focus of these sessions on you and your life - we spend more than enough time worrying about everyone else during our daily lives, this is time to spend focusing on your needs.

The Mind, Body and Spirit Approach to Lasting Weight Loss

"Every New Year I start a new diet. What suggestions do you have for helping me stick to the diet this year?" Despite our best intentions, many of us never make it past January with our declarations. Here's the pattern: initial excitement, great expectations, and grandiose promises to get in shape, followed by procrastination, guilt, and disappointment. If you are one of the people who set the same goal every year, this time it is your turn to succeed! Follow these tips to help you set yourself up for positive outcomes and make your weight loss dreams a reality.

1. Change is a Process

True change is never effortless! There is no secret formula, and no instant weight-dissolving pill. There may be people out there who promise these things but I have yet to see one that lasts for the long-term. Of course, there is liposuction and various gastric surgery processes, but even then you still have to adjust your lifestyle to maintain your results. Weight loss is a process that you learn. You make mistakes and you learn from those mistakes. In the process, you learn to believe in yourself, you gain confidence, and you decide to give yourself success. The key is this - the process you go through is even more important then the end goal itself. Because who you become in the process is your most important reward.

2. Know What You are Moving Toward

Many weight loss declarations are made out of frustration and in response to a negative pattern or habit that you want to change or end. Examples include, "I don't want to be fat" or "I don't want to be thinking about food all the time." However, it is difficult to develop momentum from a negative desire. Successful goals need drive and passion! Define what you want in positive terms and allow yourself a positive attitude to keep your motivation powerful for the long haul.

3. Develop a Relationship with Food

The return to healthy, peaceful, and successful eating starts by replacing the strict rules of dieting with the goal of developing an intimate relationship with food. A good relationship with food involves choosing foods that make you feel more alive and vibrant. This means selecting foods that increase your levels of energy, health, pleasure, and motivation. This is not about being "good" or eating "the right" foods, but about eating foods that make you feel satisfied on both the physical and the joy levels. Your goal is to feel fulfilled and content after eating in a holistic mind, body, and spirit manner, not sick, uncomfortable, deprived, or guilt ridden.

4. Food Is an Extension of Self-Love

Eating in relationship to hunger, fullness, satisfaction, and joy is about beginning to know your self on an intimate level. It is about feeling entitled to take care of your physical body and your emotional well-being. Notice how you feel and before eating ask yourself, "Is this really what I want?" Then decide. By treating your mind, body, and spirit with respect, you eat less not because of rigid rules, but because you have made a decision that it is important to feel good. Connect with your body and eat foods that satisfy on many levels, including health, energy, taste, and contentment. Eat in a manner that allows a sense of feeling good, both now and later.

5. Give up Guilt

Believing that you have "cheated" on your diet and then telling yourself that you have ruined any chance of success produces guilt and feelings of failure. If you overeat, acknowledge your behaviors with truth and compassion. Become curious about why you do what you do, and leave your criticism and judgment behind. Accept the choice that you made, learn from your experience, and then tell yourself you are capable of making news choices. Refocus on your goal immediately, and don't wait until Monday or next week to take action.

6. Think "Management" Instead Of "Control"

Control implies an adversarial relationship with food. Control tends to mean that you are in a constant battle to have power over weight, eating, or your body. Instead of using force to have power over something, consider using a more loving style of management. When you manage something, you work with it to achieve your desired results. You unite with your desire or goal. Rather than forbidding yourself to eat certain foods, manage the situation. If what you love happens to be cake or cheeseburgers, then consider creative ways to eat what you want.

7. Avoid Getting Too Hungry

Skipping meals and snacks is a set up to binge or overeat. When most people get too hungry, all intentions of moderate, conscious eating fly out the window. The problem with ignoring feelings of hunger is that you also start ignoring feelings of fullness. Soon your body isn't in charge of eating - your diet plan is. Try to tune into hunger and eat shortly after noticing hunger. Provide all of the foods the body craves for health and pleasure.

8. Put Your Mind In Touch With Your Body

Regular physical movement - whether gardening, walking, lifting weights, or practicing playing ball - helps you connect with your body. Physical movement provides a sense of well-being, confidence, and body awareness. Include regular movement in a way that feels positive. Healthy, beautiful bodies come in all shapes and sizes.

9. Make Your Food Taste Good

If you need to add a little sugar, fat, salt, herbs, or seasonings to make your foods taste better, then do it. Also, be sure to keep an abundance of good food around and plenty of variety. Reward yourself with nutritious food choices which leave you feeling energized and alive. Fill your house with all sorts of enjoyable fresh foods - fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains, lean meats, poultry, fish and dairy products. Being able to choose the foods you want to eat is the beginning of a new, healthy relationship with food.

If you have set weight loss as your goal once again, congratulate yourself for holding tight to your dream! Start fresh, focus on the positive aspects of your courage, and give yourself credit for your determination. In your journey of successful weight loss, consider utilizing the tips above to build enthusiasm, confidence, and steady momentum. Never give up on your dream!

Mind Body and Spirit Yoga - Benefits of Yoga for the Mind and Body

For years mind body and spirit yoga has been used for many forms of healing and relaxing and its benefits have been proved over and over. There are many forms of yoga and finding information on the web can be overwhelming.

Yoga Classes can be expensive so many people search the internet hoping to find videos and instructions on how yoga can benefit you from home. All types of yoga have different benefits for the mind, the body or the spirit.

Body focused types of yoga include - bikram yoga, Ashtanga yoga, Iyengar yoga and Vinyasa yoga. These types of yoga benefit deferent the body in different ways which include strength and grace.

Mind focused yoga includes - Bhakti yoga, Mantra yoga and Raja yoga. The benefits of mind yoga vary just as mush as body yoga. The benefits include patience and concentration and can have the same effects as meditation.

Of course there are many more forms of yoga than mentioned here and there will always be a type suitable for each individuals needs. They say that all forms of yoga help with your natural spirit and combining different forms of yoga for your personal needs is the best way to practice.

Try and find first of all, which style of yoga you think you would benefit from the most. Then try searching for this style. There is a tonne of information on the internet and narrowing down what you are looking for can help immensely. Once you feel comfortable with your first style, combine it with something new.

5 Ways to Soothe Mind, Body, and Spirit

Self improvement (or self help) tools come in many shapes and sizes; sometimes it's physical in nature (a self help book, having a massage, painting with water colors), or spiritual in nature (flower essences, Reiki, meditation which is both physical and spiritual, etc).

Five of the best self help options that I've used successfully to help soothe my own mind, body and spirit, are:

1. Meditation techniques - a fabulous self help tool which greatly benefits overall health and wellbeing. There are many techniques to choose from such as:

**Visually guided meditations;

**Candle meditation;

**Breathing meditation;

**Crystal meditation;

**Writing meditation (alternate by using dominant and non-dominant hand);

**Walking meditation;

**Body scanning; and

**A self healing meditation using either color; breathe work; aromatherapy; etc.

2. Painting with water colors, pastels or oil paints - express your uniqueness through art. This is a wonderful self help tool to employ for inner healing, letting go and for creating something new (a masterpiece for your lounge room wall).

3. Vibrational essences. Part of ancient wisdom, vibrational essences are used in healing to assist with the removal of emotional blocks and patterns, as well as resolving issues from past lives.

Essences are generally in liquid form and can also be used in creams, ointments and oils (I sometimes combine mine with an aromatherapy oil blend).

Vibrational substances are derived from light (sun, moon etc), healing energy (universal or spiritual energy, prana, Reiki etc), plants (flowers, stems, leaf etc), mineral (crystals, gold etc), environmental (sacred places), or animal.

Some examples of essences available (there are many) to explore further as a self help tool are:

**Flower, Gem, Angel, Shell, Coral, Sea, Goddess, and Chakra essences

4. Journal writing is a fabulous self help healing tool connecting you with your true essence, your spiritual self.

Find yourself a special journal/diary to write in; something special to write with (can be brightly colored inks or the more traditional black, blue or reds) and make a date with yourself to do some journal writing every morning at the same time (before rising out of bed).

I've practiced journal writing as a self help tool for many years and still find it, to this day, one of the greatest self help and self improvement tools around - and it costs nothing!

Write out your worries, sadness, loneliness, or whatever is playing on your mind. When you've done that write in your journal the excitement, enthusiasm and passion you intend to experience for the day ahead, the projects you're working on, friends you'll catch up with, food you'll eat, possible miracles that might happen, shopping to be done, your work day etc.

5. Have a massage. Treat yourself to some bodywork like a Swedish massage. Swedish is a more traditional or western soft tissue type of massage, however if you're after something a little more unique for healing mind, body, and spirit you could choose:

Aromatherapy massage - there's nothing quite like this one using essential oils for body, mind and spirit.

Ka Huna, LomiLomi - gentle, relaxing, soothing and stretching massage (even watching this massage is relaxing);

Reflexology - therapeutic hand and foot massage;

Reiki - hands on energy healing (aligns Chakras etc)

Vichy Shower - warm water is directed over your body, gently massaging it (this is heavenly, especially after a salt scrub).

Acupressure - form of bodywork based on Chinese Meridian theory

Ayurvedic - part of a traditional detoxification and rejuvenation program of India called Panchakarma - vigorious massage with warm oils and herbs to remove toxins, is calming and balancing, and facilitates profound inner peace.

Hot stone massage - warm smooth stones are applied to the body and employed by the therapist's hands.

A massage not listed that I experienced while ago was a form of Swedish massage. I was given small smooth rocks to hold in either hand, at the end of the massage the therapist held my feet and 'tuned' me, which sounded like a clarinet going up and down the scales. To say I felt relaxed and energised at the same time is an understatement. It was amazing.

I've road tested many self help tools over the years; it's been an amazing journey with the most profound assistance coming from spirit. Sometimes good comes from being blinded by the light.

Maintain Mind, Body and Spirit through Self Help

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me.""
Erma Bombeck (1927-1996) US humorist

What is a Self Help tool?

For me, a self help tool is a skill or technique one can draw on whenever needed, or to maintain mind, body and spirit in a more balanced way.

Maybe confidence needs boosting, or self esteem could be raised a notch or two. There are many self help tools and techniques available which can help release tension, clear the mind, increase awareness, improve personal strategies and pave the way for a brighter and more purposeful future.

Most days will find me use a little self help to enable me to cope better with daily challenges. Maybe I'll use an aromatherapy recipe to help me focus on my writing, have a meditation session to clear my mind, or I might do a little self coaching and self-appraisal if I'm stuck on something. These are but a few of the self help tools I use.

Self help for maintaining mind, body and spirit is similar to practising motivation daily. By utilising self help tools and knowledge on a daily basis, it can provide individuals with improved coping skills during 'the down times'.

There are many self help tools to choose from and you can find them in self help books (paperback and electronic), personal or spiritual development courses, CDs, magazines, self help and self improvement websites, and through coaching programs.

With any self help tool or technique, your rate of return will always equal your rate of effort.

10 simple self help tips you can apply easily:

** Where will you be in 10, 20, or 30 years from now? Spend some time writing down your life goals.

** A high expectation can also bring with it a high level of disappointment. By lowering your expectations of other people, you'll be less disappointed.

** Live in the present moment. The present moment is when you're in the zone.

** Trying to change others to how we want them to be is pointless - the only thing you can successfully change is you.

** Listen for and eliminate negative self talk. Counter the negative talk with a positive response, each and every time.

** Connect with others. You could become a volunteer, join a community, sporting or personal interest group, and learn to meditate. By connecting with others it's possible to establish valuable life long friendships.

** Expand your knowledge base, read magazines and books you normally wouldn't, or watch documentaries. Enrol in further studies and adopt the attitude learning is easy, learning is fun.

** If you have self help books - read them again, if the books contain exercises for you to complete - spend some time working through them. It's all about taking action and changing the I shoulds to I will.

** With the help of a personal trainer, work out (pardon the pun) a suitable exercise program, better still, make it a new lifestyle program.

** Connect with your spiritual self and get to know yourself.

Whilst these are only a few of the self help options available, the possibilities are endless, including both mainstream and alternative. Whichever you choose they are all self help tools which help you maintain mind, body and spirit in a more balanced way.

Keep the Mind, Body and Spirit Strong at All Times

If we look deeply into ourselves, we will realise that we are made up of body, spirit and mind.  When we take care of ourselves, we are essential taking care of these three aspects of "ourselves".  Do not neglect either one!

Our body (health) is important to be able to function and carry out tasks and activities that benefits us as well as others.  When you take care of your body, you are indirectly taking care of others too, assuming you have good intentions.  Now, we should eat healthily and exercise often to release harmful toxins from our body.  By doing so, your brain releases endorphins which calms you and puts you into a relaxed state of mind.

When we have a peaceful mind, we are able to function much more efficiently in society and without distractions.  This is a wonderful thing.  How often have we been frustrated in our daily lives just because we are distracted by thoughts that serve no purpose in assisting our tasks.  Avoid negative thoughts and strive towards a more positive mindset!  Don't intellectualize why we need to do this.  Do it and you will experience the immense benefits to your life, as well as others too.

Developing our spirit is another essential point.  By having a motivation in life for the benefit of ourselves and others, we look forward to waking up each day and going through our lives.  People often wonder what the meaning of life is.  I say they think too much.  When you are in a state of bliss, that question doesn't come to your mind.  So you see the trick is not the question itself.  It is the very actions we take in our daily lives that matter.  Don't wonder.  Instead, strive towards a calmer and peaceful mind and all will become clear as day.

Mind, Body, Spirit, and Lifestyle

I often feel like I'm a walking contradiction at times because I simply cannot align my spiritual being with my physical being. There always seems to be a struggle between the two because the body wants what it wants while my mind tells me that may not be the wisest choice.

For example chocolate ice cream, I love chocolate ice cream! However, I simply cannot eat it all the time. It's a fact that's it's fattening, full of sugar and doesn't contain all the necessary nutrients to sustain my good health. My mind knows this, but my physical craving for it to satisfy my taste buds rationalize otherwise thus creating the dilemma.

Should I obey and give in to my inner desire and craving for the ice cream or should I stand firm, resist the temptation and exert a little self discipline to maintain a healthier lifestyle? We make seemingly simple choices like that all day everyday. Although we may not pay the price right away for the choice we make for something as trivial as ice cream; our decisions for whether or not to instantly gratify our desires will have it's consequences over time.

I find this to be especially true as I'm fast approaching my 40th birthday. The choices and decisions I've made in my youth has not only caught up to me but is solidifying itself in my character, personality, and my lifestyle as well. No one becomes fat over night. I need to learn how and have the discipline to maintain a healthier lifestyle if I want to be slim,trim and fit.

Let's switch gear here for a moment and just pretend that the choice we have to make is a little bit more important than ice cream. Say religion, which seems to be an almost taboo subject these day. We have so many radicals and activists that's teaching us to be "politically correct", to be more accepting of other peoples lifestyles and less judgmental whether we agree with it or not.

When it comes to my own spirituality, I'm not afraid to admit that I'm a Christian. Look no one's perfect. If the "politically correct" people don't want "religion" to be pushed on them, I'm fine with that. After all, I still like to think we have our own free will. The only problem is, I don't want gay and lesbian agenda pushed on me or my children either. "If we don't stand for something we'll fall for anything."

If we can't talk about God in school, I really don't want same sex marriages to be taught in the same school system either. So where am I going with all of this or what am I getting at? Our Lifestyle of course. My mind, body, and spirit may not always be in harmony, but what we chose today and everyday will most definitely define our lifestyle.

I've come to the conclusion that I simply cannot harmonize my mind, body, and spirit without mixing love, faith, and obedience. Being a Christian is not about being perfect, it's about being forgiven. Being able to forgive and love one another is the ultimate lifestyle.

Best of Success,
http://inspirationallifeplancoaching.com/

Mind-Body Wellness - What Does Spirit Have to Do With It?

For some of us, attaining mind-body wellness appears to be a daunting task. Some of us are so accustomed to seeking and finding our favorite ways to avoid feeling uncomfortable. Depending upon our prior experiences and personal preferences, we may turn to a specific familiar and comfortable activity to avoid self-reflecting and facing our own internal, and sometimes painful, emotions. We may choose an obvious addictive-type activity, such as abusing chemical substances, pharmaceuticals and recreational drugs, compulsive sexual behaviors, workaholism, or gambling or we may chooses a less obvious avoidance activity such as excessive exercise, uncontrollable shopping, or even emotional outbursts and excessive talking.

Our internal and external energy fields are affected by the people and environments we gravitate toward. Our physical vibration actually synchronizes with others. It is common knowledge that two young ladies who spend a lot of time together tend to develop synchronous menstrual cycles. However, most of us do not realize that all of our organ systems and brain patterns also synchronize with those around us.

Studies are finding that overweight people who spend time with overweight people or happy people who spend time with other happy people, tend to sustain their current weight, current attitudes, and current demeanor. However, if an overweight person is surrounded by thin, health conscious friends and colleagues, that person may begin to synchronize and more easilyn make choices that help him or her to lose weight. A happy person surrounded by depressed and negative people may gradually lose his or her positive outlook and happy smile.

How can a person begin to alter a lifestyle that is not leading to mind-body wellness?

First step is always AWARENESS

Pay attention and tell yourself the truth about where you are currently on the mind-body wellness continuum.

Second step is to OBSERVE your thoughts and actions.

Acknowledge how these affect your choices and behaviors that alter your mind-body wellness.

Third step is to FEEL your energy level.

Consciously notice whether you have a high, medium, low or hyperactive level of energy and determine what factors may be related to your current energy level.

Fourth step is to TUNE INTO your emotions.

Determine whether your emotions are balanced and within your conscious control or if they are either excessively controlled or unpredictable and out of your conscious control.

Fifth step is to REALIZE AND DEFINE your passion.

If your passion and joy is elicited by negative, self-defeating, harmful or even illegal activities, you need to dig deep inside your mind, body and spirit to discover the core truth about your passion that has somehow been repressed.

Sixth step is to RECREATE your passion.

Seek and find that high level of focus, intensity, animation and pleasure that you have either completely suppressed or have placed into an unproductive pursuit.

Seventh step is to ACCESS your own inner being.

Find a way to access your inner spirit, your soul, the wise one within you,

Through some form of focused internal activity that leads to personal relaxation, contemplation, meditation, and spiritual connection.

Eighth step is to find a systematic way to RE-TRAIN your own mind.

Scientists have discovered the brain's neuroplasticity, it's ability to adapt and change and create new pathways, brain patterns and brain maps throughout life.

Finally, as you begin to regain your own mind-body wellness, you are able to grasp the concept that everyone and everything is energetically connected. You begin to understand that we are all spiritual beings claiming our own birthright to the enjoyment of the wonders of creation.

When your own mind and body are finally in balance, you naturally connect to a place of depth within your own self, a place of spiritual alignment. Life becomes easier, less of a struggle, less of sense of fighting upstream. Life becomes less of an effort to "do" something and more and more of a willingness to "allow" life to unfold gracefully.

What does it take to create such a high level of mind-body wellness? All it takes is a sincere desire and taking daily small steps, one day at a time, one situation at a time, one moment at a time, even one thought at a time. The road to mind-body wellness is a very simple, straight and narrow path. It is available to all who seek it.

Are you ready and willing to create your own mind-body wellness now?

Mind, Body and Spirit - What Is the Scientology Understanding?

Most people have a concept that there are indeed three parts of man, the body, mind and spirit. But what really are they and how do they interrelate?

The easiest to understand is probably the body. Our bodies have ears, eyes, limbs and so forth. They give us sensation, so they are very real to us. We are not technically these bodies however, but rather, we are the life force that runs the body. We use these bodies to perform what we are trying to do in the physical universe.

The body itself is a composite of life within the cells and the material universe. Upon body death the life within the cells extinguishes and leaves the matter part of the cell remaining. At that point the cell is dead. The life within these cells departs variably, not all at once. Hair and finger nails will continue to grow weeks long after other parts of a body have begun to decay after what we call death.

So if we look at the body as some kind of vehicle we run, which itself is made up of aggregates of life and matter, that would be a fair description. Many religions, particularly eastern religion, have this concept.

Next is the mind. It is a compositor of pictures that a person uses to look into the past and work out solutions to problems, so as to pose solutions for the future. The pictures in the mind are something like a movie roll of one frame after the other. We are dependent on it as a data storage unit.

But the mind is also more, as there are several minds, not just one. There is what is termed the analytical mind, that perfect mind which is able to give the perfect answer, without error. It is potentially without limit. Then there is the reactive mind, that mind which has accrued all the pain and misfortune in the past - the recall of the bad times, the emotional upsets, losses and negative experiences. This mind is not needed by the person but belongs to the collective life of the body cells. Arguably it has limited use by us today as a higher life-form. The reactive mind impinges upon the analytical mind to make the person do something he otherwise would not do. To demonstrate this, who has not done something they wish they had not done, knowing even at the time they were about to do it, that it was wrong? Who has said something hateful or hurtful to someone they loved knowing it would hurt themselves later? This is the reactive mind at work against you.

The last mind then is what we call the somatic mind, that mind which works well below any conscious awareness and which governs the organs of the body. It keeps the heart beating, the cells replicating, and so forth.

The final component of this trio is the spirit. This is actually you. It is what you are, the spirit. It is you who looks at pictures in your mind. It is you who decides to move the body. You are the life force that animates your body. You are the one who decides what the body will do. You look into the mind to solve your problems, and then with your solution give the command for the body to execute the decision. You are not the small life force within the cells of your body, but a separate and larger life unit that runs the entire organism.

So what is death? When the body dies you o not die. You separate from the body, move on. There are plenty of people who can describe the experience of during an operation, or accident, looking down on their body and the scene around them. For some they think they maybe almost died, as they have separated out from their body. But actually that is not always necessarily true. During periods of high pain a being will exteriorize from the body. He can often be found watching the proceedings and then re-enter when it is deemed safe. If he was a Scientologist he would then able to counsel out the experience and memory so as to not leave any negative after effect.

I hope this helps and there is much more in books on the subject by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology.

Connecting Your Mind, Body, and Spirit For Overall Happiness

You may be wondering what people mean when they mention having a "balance" in life. Usually this refers to being in a position in your life where your mind, body, and spirit are in a state of unity and tranquility. This may sound to some, like a case of metaphysical mumble-jumbo, but the simple fact is that life at its very core is made up equally of these three things and we must keep them in balance or we will have major complications in our lives. The three parts of you must work together and must exist in harmony or your life will not be as happy and full as it should be.

So how does one go about finding this balance? How can you achieve a harmonious tranquility amongst your mind, body and spirit? One way is to become a Buddhist, move to Tibet and spend the rest of your life filling your days with contemplation, meditation, reflection and study of life. This does not sound like your cup of tea (pardon the pun)? Then maybe your should try a simple process of connecting back with you. This is not as hard as it sounds and can be done with just a mild amount of effort every day.

The first thing that you need to do is get the body back into proper working order. This doesn't mean that you have to spend 24/7 in the gym and look like one of those body building freaks you see at 3AM on ESPN 5. All you have to do is get your body back into the condition that nature intended it to be, this means getting to your proper weight, reducing the unhealthy habits that you have such as smoking, drinking and fast food and taking better care of yourself generally.

When it come to the mind, the best way to get it back into proper working order is simply to take a few minutes each day to clear your head and put things in their right perspective. Many people suffer from stresses and fears that are unfounded when the actual facts of the situation are looked at in the right perspective. You should try to keep a positive mental outlook at all times. I know that this sounds easier than it really is at times, but that's part of the process. You need to train yourself to be in control of your mind and not the other way around.

The last part is a little more complicated than the first two, but at the same time, its also the easiest in some ways. The truth of the matter is that the spirit is the driving force of our lives, it is where the basic element of who we are comes from. The best way to get your spirit in check with your body and mind is to simply make it a point to find ways to enjoy life. Take the time to connect with the people and activities that matter most to you. In this way the spirit will draw strength and heal itself. You can have a "balance" in your life, you just need to make the effort to decide each and every day to do so.

Connecting With Mind, Body and Spirit

I've written a great deal about the union of mind, body and spirit in previous articles. I believe it is essential for living an authentic life. When I talk about authentic, I mean living in harmony with your true nature. When you're living in alignment, you transcend your imposed limitations. You begin leading a life of inspiration rather than perspiration.

Your life has meaning and purpose. When you connect with mind, body and spirit, you experience success, happiness, joy and the fullness of life. You cease acting from a place of fear and other lower energies. You're able to transcend these limitations. You're in alignment with your emotions and thoughts. You practice regular spiritual practice (I'm not suggesting worship here) and become in tune with your surroundings.

Awakening your authentic self is what nature and the universe had in store for you before you came into the world. Over the years and throughout adulthood, you told yourself stories about who you think you are. These stories are unfair depictions about your true essence as a spiritual being having an earthly experience. You painted a canvas which is distorted. It is important rid yourself of this false belief, since this is not who you really are.

Therefore, to live as nature had intended for you, means reawakening and connecting with the three elements of mind, body and spirit. If you are only concerned with your body and focused on losing weight and the material form of yourself, you will never truly attain happiness and fulfillment. Since your ego identifies with the material aspect of self, while spirit is the true essence of your nature. Why not have both? Why not have an amazing looking body which radiates energy, beauty and the energy of life flowing through it?

To connect with the material aspect of your being, means denying other elements which are available to you. It would be akin to a squirrel preying on other animals for its food source. Instinctively it knows it cannot be nourished by the flesh of other animals. It knows it cannot digest and assimilate the protein from other species - so why try? It should turn its attention toward food which it intuitively knows will nourish its body, mind and spirit. Corn, seeds, nuts and fruits are its natural choice of nourishment. I don't mean to sound condescending by presenting you with a simplified metaphor of who you really are.

Allow me to render a caveat by expressing it takes time to evolve into a person I am describing. What's the rush? I've never understood why people want to get a six pack or be lean or lose weight NOW. What then? What if I was to grant you your wish, how would your life look like with your new body? When I ask this question of clients, their immediate look is one of bewilderment - I don't know is the usual response. Recall then that health is not an event, it is a PROCESS. If you learn nothing from reading my articles, please commit that mantra to memory.

You MUST connect on all three levels of mind, body and spirit to live a rich, vibrant and abundant life. You can only do that by being in alignment with those three elements. What's the use of having a fantastic body when suddenly faced with a crisis which requires attention? You find yourself unable to train. Your emotions are in turmoil. You neglect your body over time, while you tend to your mental and emotional state. There is a gradual decline your physical self; something you once thought was impenetrable. I see this all the time in new clients.

A person in alignment knows whatever disruption or turmoil they're faced with, is only transient. They have a world view and understand the process of life. They're unattached to outcomes and surrender to whatever life reveals; knowing all will be well. They neither invest a great deal in their emotional or mental state. Instead witnessing them much like observing waves crash into the shoreline. They know and appreciate in time, this too shall pass - much like the seasons.

The purpose of this article today is to invite you to consider a different view of health, well being and fitness; a different view of aesthetic beauty. Many of you have been doing the same thing day in day out - some achieving great results, others not so great. Wherever you are in the continuum, consider gaining another perspective. If you're currently seeing the results you deserve - fantastic. Keep moving in that direction and tend to your mental and emotional state.

I assure you, the more you connect with mind, body and spirit, the greater your life begins to look and feel. You'll never look back and wonder why it took so long to live this way. Remember - patience and persistence will undoubtedly pay off in the long run. Make it a way of life, insisting that you become someone worthy of living an authentic and magical life.

Mind, Body, And Spirit - Me And My Cell-Phone Aren't So Different

Understanding "who" and "what" you are is one of the prerequisites for finding balance, peace, happiness, and control in your life. For example, until you know what a car is, and have some idea about how it operates, you are more of a danger than you are in control. Your mind, body, and spirit - and the relationship between them - is much more complex than a car - but much simpler, too.

Imagine your cell phone; and consider that there is a body that you touch and interact with, as well as a power-source, and information stored in a memory card and processor like thoughts and memories stored in your brain and mind. If we compare ourselves to a cell phone, the phone is the "body," the sim-card, or memory card, the brain; and the energy stored in the battery, flowing through the sim-card, and making the whole thing light-up and make noise, would be the "animating force," or spirit.

In order for your cell phone to work properly, or as-designed, all three basic components need to be in working order and joined together the way they were meant to be. When you separate the battery from the phone, it no longer works; likewise, when you separate the "mind" of the phone, it will still work, but it won't work like it did before - it won't remember anyone's phone number, and it won't even remember it's own. A phone without a "mind" is only as useful as a toy; and a phone without a battery is simply dead.

With humans, we have a physical body which is animated by an invisible energy that we only know exists because of the work it does and the effects it causes; we call that energy, "Spirit." Spirit is capable of doing any work and carrying any information - whether or not we nurture it, think about it, or use, guide, or direct it efficiently and effectively. Spirit is life; and spirit is always there and available. Bodies, however, are formed and physical; all such things have a temporary existence, but if we keep the batteries charged and the pieces together, we can dramatically extend the useful life of a phone or a human body.

Cell phones and humans have other things in common, too. They were both designed for a purpose; and they operate within a much larger system - that was also designed for a purpose. The phone cannot ever know who conceived and designed it; nor does it truly know who is using it - or why. Nonetheless, a cell phone can do lots of stuff and make lots of noise; and so can we - without much more understanding of our true nature than a cell phone has of its own. In fact, most people don't know any more about who they are and how they work than they did when they were children. That's good for the people making the calls - and controlling your life; but not so good for you if you want to be in control of your experience.

The thing is, you have a body and, if you're alive, your body is said to be "occupied," or charged with, life, or spirit; but it is the mind that directs the flow of spirit through your body - and shapes your body with and around the spiritual energy available to you. Your mind can be programmed just like the memory of a phone; and anyone can do this "programming" - teachers, preachers, parents, friends, television, etc... And, since it is your mind that controls your emotions (how spirit is flowing through you) and your body, then whoever is programming your mind is controlling most aspects of your life experience. How are their programs working for you?

Think about it; and then take steps to decide what kind of life you want - and program your brain for it. You've done it before and called it, "learning;" now learn something you want to learn for yourself. Teach yourself how to think new thoughts and do new things; then, dial-up any kind of life you want. You can do it; we all can. And, even if you don't remember, you've done this before.

Balancing Mind, Body And Spirit Through Meditation

In today's hectic, high-paced world where lifestyles leave little room for self, it's important to learn Meditation Techniques that bring peace, balance, and harmony back into life. As many have become aware, life goes by so fast it becomes difficult to take in even a portion of the action around us. However, in learning to relax and reconnect with life, the invisible will again become visible, the indefinable will become definable, and once again the physical, spiritual, and mental self that makes us all unique will come into balance.

The ultimate goal of this technique is to increase intuitive powers that are driven by expansive, mystical resources that guide decision-making. These are drawn from the shared mind of the human race, the planet, and from our history and future. The results will vary depending on the individual and their receptivity to new sources of information. For most a state of balance is unique in that the mind, body, and spirit begin to work in unison making a person feel more grounded and in harmony with the actions taken as well as the guidance received.

Changes in the mind will be the most unique. It will feel as though consciousness exists not only in the head, but in the body as well. This will release the spirit which ends up guiding the body as well as decision-making. Although we understand that the body is made up of many parts that all serve a function, with a meditation one will become aware of the harmony and efficiency with which they work. When the body, mind, and body work in unison and attention is directed externally, life will suddenly feel boundless with energy and knowledge free-flowing making anything possible.

With meditation, personal identity will become part of a greater whole; like a molecule on the wind you will be everywhere and inside everything. The skin of the body no longer creates a visual boundary which creates a mental limitation in our lives. You will suddenly realize that insight comes from everywhere making life feel like a familiar companion that's spontaneous rather than an obstacle to be overcome. Determining one's current state will help provide the impetus for change.

There are many ways to determine your current state. Writing about it is one of the easiest. There are three aspects that need to be considered; mind, body, and spirit. How you organize your life, make decisions, and participate in your favorite activities are all important aspects. When analyzing the body one would consider whether they prefer concrete or abstract concepts or whether instinct or being grounded drives movement and stimulation.

When evaluating the mind you would look at how you express yourself verbally, analyze information, organize your mind, and conceptualize your world. Finally, you should determine what inspires you and whether you can visualize what can be as opposed to requiring concrete proof what is possible. When you look at the decisions you make and what things you traditionally avoid, it can tell you much about yourself, as can phobias, your detail orientation, and where your focus is, on yourself or on others.

It is important that all these factors be in-balance, but it may require action on your part in ways that are not necessarily planned. For instance, if you need to be more physically fit in order to have the body image that helps you achieve balance, you may need to increase your exercise level. It's important, however, that mind, body, and spirit receive the same workout. For instance, mentally exercise by measuring your heart rate, physically exercise by doing yoga, and spiritually exercise such as participating in tai chi or learning Reiki which is hands-on healing.

Merging the mind and body is a first by enhancing the consciousness. This requires relaxing to the point where the inside of the body comes to conscious awareness giving into a total awareness of the body until it merges with the mind. Once this level of consciousness has been achieved one will become aware that the spirit floods both aspects. To balance mind, body, and spirit three-step meditation can achieve a level of awareness that is easier to achieve than one would expect.

Negative energy creates barriers in life. It prevents us from doing the things we would like to do and achieving our goals. In order to achieve harmony in life, mind, body, and spirit must be in-balance, but this requires a conscious effort to change. One of the greatest benefits of utilizing Meditation Techniques is that it will improve one's mood while helping to heal the body.

Balancing Your Mind, Body, and Spirit

Keeping a balanced life is essential to walking in prosperity. Your mind, body, and spirit must be equally nourished. There can be no overbalance or under nourishment in any of the areas.

Mind. Your mind guides you and has shaped who you are. In order to keep your mind active, you must fill it with new information on a consistent basis. Reading is one sure way to keep your mind stimulated and active. The newspaper, magazines, journals, articles, and books, are great resources of gaining new information. Reading is a sure way of acquiring knowledge and keeps the mind active. Keeping abreast of political issues and world news is yet another way and being aware of current events in your city, state or community is yet another. Exposing yourself to other cultures and ways of living is enlightening as well as informative, and traveling to distant lands to learn about the lifestyles of people in other countries is yet another way to keep one's mind stimulated. However, to live solely for the stimulation of the intellect is to be out of balance and out of harmony with God. Satisfying the intellect is only a fraction of what is needed to be well-rounded and balanced.

Body. Your physical body must also be taken care of adequately because your physical body is what houses your mind, spirit, and soul. You are actually a spiritual being clothed in a fleshly form, and although your spirit and soul goes back to God, your physical body does not. Your physical body is temporal, subject to decline, decay, deterioration and goes back to the dust. You must do your part in helping to maintain this body until it is ready to completely shut down. While your spirit resides in your physical body, you must eat, sleep, drink, and breathe accurately and adequately. You must get plenty of exercise and proper nourishment. However, to live solely for the body alone is to be out of balance and out of harmony with God. There is a principle of health in every person and when in full constructive activity, it causes all the voluntary functions of your body to perform at optimal levels. When the mind, body, and spirit are sufficiently nourished, there is a balance and a power that you walk with that causes your mental attitude to be positive, harmonious, and constructive. This attitude opens the door for good to be manifested in your life. You are always guided by divine intelligence.

Spirit. Your spirit is who and what you are. You must continuously feed this spirit to keep it healthy just as you do your physical body. Spiritual renewal takes place as the Word of God is studied with an open heart led of the Holy Spirit. However, having knowledge of the Word without the Spirit of the Word is ineffective. What does it profit a person to be able to profoundly discourse the Word of God, if he or she is void of the Spirit of God, which leads to humility and a balanced life? Your goal is not just to know the book of the Lord, but to know the Lord of the book. This is why prayer is the foundation upon which every aspect of your life is built. Prayer is keeping the lines of communication open to God, casting all your cares upon Him, praising and honoring Him, and confessing your misdeeds to Him. When there is a balance between prayer, study and fellowship, you can fairly say that you have a pretty balanced spiritual life with some room for improvement. Attending Christian services and fasting for a specific purpose builds upon your spiritual life and further helps to strengthen and feed your soul. However, to live solely in the spirit is to be out of balance and out of harmony with God. Being spiritually strong is only a fraction of living a balanced life. To be overextended in one area is to be weak in another.

Keeping the mind, body and spirit balanced is a necessity and is essential to healthy living. If you find that there is an imbalance, try and rectify it quickly. Many people are over-extended in one area and under extended in another. For instance, some people have a very strong spiritual life, but they have neglected their physical bodies and therefore find themselves having medical and physical challenges. Some people are very much in physical shape. They eat properly and get plenty of exercise, but are malnourished in their soul because of deprivation of prayer, study, and reading the Word. We must stay balanced in order to experience a life of fulfillment and satisfaction. An excess in any one area causes a deficiency in another area. Make sure that you have delegated sufficient time for the growth and development of mind, body, and spirit.

Mind Body & Spirituality With Emphasis on Dr Deepak Chopra & Others

Mind Body & Spirituality with emphasis on Dr. Deepak Chopra, Dr. Joe Vitale, Bob Proctor and Rhonda Byrne of The Secret. Does your body make things happen, or is it your mind? Many have formed considerable debates around this topic, but few have touched upon it as frequently as Dr. Deepak Chopra, and Dr. Joe Vitale, Bob Proctor and Rhonda Byrne of The Secret. But is there a way to determine who's right from these two groups?

Chopra, a board-certified doctor specializing in endocrinology, tends to give more emphasis to the mind & body connection in his teachings. Early in his career, Deepak Chopra books focused on the ways that the mind could heal the body through spirituality and mind-body medicine. This mind-body-spirit connection was purported to have the ability to heal conditions including cancer and AIDS. In addition, his techniques are prescribed for mind-healing through meditative processes called Vedanta.

Meanwhile Vitale, Proctor and Byrne have pushed a different sort of spiritual message that the "Universe" is responsible for bringing things to the body that the mind has visualized. They term this the "Law of Attraction," which is the center of The Secret book and DVD. In somewhat of an opposition to motivational speaker Tony Robbins' philosophy of taking action in order to achieve, The Secret seems to give unlimited power to an individual who uses their ability for focused, positive thinking to visual wealth, health and happiness, among other things.

In a 2008 seminar called, The Secret to Your Best Year Ever in San Diego, Calif., Tony Robbins' seminar followed one from some motivational speakers of The Secret. In it, he pointed out some items that he disputed about the motivational benefits of The Secret, including:

o Changing the title of the theory to "A Secret" rather than "The Secret" due to his belief that there are many secrets to achieving success;

o The thought of thinking or believing in something and having the universe deliver it to you is a lazy view of how things work; and

o State of mind, rather than focus, is what drives people to take action and what enables them to attract their desires.

The Secret claims to have taken much of its historical basis from New Thought, a kin to Unity Christianity which is said to have developed in the late 19th century. Full of cryptic symbols and images of repression, The Secret is advertised as something that civilization wasn't meant to know. In the movie, it is shown as being hidden, buried and shunned as a covetable item.

Chopra, though credited with starting the "New Thought Movement" in the United States, has explored his philosophy of success as a connection between mind, body and spirit that is within oneself. Books such as 7 Spiritual Laws of Success and Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire focus on how meditation can bring people to a deeper reference point within themselves, where they experience greater emotions and heightened knowledge.

Since both philosophies depend upon the focus and determination of a person's inner workings, is there a way to determine which force has truly done the work? Is it a viable experiment to sit two people side by side while one meditates and the other focuses on positive thoughts until one person gets what they truly want? Of course, it's impossible to measure a number of factors that go into an experiment of this type, such as spirituality, positivity and even desire.

So no matter how lazy, ineffective, emotional or biased one person claims a particular philosophy to be, the simple answer is that tools for success may vary from one person to another. There's only one way to find out: try it for yourself.

Olu Jatto

Eating Consciously With Your Mind, Body, Spirit, and Emotions

The reason so many of us are suffering from disease is because we are eating unconsciously, disconnected from the foods that we are putting into our bodies. Many people eat to numb their emotions, to relieve anxiety or depression, out of boredom, or many other factors, none of which involve a conscious connection to mind, body, spirit, and emotion.

Before you put a handful of chips into your mouth, it's important to connect spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically, and ask yourself a few questions:

· Is this really what my body needs?

· Am I actually thirsty, instead of hungry?

· Am I eating this to satisfy an underlying emotion that I haven't resolved or faced?

· Am I eating out of boredom and/or lack of direction?

· Am I eating consciously or unconsciously?

When we eat unconsciously, we tend to grab the convenient, processed foods that are already prepared and within easy reach. Most likely, the foods that you are unconsciously grabbing to fulfill an unresolved issue are acidic-forming foods. Cooked foods and processed foods tend to make the body more acidic. And when the body is acidic, then disease develops.

Disease cannot take hold in an alkaline body. When your body Ph level is alkaline, you enjoy better health and well-being. When your body is acidic (due to unconscious eating of processed and cooked foods), then you open the gateway for disease within the body (ranging from cancer to diabetes to obesity to heart disease).

You can reverse disease within the body by lowering your Ph level. You can check your Ph level easily by purchasing Ph strips and testing your saliva. You can purchase Ph strips at most health food stores and pharmacies. So, what can you do to alkalize your body, if your Ph levels are acidic?

The rule of thumb is to simply start eating consciously. Eating consciously naturally leads to an alkaline state. Your Spirit already knows what's best for you, and when you eat consciously, you are connecting with your Higher Self, which knows the truth. So how do you start eating consciously?

Conscious eating is all about slowing down and connecting with your food, your mind, your body, your emotions, and your spirit, in order to make healthy decisions that are just perfect for you and your well-being.

Connect with the origin and the "spirit" of the food. Where did your food come from? Really connect...If it's an animal product, was the animal treated humanely? Is the food organic (or is it processed, loaded with pesticides, fillers, sugar, genetically modified)? In general, you can increase the amount of raw, unprocessed foods in your diet to help alkalize your body. When you connect with living foods (uncooked), you are receiving all the enzymes you need to break down food and digest it properly. When food is cooked, it is considered a "dead" food, usually absent of many of the important nutrients and enzymes your body needs. It's best to connect with the pure essence of food in its most natural state. Once food is broken down and processed (in many cases, multiple times), the nutritional value of the food diminishes. The more raw and unprocessed foods you can eat, the better!

Connect with your emotions. Is this food fulfilling an unresolved emotion? Or, is there a better way to face your emotions rather than eating to numb your emotions?

Connect with your physical body. Are you really hungry, or are you just thirsty? Would a glass of water suit you better? You can use a pendulum to determine whether your physical body needs certain foods or not. You can also use kinesiology (also known as muscle testing) to connect or "check in" with your physical body to see if what you're about to eat is actually good for your body.

Connect with your spirit. Does this food make your spirit soar or sink to the floor with heaviness? Is it a heavy food with lots of spiritual baggage (like meat from an abused animal, or heavily processed), or is it light, whole, and pure?

Bless your food! One of the best ways to start making a change is to bless your food. When you honor your food and express deep gratitude for your food, you life shifts to a new way of living, a new way of being in this world!

Mind-Body-Spirit - When Physical Illness Erupts From Suppressed Negative Emotions

Several years ago I worked with a client who had developed a serious and irreversible eye disorder known as Macular Degeneration or MD. MD is a retinal disorder that affects one's central vision, i.e. that which you require to read with and progressively spreads peripherally to involve the rest of the retina over a period of time.

He had tried everything even surgery and yet his vision continued to deteriorate. He eventually heard of my work with a process I call the Mind Resonance Process® (MRP) and got up the courage to try it. I say "courage" because MRP actually addresses the emotional roots of performance anxiety and other issues that a person may be struggling with.

It has been my experience that individuals who develop "physical" medical problems are often suppressing negative or painful emotions from past because they are afraid of feeling them. Suppression becomes a strategy to deal with the internal pain as it effectively "pushes" the pain into what is referred to as the "unconscious mind". There it remains out of consciousness and therefore out of awareness. That however does not mean that the problem is gone.

What it means is that the problem is still "there" yet the individual is less aware of its presence.

Now a couple of words about the "there" or the "where" these negative emotions actually go.

Effectively the unconscious "storehouse" is the physical body. In other words the emotional pain gets shoved into the body and hides there. As it does so it continues to harbor pain and hurt and this has a disorganizing impact on the both the structure and function of the physical body. Now for a while the body will accommodate the stressor but over time as more and more suppression occurs over one's life time the pressure of this pain eventually causes an overwhelming disruption that erupts as a physical illness.

The man who had the MD worked with me for two months, once per week and as he did so we targeted various memories of events that had anything to do with the problem. These included such things as the initial diagnosis of MD, memories of events along his deteriorating course as well as other difficult personal matters in his life that preceded and/or were the consequence of his MD. I helped him erase many of these memories from his unconscious mind. Effectively this meant that I was able to allow the "pain" from such submerged "emotional abscesses" to become permanently released.

This not only released the pain it also "erased" the memories permanently, and felt to this person as if they never happened.

During the course of the work with MRP this man was able to spontaneously recover over 90% of his vision in the damaged eye.

Now MD is considered a progressive and irreversible eye disorder. In my view this is most probably due in part to the cumulative emotional suppression that eventually overwhelms one's physiological processes.

It appeared that in this case it could be released with MRP and may thus be a hopeful sign of a greater understanding of the emotional roots of physical illnesses.

Mind, Body, Spirit - Health at Midlife and Menopause

Midlife and menopause is a time of many transitions. Shifting hormones may produce hot flashes, night sweats, memory loss, insomnia, and mood swings. Our growing realization of life's impermanence leads to taking stock of our lives' successes and failures, how they've compared with what we expected, and what's next. Identity and esteem issues arise as changing roles, like children leaving home, cause us to question "Who am I? Who do I want to be?" Through this, some of us will discover greater clarity, strength and confidence about ourselves, while others will feel confused, lost, distressed. We will be faced with our parents aging, ourselves aging, numerous relationship changes, leaving work, resuming work, and multiple situational influences which may destabilize our sense of self and well-being. Cultivating good health, mind, body and spirit, will be paramount to surviving and thriving all midlife and menopause brings. Here's what I suggest:

1. Being positive and open-minded. Viewing midlife as a journey, an opportunity to become more fully present to your life and who you are, will enable you to better weather the ups and downs. Research indicates that women who adopt this attitude have less intense physical symptoms, fewer mood issues, less esteem problems, and more personal satisfaction. Be prepared to let go of pre-conceived ideas of your life and how it was supposed to be. Marcus Proust said, "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new lands, but in having new eyes".

2. Rediscovering you. Remember adolescence when you took those shaky steps to becoming who you are. Welcome to "second adulthood" as Susan Braun Levine describes it in her book, Inventing the Rest of Our Lives. Think about who you were before you became a worker, wife, mother, daughter, best friend, etc. Ask yourself "Who am I?" Deep down where roles fall away and your character emerges. This is a chance to reconnect with those parts of yourself you've buried and breathe new life into being creative, adventurous, bold, sensitive, who knows. It's up to you.

3. Listening to your inner guidance. With estrogen declining and a deepening sense of life's impermanence, many women discover a newfound freedom to loosen the bonds of being who they "should be" and becoming who they choose to be. When you can quiet the voices of what others want or want for you, you can hear your inner wisdom. At first, it may be hardly audible. But, the more you tune in, the stronger and clearer it becomes. It is not the voice of self-centeredness, but inner knowing which begins with self-compassion and extends to others. Listen wisely.

4. Choosing nourishing relationships. At midlife, we may find that relationships we've been involved in for years, aren't working well for us. Why? While it occurs for many reasons like changing interests, frequently it's because we don't feel emotionally nourished and that there's enough give and take. The bottom line is to not force yourself to stay in situations you've outgrown. Instead, ask yourself honestly, "Do I enjoy being with this person? Does she/he bring something positive to my life even if it's changed over time? How much do I want them to remain a part of my life?" Respect what you want and need equally. It's time.

5. Reducing hot flashes. Now, for some body wisdom. While hot flashes are a product of estrogen shifts, certain substances/situations will aggravate them. So, limit your consumption of alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods, and hot beverages. Dress in layers and sleep with a foot or arm uncovered to stay cooler as heat intensifies them. Reduce stress by shortening your to-do list, taking regular breaks, working out, and practicing relaxation. 15-20 minutes of deep breathing or meditation daily was shown to decrease hot flashes up to 70%. If you have trouble sitting still, try yoga or pilates. Discover what works for you.

6. Building heart and bone health. With declining estrogen, women are at increased risk for heart disease and osteoporosis. Heart disease is the #1 cause of death in women over 50 and complications from osteoporosis including hip fracture, likewise result in disability and death. Exercise and good nutrition are key. Twenty to thirty minutes of weight-bearing exercise, e.g. walking, weight training, circuit workout, combined with cardio building, e.g. jogging, aerobics, swimming, several times weekly, is recommended. Daily calcium intake for peri-and post-menopausal women should total 1200-1500 mg. Calcium and 800 IU Vitamin D for absorption. Choosing calcium rich, high protein, and low fat foods will support bone and heart health.

7. Enjoying sex. With hormonal and relationship shifts, sex often changes at midlife and menopause. According to Dr. Jacob Klein, Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, "As women go through perimenopause, arousal proceeds desire", meaning that women need to feel aroused to be interested in sex. "It's like going to a restaurant when you're not really hungry, but your appetizer arrives, you see other people eating, and you start feeling hungry," he commented. Physical symptoms of vaginal dryness and decreased lubrication may lessen interest and pleasure. But, having sex regularly will offset these some. So understand what's going on, don't take it personally, make adjustments, and have fun!

8. Living on purpose. Creating the life you want may be the biggest challenge and opportunity midlife women face. It involves discovering and prioritizing what matters most to us, and then taking actions to pursue these values and goals. For one woman, it might be returning to school and completing her degree which she interrupted to have children. For another, leaving a marriage which has not been nourishing for years. It requires the courage to follow our hearts, whether others approve or understand. To accept our responsibility for the life we create, and living our dreams.

9. Creating a spirit-filled life. What this means is having a sense of connection with something bigger than oneself, whether it's God, nature, or the universe. Spirit gives us a feeling that there is more to life than our physical existence and at midlife when the reality of our mortality confronts us, many of us long for this knowing. The ways we attain spiritual connectedness are unique whether through organized religion or individual practice, but all have value. Look at Joan Borysenko, Ph.D. and Gordon Dverin, Ph.D., Your Soul's Compass, for ideas about accessing your spirituality.

10. Embracing stewardship. As our connection with something bigger than ourselves grows, we often discover an interest in protecting and caring for our communities and our planet. We want our children, others we love and even those we don't know, to be free of the inner and outer obstacles that hindered us. In becoming more fully ourselves, we discover a love and respect for all that is. Healing ourselves helps the world toward a better tomorrow.

For me, the journey of midlife and menopause has been rich beyond words. This doesn't mean it's been easy, and each of us will have our share of ups and downs as we traverse this unexplored terrain. But this second adulthood affords us the opportunity to re-examine our lives with the wisdom, strength and resources, we've gained, and to decide, if we're willing, what matters and what's next. A time to dream again and to live our dreams.

Mind-Body-Spirit Connection: Talk to Your Knee!

Sitting at a restaurant people-watching and chatting with my husband this past Friday night, we touched on some pretty cool topics, but the one that excited me most had my arms animated, my eyes sparkling, and my voice elevated. As we discussed his job as an Advanced Placement Biology teacher at a prestigious high school on the North Shore of Chicago, I wondered aloud the prospect of teaching the future doctors, medical researchers and everyday citizens of our country beyond mitochondria, photosynthesis and traditional biology fare. What if all students were taught at an early age their true power to initiate and advance the healing of their own body? In short, as I practically yelled across the bar to my husband's embarrassment, "What if we taught children to talk to their own knee!"

Through my years on the spiritual path, time and time again I have been led by holistic healers past the drugs and allopathic remedies offered by the well-meaning medical profession and into the interior of my emotional landscape and beautifully designed body. It is my firm belief that it is not enough simply to listen to another's (not even a medical professional's) take on what has gone awry within our own body, for an outsider is not privy to our emotions, heart's desires, subconscious treasures or deeply hidden wounds that absolutely and unequivocally affect all that manifests within our whole system.

Once a symptom appears, we find ourselves at the tail end of what has been building energetically within our body for days, months and even years. We must not only begin to make all-important connections respecting the body/mind/spirit simpatico, but also to understand how to achieve greater intimacy with our own body and inner world if we are ever to move into preventive medicine and away from the "drugs as bandaids" cycle that leaves many individuals today feeling unempowered emotionally, physically and financially.

The Soul-to-Soul Perspective asserts that inner work is imperative to overall well-being, including vibrant health. If a negative emotion (energy in motion) such as anger, guilt or resentment OR resistance to a soul calling to create change remains unexamined, it will eventually show itself somewhere in our body as dis-ease. Most people today still make no connection that what has shown up as illness within the body has anything to do with thoughts, feelings or subconscious beliefs so they go about healing themselves from the outside in versus the inside out.

Our most sacred and intelligent body is always giving us clues (at first subtle and if unheeded quite loud) regarding what needs to be looked at--in both our interior and exterior world--more closely. It deserves our utmost appreciation and acknowledgment, ALWAYS!! So next time you get laryngitis, caress your throat, thank your throat, and acknowledge gratefully a throat that allows you to speak. Seek to understand what your throat is trying to tell you with this ailment. There is a clear message meant just for you if you will but only listen and appreciate your purposeful throat--a very much alive and vital aspect of who you are rather than simply a separate, disconnected body part.

In other words, if your throat is illin', look to see what it is YOU are unwilling or afraid to communicate. If your knee blows, look to see what you are no longer willing to hold up or hold onto, and if your eye begins to twitch, look to see how you may perceive things differently. Through supreme wisdom, our beloved body is willing to show us the way. You may be surprised at the two-way communication system and outright LOVE FEST with your body that can become the norm. So come on, talk to your sprained wrist, caress your battered lower back and acknowledge the daily gifts offered up from your twisted ankle. It's time to make the body/mind/spirit connection part of daily reality as self-love and self-healing go hand in hand. Imagine a world--politically, economically, medically--where our young were taught to do just that.

Beautiful Radiant Skin - Mind Body & Spirit

I don't know if it's the holidays approaching or my Dad's birthday which just passed, but something has been making me even more aware than usual of the mind, body and spirit connection to our overall well being. Don't worry, this will tie into Anti-Aging Skin Care, just keep reading. I've written many articles about how stress and every day life choices can impact the appearance of our skin. Today I'm going to talk a bit about how our appearance is impacted by what we think, feel, and believe. I think we can all agree that everyone looks better, even healthier when they smile apposed to when they are angry, anxious, nervous, scared, sad etc. Just that simple change doesn't only make us look different, it also makes us feel better. I believe that what we believe becomes our destiny. If we truly believe we can achieve, then we will achieve, if we believe we are lovable then we will give love more freely and be loved in return. If we believe in a life filled with hope and success that is what we will create.

This is the time of year I look back over the year, evaluate where I've been, where I'm headed and how I'm going to get there. I can't help but notice that people who have a firm grasp (not my best quality) on what is and isn't important are much happier, more carefree, and have a glow about them which I admire.

Life is an adventure, a journey that unfolds in the most unexpected ways. Enjoy the ride and be grateful for the lessons. I like to view my life as a passenger, waiting for what is around the next bend with excitement and anticipation. Of course I don't just let my life "happen" while I sit back and observe it from the outside looking in...I participate.

I've learned that pain, difficult as it is, can be an opening to something wonderful as much as it is also a closure to something else. Life is always on the move, try to keep up. To fully experience life we must be truly open to the tearfulness as well as the exhilaration. Life in balance. It's a powerful skill to be able to accept the evolving nature of life. This is a work in progress for all of us.

This season find gratitude for all that is good in your life. You are much more than what you think you are. Take that leap of faith with me, follow your visions and dreams and be a participant in the greatest investigation ever known.......your life is what you make it.

Your skin will glow on the outside when the inside is healthy!

Happy Holidays Everyone! I thank you all for the opportunity to be trusted with your skin care needs.

Cosmic Healing of Mass Consciousness Beliefs Fears, Thoughts, and Feelings - Mind Body Spirit-Style

From a mind body and spirit perspective, a global reset in consciousness has been underway for several decades. Each new major evolutionary shift in human development is always preceded by a stirring up and transformation of mass consciousness.

What is mass consciousness?

Mass consciousness is the matrix of attitudes, beliefs, fears, thought and feeling patterns that govern how the majority of persons alive on the planet at the time behave.

Each belief, fear, thought and feeling has a specific energy pattern or frequency. Take all the beliefs, fears, thoughts and feelings of each of the almost seven billion persons now living on Earth and there you have the totality of current mass consciousness.

This mass consciousness creates an energy grid that surrounds, undergirds and permeates all life on Earth at any given time. It affects your stress level, your feelings, your thoughts and your own beliefs, especially if you do not take the time to build your own inner awareness and Soul alignment.

It is this conscious awareness and Soul alignment that helps you to build your conscious creator life skills so that you set your own life agenda instead of being at the mercy of the push and pull of mass consciousness. As a conscious creator, you get to choose the beliefs, thought and feeling patterns and fears that govern your own life.

Have fun as you explore releasing blocked energy n the form of limiting thoughts, feelings, beliefs and fears. In the process you will strengthen your own self awareness, Soul alignment and conscious creator skills. This not only enables you to transform your own life but contributes to the ongoing cosmic healing of mass consciousness beliefs, fears, thought and feeling patterns around the world.

Mind-Body-Spirit Weight Loss Tips

Losing weight is one of the most difficult - and one of the most rewarding - adventures you can embark on. Here are some tips that have helped me.

1. Talk to a doctor. It seems every diet gives this advice at the beginning. This time, instead of thinking of this advice as a mere disclaimer, see your doctor and find out what her thoughts are regarding your weight loss. Do you really need to lose weight? If so, how much? What would be the health benefits of doing so? Your doctor may be able to provide valuable advice and tips on following a weight loss program that are specific to your needs and lifestyle. Plus, there is a measure of accountability there as well. You'll want to have progressed in your goals before your next appointment.

2. Think yourself thin. One of the most helpful things for me when I was losing weight was to imagine the way my body would look when I had reached my goal weight. I looked at a model in a catalog that looked the way I wanted to and I imagined that this was my body. When the going got tough, it really helped me to come back to that image. Make a collage of images and quotes that will prove inspirational to you on your weight loss journey.

3. Get past the notion that food that is healthy tastes bad. Admittedly, I'm not a big proponent of rice cakes or diet soda. Instead, eat delicious, healthy and real foods in moderate amounts. Fresh fruits and vegetables, grilled lean meats, and lean dairy products are delicious. If you get a craving for a cookie, eat one. (Just one.) And then distract yourself by doing something else. Make a phone call, walk around the block, sip some water with fresh lemon wedges, or read a chapter of an absorbing novel.

4. Get past the notion that exercise is a drag. Find something you love to do. If you look hard enough, you will find an exercise that you can look forward to. Think this out and try to match your personality with your exercise. If you love to savor the mind-body-connection, take a brisk walk in the great outdoors and follow it up with 30 minutes of yoga. If you crave competition, meet a friend for a game of basketball after work.

5. Get inspired with fitness magazines, as well as magazines that help you make low fat substitutions in your cooking. Cooking Light magazine, for example, has some great suggestions for spicing up low fat dishes with fresh, zesty herbs. Before long, you will learn how to naturally make healthy changes to your family's favorite recipes.

6. Keep a Weight Loss Journal, in which you applaud your successes. Give yourself kudos for all the steps on your journey, to drinking your daily allotment of fresh water to getting out and moving each day to eating healthy foods.

By using the power of your mind, body and spirit - and continually patting yourself on the back, you'll meet your weight loss goals and be able to maintain your new, healthy weight.

The Warrior Athlete-Mind - Body & Spirit; Self-Transforming Through Total Training by Dan Millman

The Author of The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, Dan Millman, has done it again in yet another book Called; The Warrior Athlete-Mind, Body & Spirit; Self-Transforming Through Total Training. Dan Millman was an Olympic Level Gymnast who over came his fear of heights as a child to become a world-class athlete. Dan gives us insight into the realm of Eastern Philosophy, Martial Arts and combines these with athletic excellence.

As a coach in later years Dan makes some astounding advice to athletes, trainers, coaches and those in all walks of life on how to over come their fears and seek success in any and all their endeavors. You can learn how to use these principles to overcome any challenge and they are so simple that it is hard to imagine anyone actually reading this book not doing these things to advance themselves, their family or their team.

In The Warrior Athlete-Mind, Body & Spirit; Self-Transforming Through Total Training, Dan Millman makes a rather interesting statement is made regarding the pressures on an athlete when he states;

"Give me this pressure, show it to me and then perhaps I can help you get over it"

Of course the athlete cannot show him the pressure or stress he is feeling and thus it is not real and if it is not real, then why worry about it. The athlete in question agrees and goes on to give a star performance. The book is filled with such tid bits of real world sports psychology. I would recommend reading this book twice.

Read it through once and then read it again and outline all the important points to help you in your life, sport, business, relationships or career. I certainly hope this article is of interest and that is has propelled thought. The goal is simple; to help you in your quest to be the best in 2007. I thank you for reading my many articles on diverse subjects, which interest you.

Mind-Body-Spirit Strength Training When Facing a Chronic Or Life-Threatening Illness

How strong are you? If you go to the gym you can measure your strength by using some of the apparatus in the gym. Aside from muscular strength in your arms and legs you hear trainers talk about core strength; the strength in the torso of the body, abdomen and back. It's easy to measure your strength on the physical level but what about measuring your emotional or spiritual strength? Is it possible to develop a workout program for you mind and spirit? What would it look like? How would you know the workout is working?

Developing emotional strength takes practice just as if you were working out your body's muscles. You develop your emotional strength by experiencing your emotions and allowing them to unfold in their own time. When you give yourself the freedom to express yourself fully, you give your emotions room to expand and become stronger in how they manifest. Full emotional expression is freeing, stress reducing, and an authentic way to life your life. It comes down to willingness. If you didn't grow up in an environment where emotions were expressed then this may be a challenge, but it can be learned. It requires that you place yourself in environments where emotional expression is not only modeled, but encouraged. This is why support groups are a great model for authentic emotional expression when facing a chronic or life-threatening illness. Being in an environment where emotions are present or right below the surface gives you a safe place to experiment. It's like having your own emotional strength building gym.

Have you ever tried to measure your spiritual stamina? It's not like you can start running and see when you get tired, although the concept is similar. Spiritual stamina requires that you find inner guidance providing you with a sense of faith and hope. Developing your spiritual stamina is not about dogma; it's about knowledge of your beliefs, values, and intuition. Having the capacity to find comfort and peace by going within is building spiritual stamina. Some may need a personal trainer just like when training the physical body and they turn to spiritual directors to help fortify their spiritual stamina in the face of a health challenge. Knowing that there are others willing to support you is empowering. It punctuates the knowledge that you have your own internal and external resources for health and healing.

Remember that developing your emotional and spiritual strength is just as important as developing your physical health when facing a health challenge. Finding outlets that will support this development is the key. Learning to ask good questions of yourself and others serves as a catalyst for this type of development. It's about coordinating your strength building efforts between the mind, body, and spirit. Don't under develop one area and over develop others...you'll live life lopsided and that doesn't benefit your journey toward health and healing.