Connecting Mind, Body And Spirit: Our Natural Way of Being

The main concept behind connecting mind, body and spirit is that our thoughts, physical body and the spiritual aspect, all these things are combined to give us identity and determine our health.

The attainment of “Body, Mind, Spirit” is not some far-out ideal only attained by eight hours of meditation a day, hours of intense daily yoga, fasting or shaving your head, and donning a monk’s robe. It is our own innate way of being.

Sometime in the early 1900s, societies moved away from this natural state by creating an inner “split” or division of who we are as humans. We somehow ended up separating the mind, the body, and the spirit.

The responsibility of the mind went to the government in the form of state education, our bodies were offered up to the scientific and medical communities and the spirit was supposed to be organized religions and churches.

Let’s address what effects of that split has within each area of life.

1 – How we educate our minds:

In our modern educational institutions, the inherent wisdom of parents and family is removed from the equation. All the focus is on our minds and brains as a giant collective.

If we bring “A”s at home, then we are smart. There is no thought given to the unique needs of the individual’s creativity, emotions, or spirit.

We spent more time teaching our kids how to do math than teaching them how to handle their emotions.

The cost of this neglect is a constant overriding of who we are innately. Children learn from an early age “don’t feel – just think,” which is detrimental to our well-being.

2 – How we heal our bodies:

Doctors treat your symptoms, not you as a human being. If you have a problem with your liver, it’s not only the liver that needs your attention, it’s the whole of who you are and the interconnectedness within your physical body as well your mind and spirit that needs to be addressed.

Let’s not forget that no two people are alike. Of course, we do need science to treat the symptoms, but we should also look closer at the individual cause.

There are numerous studies that prove that our body’s biochemistry is inseparable from our emotions and our energy.

Our brain, glands, and immune system are in constant communication. And when one is ill, it’s reflected on the whole body. We as a human being have a special power to heal ourselves. 

3- How we connect to something bigger than ourselves:

Much of organized religion asks us to follow dogmatic beliefs and to completely cut ourselves off from our own internal wisdom.

Many religions ask their followers to believe that only God knows and ask us to succumb and surrender to an omnipotent being who is “higher ‘ above and separate from us, instead of teaching us to look within ourselves.

They give us instruction on how to “act in spiritual ways” rather than acknowledging that we are spirits.

Religion has put an emphasis on needing to relate, often fearfully, to God as others, instead of teaching that we are connected to, and indeed part of God.

The truth of our being is that you already have all the information you need to awaken inside of you.

We’re conditioned to not believe in our own intuition, knowing, or feelings, because most business models are based on invalidating and dis-empowering us in order to buy or use their products and services.

Yet within our core – our connectedness is there. It is underneath all the invalidation and dis-empowerment that we carry in our body and mind.

If you are looking to release the blocks of the body and mind, here are three steps to get started:

Step 1. Start looking at your internal talk.

More than likely, most of your internal chatter is not serving you well. The truth is that you would never talk to a friend the way you are talking to yourself.

So inhale. Wave good-bye to the invalidation and say “Hello, validation.”

Start talking kindly to yourself. Start loving yourself. Start being proud of your successes, failures, and just because you exist.

This is a process of letting go of all that old energy.

Try to start each day by looking at yourself in the mirror and saying daily affirmation.

Here are some great affirmations you can start with:

• I accept myself the way I am. My body is perfect the way it is.
• I am capable of achieving everything I set my mind to.
• I recognize all the blessings in my life, and each of them fills me with true joy.

Step 2. When you notice you are stressed, angry, etc, pay attention.

Acknowledge the emotion you’re feeling at the moment. And STOP where you are. Yes, no matter where you are. Just say to yourself “Stop.”

Then breathe five full breaths. Emotions might come up – let them. If you need to cry, great go ahead. If you are angry, just let that happen too. And don’t forget to breathe…

Step 3. Write down or think of 5 things you are grateful for and really feel them – even say them out loud.

When you start doing it every day, you will quickly feel a shift in how you feeling. Gratitude is a free mental superpower.

Saying thanks and really meaning it can empower you and those that are surrounding you. Thank your loved ones that they are a part of your life.

Take a notebook and every morning or night write an answer to the following things:

• What am I grateful for today?
• How can today be even better?
• 3 great things that happened to me today?
• What made me smile today?

Related:

How to start a gratitude journal

This three-step process, validating your emotions, breathing deeply, and harnessing the power of gratitude may feel awkward at first.

But in time and with lots of practice, it will get easier and easier until it becomes second nature to incorporate these steps into your daily life.

You are an amazing human being. It is important to create balance in your life by connecting your mind, body, and spirit.

Breathe in the essential amazing-ness of who you are.

Enjoy.