“I believe there are many paths to wellness and that all healing is self-healing. We are all one. As we heal ourselves we heal the world.” Val Silver
Just about all of us understand the importance of eating nourishing foods and limiting junk food if we want to have a healthy body. Yet we often give little thought to the necessity of nurturing our minds and spirits.
Did you know that what you feed your soul is even more important than what you feed your body? Every thought you think creates a response in your body. These responses either create conditions that lead to dis-stress and poor living conditions for your cells or they create a healthy environment that encourages repair and rejuvenation.
Just as a healthy physical body supports a healthy mind and spirit, they also support a healthy body. Creating holistic wellness by design includes nurturing yourself on all three levels.
Here are several suggestions for nourishing your mind and spirit by bringing more joy, peace, and positive energy into your life:
Connect with someone you care about. Linger over lunch or walk together. Talk and share from your heart. If the physical distance between you is too great, video chat if possible. There is something about face to face live communication that is lost in texting and social media.
Get out in nature. Tend a garden or stroll on a nature trail or country road. Listen to the birds sing. Really listen. Look at the sky. Soak in the rays of the sun on your face.
Contemplate. You don’t have to lock yourself away like a hermit to think deep thoughts. You do need to take a few minutes for yourself. Step outside on a starry night and look up. Contemplate your place in the grand scheme of life or the vastness of the universe. Contemplate the reality that you are hurtling through space at thousands of miles an hour while feeling and seeing yourself standing still.
Get close with someone. Hugs, kisses, intimacy, connecting over dinner or fun helps people (and pets) bond with each other. Intimacy causes you to release oxytocin, the love hormone and other feel good brain chemicals.
Look for the positive. It’s no surprise that for survival sake our brains are wired to primarily focus on the negative. For happiness sake, we need to counterbalance this subconscious programming by consciously seeking and focusing on the positive. Limiting your doses of nightly news is a good place to start. When you have a negative experience, look for the positive in it.
Practice gratitude. Start or end your day by focusing on three things you are grateful for. Are you breathing? Do your legs work? Is there food in the house? Are your children safe? There is always something to be grateful for. Gratitude and looking for the positive go nicely together. Did the car that just ran the red light miss you? Take a deep slow breath to calm your brain and your nerves, then say thank you that you are safe.
Be in silence. Constant noise, even when pleasant, can be draining. A few moments of quiet gives you a chance to center and rejuvenate. Dim the lights, close your eyes, turn off the noise and just be. Follow your breath if your brain needs something to do.
Listen to inspiring, uplifting music. Is there a style of music that makes your heart sing? Try Mozart or lively tribal drumming. Perhaps you prefer chanting. Sing or dance along. Make your own music. Sound, rhythm and upbeat music raise your energetic vibration and touch you in mind, body and spirit.
Read or listen to positive and spiritual content. Learn from spiritual masters and experts who inspire you and nourish your soul. Spiritual texts, books, audios, and videos are readily available. Sample them and choose authors and materials that resonate with your heart. During troubling times the psalms can encourage you and speak words you find difficult to express. Listening to a positive, motivational speaker can help you shift to a more positive mindset. A few minutes of reading or listening every morning can get your day off to a great start.
These are just a few suggestions for taking care of your mind and soul. The great thing about them is that they are relaxing and enjoyable. Take time every day to give them what they need to be healthy and happy. You will feel better and be better able to handle with ease what life brings your way.
I want to hear from you. How do you nourish yourself mentally and spiritually?
You may contact Val at www.holistic-mindbody-healing.com Visit her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HolisticMindBodyHealing for updates and tips for healthy living.]]>
