Spirit, Mind, & Body
Written by Debra Kirchhof-Glazier
The phrases “mind, body, spirit” and “body, mind, spirit” are familiar to all those who advocate a holistic approach to health. Interestingly, spirit is rarely, if ever, used as the first word in that essential trio. A great deal of emphasis is placed in our culture on cultivating a healthy mind and body but not so much on cultivating a healthy spirit. Perhaps this is because spirit has been confused with religion, which can be a thorny subject. Although spirit is hard to define, most people know intuitively what it is and understand how profoundly it affects the mind and body and vice versa.
Spring is an excellent time to reflect on the spirit. Bright, spring days are a welcome relief from the cold, gray days of winter and do wonders for our general outlook. It is not surprising that many cultures celebrate the rites of spring. Major world religions also celebrate special holy days or observances during this time. For example, the Christians celebrate Easter, Jews observe Passover, Muslims celebrate Mohammad’s birthday, Bahá’ís mark the birth of their Faith, and Buddhist’s honor Buddha. Indeed, belonging to a religious or spiritual community can be a powerful way to cultivate reverence, nurture one’s spirit, and work together in fellowship to make the world a better place. But what about those who are not part of a spiritual community? And how do those who are, cultivate their spirits on a daily basis when they are not with their congregations?
Despite differences in philosophy and perspective, there are some commonalities that can be useful for all of us in cultivating the health of our spirits. Perhaps the most important thing we can do is “bookend the day” each morning and evening with some dedicated time for nurturing our spirits. Just like we have the need to brush our teeth and wash our faces in the morning, our spirits could use some freshening up as well. This spiritual awakening can be as short or long as you want and be expressed in a variety of ways. As one example, you could open a favorite scriptural or inspirational book and read one passage. An interesting variation on this theme is to do this at random. It is astonishing how often you come upon just what you need. It can also be refreshing and empowering to start the day with a prayer for forgiveness and the resolution to make the most of the upcoming day. In the evening an excellent way to unwind is to reflect briefly on the day and end it by reciting a prayer or meditation, listening to a favorite piece of music, or simply reflecting on something for which you are grateful.
Taking time out to center your spirit during the day, especially for those at work or school, can be a little more challenging. However, there are various ways that this can be accomplished with a little ingenuity. In fact, each of us is presented on a regular basis with opportunities for time out that often go unnoticed, such as waiting for the computer to boot up or standing in line. Rather than feeling frustration, we can welcome these moments to nurture our spirits. One way to do this inconspicuously is to become aware of your breathing. Interestingly, breathing features highly in spiritual disciplines such as in the meditative yoga practiced by Hindus and in references in Christianity to the Holy Spirit as the “breath of God” or the “breath of life”. Whether or not you are religious, focusing on your breathing is one of the most powerful ways to become more aware of your inner self. The next time you are feeling overwhelmed, try closing your eyes and observing your breath for one minute. If you peek to check the time you will probably be surprised at how long a minute seems, and if you truly let go of every other thought than your breathing you will probably be amazed at how much better you feel. If you have a stressful life and need to take time out every waking hour for one minute of this kind of quiet relief, you would spend no more than 18-20 minutes a day. The pay-off is potentially huge, as a tranquil spirit will make it more likely for you to have a healthier body, a healthier mind, enhanced efficiency, and better quality relationships.
Optimism is an attitude that flows from a healthy spirit and has been shown to have a strong, positive impact on lifespan. Dr. Sanjay Gupta in his book Chasing Life cites research that shows a positive self-perception of aging adds an average of 7.5 years to one’s life. This outcome was independent of age, gender, socioeconomic status, or health status. Another study done over a 15 year period from 1985 to 2000 showed that men who were optimists were 55 % less likely to die of heart disease or stroke than their more pessimistic counterparts. Although the researchers were not able to explain the findings scientifically, the results were clear.
There are many tools to help nurture your spirit and promote optimism, such as prayer beads, journals, musical instruments, and even a garden spade. One set of tools that I have come across in my travels and found very helpful are the Healing Runes by Ralph Blum and Susan Loughan, which are available through Amazon.com, and can be used by people of all faiths and backgrounds as aids to introspection.
Whether you are religious or not, a born optimist or pessimist, or one who may or may not need tools to cultivate your spirituality, you would do well to find ways to promote the health of your spirit. Your body and mind will benefit, those around you will appreciate it, and your life will be well-lived.