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.