Week 202 :: How Can You Create The Perfect Balance Between Mind, Body And Spirit?

[webmaster]

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* Note: How can I win? 1. Answer all questions in the order that they are asked. 2. Go over reviews (located at the bottom of past TOTW articles) and see what was said about those that did not win. Good Luck!
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TOPIC: How Can You Create The Perfect Balance Between Mind, Body And Spirit?

For the week of: May 20th - May 26th
Tuesday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).

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Many people believe that a proper balance between mind, body and spirit is the ultimate key for a naturally healthy and happy life.

How can you create the perfect balance between mind, body and spirit?

What are some key elements to a better mind?

What are some key elements to a better body?

What are some key elements to a better spirit?

BONUS QUESTION: What are your feelings about finding the center and balancing mind, body, and spirit? Do you think it is a good philosophy or nonsense?

* IMPORTANT: Please make sure your responses are original and not copied from previous topics.

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[xXBoStErXx]

Many people believe that a proper balance between mind, body and spirit is the ultimate key for a naturally healthy and happy life.

How can you create the perfect balance between mind, body and spirit? Developing a balance between mind,body, and spirit is essential for overall well being. Scientific studies show those who meditate can shift their brain waves to combat stress, fear, anxiety and mild depression. An improper balance of mind, body, or spirit has the ability to inhibit the performance of other factors of your life. The key to balance is moderation. The excesses of life are what lead to an unbalanced mind, body, or spirit. Often times focusing on one part of the mind, body and spirit triangle can cause you to neglect the others. United we stand divided we fall.

What are some key elements to a better mind? One easy way to decrease the stress on your mind and promote overall well being is to meditate. Also getting a massage and releasing the stress that you store in your muscles is a great way to balance your mind, body, and spirit.

What are some key elements to a better body?Sleep at least 8 hours each night. The body heals itself while you're sleeping detoxification and cellular rejuvenation occur during sleep, which will result in both an improved body and mind. Also eating a balanced diet with plenty of antioxidant rich foods will help you to keep your body healthy and strong.

What are some key elements to a better spirit? Your spirit is deeply influenced by your mind. Taking a yoga class will help you to maintain the balance between body and mind, which will influence your spirit. Making positive changes in all aspects of life can improve your balance.

BONUS QUESTION: What are your feelings about finding the center and balancing mind, body, and spirit? Do you think it is a good philosophy or nonsense? I believe that balancing mind, body, and spirit can have an extremely beneficial impact on all aspects of life. If you focus on your body without balancing your mind and spirit you will be lacking many important things in life. Not paying attention to balance is like removing the base of a pyramid, without support your whole structure will crumble. Your body is like a pyramid each block is vital; if you disregard any of them it will cause the whole structure to suffer.

[Lifterforlife10]

Many people believe that a proper balance between mind, body and spirit is the ultimate key for a naturally healthy and happy life.

How can you create the perfect balance between mind, body and spirit?
Maintaining an equal balance between mind, body and spirit offers all of us the chance to reach or peak potentials as human beings; however, finding that balance is not easy and takes work and dedication. The problem is that each aspect is directly related to and affects the other two, so if one is neglected to focus on the others, you will remain held back. These areas are so closely intertwined, that without one the rest will crumble. Think of it as if you were building a three legged stool, would you want one of the legs to be shorter than the other or would you want it to be balanced out. Creating that balance takes a lot of little things and a little work, but it is so important to having a happy life. A balance is only created when all things involved are equal, thus moderation and equal attention must be stressed upon in order to create perfect balance.

What are some key elements to a better mind?
The mind, the tool with which we process the constant stream of information in our everyday lives, requires a chance to take a break and relax. Just like your body, the mind gets tired and needs a break. The stresses and troubles we deal with can have devastating impacts on the functions of the mind if we continue to go without allowing our minds to rest. A good solution is to take a mental pause, which can be done by simply closing off the rest of the world and allowing yourself to get lost in the world of thought. Ignore all the sound around you and stop thinking about day to day life. Another personal favourite is to read, or do something entertaining with your mind. Relieving stress through such methods will help to calm you overall and will promote wellness within your body and spirit as well. We also must sharpen our mind, which can be accomplished by challenging it. It is important to both relax but at the same time train our minds. Another good idea is to give yourself positive self-talk. A positive outlook on life will promote success and enjoyment. Finally, I believe one should speak their mind in order to keep the mind free of stress or thoughts. By speaking your mind you can voice your opinion and gain confidence.

What are some key elements to a better body?
Our body is what houses the other two aspects addressed, and is constantly barraged with work. Rest is essential in helping the body to recover and keep it running. This means getting an appropriate amount of sleep and allowing your body small breaks for recuperation. Then there is the fuel we consume to keep that body running. Although many people advocate that eating healthy foods isn?t necessary, you require vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to keep the body as healthy as possible. By eating nutrient dense foods high in vitamins, antioxidants and minerals, you will feel more energized, recover better, sleep better, think better, and work better. Think of it this way: The cells in your body are replaced every six months. Now if your body were a house, would you want to build it with weak junk material, or dense minerals. Essentially, you actually are what you eat, so do you want to be comprised of pizza and pop, or would you rather be made of healthy and strong materials. This doesn?t mean cutting out all those foods, but creating a moderate, yet limited, intake. Also, take a multivitamin to ensure you are getting all you can for your body to grow.

What are some key elements to a better spirit?
This is a touchy issue, as most people will automatically associate this with some form of religion. I myself am not religious, yet I believe a strong spirit is vital to enjoying life. You should believe in something, whether that be religion, work, or something else, there should always be something driving you and keeping you on track. Our spirits is what gives us our willpower and continued strength to go that extra mile, so having something to believe in and strive for is appropriate to keep our spirits strong. Again, having a positive outlook on life is also helpful.

BONUS QUESTION: What are your feelings about finding the center and balancing mind, body, and spirit? Do you think it is a good philosophy or nonsense?
I believe this is an ideal philosophy and creating a balance between these aspects of our lives does allow us to enjoy life more and promotes our success. Many people will struggle and will continue to struggle because they cannot balance themselves. Without the basics of these three elements in balance, and due to the fact that each are so closely connected, people cannot excel or enjoy life. If you want the most out of life, you should aim at starting with the basics and balancing out these three bases for our lives.

[big game hunter]

Many people believe that a proper balance between mind, body and spirit is the ultimate key for a naturally healthy and happy life.

How can you create the perfect balance between mind, body and spirit?


As little children, we seem to have a ton of energy surging through us and yet as we grow older, we tend to lose this innocent power to the challenges of life. Have you ever wondered "Why?" Wouldn't it be nice to retain that energy and go through the rigors of daily life with an attitude that does not see failure as a signal to stop, but instead only makes your temple ( your mind + body + spirit ) a stronger unit until it overcomes even hell. All this was very much possible to us as little ones. No challenge was ever too big and no endeavor was ever impossible. But some how, the evils of negative thinking set in as we grow older. Are we actually getting wiser as we get older?

Many of us today face stress - mental and physical. But, most of us do not know how to handle either. If only we could unite our mental, spiritual and physical sides, life would be a breeze. This unity seems a myth or a dream to many. But, there are a handful of us who know how to deal with this and ?make it happen?. If you need proof, just look around. I am sure you could find a ton of examples in your life. Take a look at UFC fighter Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira for example. He was run over by a truck when he was eleven, and fell into a coma for four days. During this time he lost a rib and part of his liver and had to be hospitalized for eleven months. Doctors did not give too much of a shot at life. But he recovered through sheer will power and went on to become Heavy Weight Champ of the world. Now, that is something that cannot be accomplished if the mind, body and soul do not come together and fight through.

Some more examples? People can walk over burning hot coals through mind control. Army men endure tough conditions by using mind and body control techniques. People subject themselves through tremendous physical punishment in the name of religion and at the end of it all, claim to have experienced little or no pain at all. How is all this possible? By bringing the three entities together of course - mind, body and spirit.

Now, the big question - how do the three (mind, body and spirit) relate to each other? It all begins in the mind. We feel like doing something either because we want to try it or have to do it for some benefit. This is the physical part. This is where the body plays its part. The body makes things happen in the physical world. How does our body know what to do? This is where the mind comes in. The body only does what the mind tells it to do. Not always will the going be easy. There will be a lot of hurdles to overcome even if you are doing pretty much the same thing everyday. This is where the spirit comes in. Spirit allows your mind and body to push through situations that are tough or would otherwise turn your mind towards the "QUITTERS" door. Now imagine when all three things are balanced. The mind is happy to perform a particular task and so it uses the body. This gives us mental and physical pleasure and thus keeps our spirits high. This leads to positive energy and makes us stronger. The next time the mind and body want to feel the same happiness, the spirit is always there to help them get over any hurdles that may come along. As this keeps happening over and over again, the human entity as a whole gets stronger and stronger.

Unfortunately, this sort of harmony is not easy to achieve. If it were, the world would not know words like "stress", "sadness" and "grief". In fact, some people like dedicate their entire lives to finding the balance between body, spirit and mind. But the good news is that we do not need to dedicate our lives for this. It is possible to be at peace with ones self. This sort of balance takes a lot of training and dedication though. To get more than a 100% from life, you need to put in more than a 100% effort. So, expect no shortcuts here.

To begin going about trying to achieve the perfect balance between body, mind and spirit, we need to take a look at what is required. First of all list down the things that you would like to do, accomplish or have to do no matter what. Yes, unfortunately in life we also need to do a few things that we may not like to, but have to. For example studying a boring subject in college or working for a particular person or at a particular time of the day. Now, this list should give you a list of what is essential in your life. Now, list down next to each of these ? the benefits that you would reap if each was accomplished or performed regularly. This list of benefits should give you the mental power and motivation to actually go about doing the tasks. So now, you have your mind that is pushing you to perform the tasks that you want to or should perform. Because your mind is convinced that there is some good to be had out of it. This makes it simpler for the body. Now that the mind is at ease, the body is able to perform wonderfully well, in co ordination with the mind. Various other techniques can be used to bring mind and body together such as visualization, meditation etc. When the mind is able to see something beneficial, the body automatically "makes it happen". Visualization is a powerful tool that is often overlooked. Try visualization to achieve more in life. Your body will work automatically learn to make you succeed.

Where does the spirit come in? Spiritual balance is attained when you are at ease and peace with what you do and what you believe in. In other words, spiritual balance is attained when your mind and body are at harmony with one another. Automatically, when the mind and body are experiencing something good, the spirit is brightened and strengthened, thus giving you the over all feel good factor from within and radiating outwards.

Let us take some simple real life examples to illustrate how the mind, body and spirit come into play.

Example #1 - You drag yourself out of bed to go to work on a Monday morning. You do not want to do it, but it has to be done so that you get your pay. This is a classic case of the body not working in harmony with the mind.

Example #2 - It's another Monday morning and you get out of bed and briskly get yourself ready and set off to work, telling yourself that life is all about facing and overcoming challenges and you are ready to take on the challenges on work life. You head to work and are in a great frame of mind, do your work well and head back home with a smile on your face. This is a case of the mind and body working together as a unit.

It is clear to see the differences between the two examples.

Example #3 - You need to lose a few pounds and need to do a bit of cardio. You put up a grumpy face, slump your shoulders and suddenly feel like you weigh a ton, every second of the cardio routine feels like torture and when you are done, you are ready to take your frustrations out on some innocent victim. This is a case where mind, body and spirit are no where related to each other.

Example #4 - You need to lose a few pounds. You tell yourself in your mind the benefits of losing weight and doing a regular cardio routine. You storm into your cardio routine with zest and are constantly telling your mind and body that you are going through something that is good for you and are able to go through the routine and come out with a smile on your face that signifies accomplishment. This is a case of mind and body working together. You keep at it for a few weeks and are getting physically and mentally stronger and you are able to derive a sense of happiness and accomplishment that takes you to a different zone altogether. This is when your mind, body and spirit are at one.
Now, you have been doing this for a few weeks and are seeing great results. A friend of yours asks you for tips on losing weight. You spend half an hour with him and convince him to incorporate cardio and head towards weight loss. You see him happy with your advice and see him giving it a shot. Your friend also tastes success. How does this make you feel? There is something more that your happiness touches. It is more than just bodily or mental happiness. There is something deeper. It is the spirit that is happy. This is another case where the mind, body and spirit are at harmony.


What are some key elements to a better mind?

Everyone has something that they do to unwind - something to relax or de-stress the mind. This may mean different things to different people. It may be watching a favorite TV show, spending time by yourself, meditating, reading a book, a workout, a drive, a snack - Just about anything. You need to find out what it is that could do the job for you. Reward yourself from time to time. Keep yourself happy. Surround yourself with positive energy and good people. The mind is a wild animal and needs to be tamed from time to time.

What are some key elements to a better body?

Only a healthy body can house a healthy mind. So do everything necessary to keep your body in physically good shape. There are a number of alternatives that we can incorporate into our daily lives, no matter how impossible it may seem or how busy our day may be. Regular exercising, cycling or walking to work, weekend yoga classes, healthy eating and living, pursuing a sport, dancing classes, etc. The choices are virtually endless. We just need to make it happen. Where there is a will, there is a way.

What are some key elements to a better spirit?

Keep doing things that are good and you like being involved in. Care for others and spread good will around. Learn to deal with stressful situations and have outlets to let out the negative vibes. Make time for the good things in life. Make sure you are able to attain what you want or are always working toward what you want. Reward yourself for doing something good. Take good care of your mind and body and your spirit will fly high.

BONUS QUESTION: What are your feelings about finding the center and balancing mind, body, and spirit? Do you think it is a good philosophy or nonsense?

In today's world, stress in a common enemy of almost every man on this planet. There is virtually no escaping it. There however are ways to deal with it and find a winning way out of the stressful situations life can throw at you. This can be done when the mind, body and spirit are able to work for you as a single unit. Success cannot be had without having this balance. A successful and complete life needs to have this balance. People tend to think that spirituality has something to do with religion. But this is not true. The mind, body and spirit can be balanced when you are sure that you are not doing anything wrong, you are doing the right thing at the right time and are at peace with what you are doing and with what you believe in. this center of balancing the mind, body and spirit is a great way to mould yourself into a winner.

[soundcheck129]

Many people believe that a proper balance between mind, body and spirit is the ultimate key for a naturally healthy and happy life.

The idea that balance is essential for ideal function and desirable results is not a new one - where do you think expressions such as "Less is more," and "Too much of anything isn't good for you," came from? Though these adages are often applied to facets of life such as work and diet, they also apply to the bigger picture: you. Getting in touch with yourself and ensuring that your life is not dominated by the wants or needs of just one component of your person - be it body, mind or spirit - will promote health and happiness in everything you do. It doesn't do you any good to be in fantastic shape if you don't have the common sense or intelligence to handle yourself in every day life; likewise, having a high IQ isn't everything if you can't rely on your body to be free of disease or crippling injury.

How can you create the perfect balance between mind, body and spirit?

The best way to create balance between your mind, body and spirit is to pay attention to each of their needs and develop them equally. You should spend time each day pursuing activities that cultivate a healthy mind, body and spirit, making sure that you don't dedicate too much time to one or two at the expense of the others. Try to incorporate exercise, intellectual activity, and hobbies that you enjoy into your every day life as equally as you can so you don't get burned out. Moderation is the key, so if you feel like you're constantly pursuing one goal, your life is probably out of balance.

What are some key elements to a better mind?

The fact that you may no longer be in school doesn't mean that learning has to end. You'll find that you'll have a much more rewarding life and can help stave off dementia and Alzheimer's if you keep your brain active. Reading and doing crossword puzzles are excellent ways to give your brain a workout, and they are both pretty inexpensive hobbies. If you're feeling especially ambitious, check out MIT's free online course materials. Bettering your mind isn't all about IQ points, though. Try to manage your emotions and if you'd like, meditate or pray to relax.

What are some key elements to a better body?

Most people will probably assume that exercise is the best way to better one's body, but exercising all the time wouldn't be good for you, and sometimes resting is the best thing to do. Find a balance between activity and recovery; try to get eight hours of sleep per night so your body can rest and repair. Treat yourself and your aching muscles to a massage or trip to the sauna, which can help detoxify you. Your body also takes a lot of abuse in the gym and during athletics, so you may wish to look into yoga or tai chi to improve flexibility.

And in a way, your body something like a machine, so you'll have to fuel it properly. You wouldn't put garbage in your gas tank, so why put it in your body? Try to eat complex carbohydrates, lean meats and healthy fats for the majority of your meals, and don't forget to supplement vitamins and minerals if you desire.

What are some key elements to a better spirit?

While many people do pay attention to their bodies and minds, they often neglect spirituality. This may be because they associate taking care of the spirit with strict religious beliefs, but this is not the case. While religion can improve your spirit, something as simple as taking time to destress and relax will do wonders for you. Take some time to meditate or simply reflect on your life. Are you happy? Are there any sources of stress that you can cut out? This is where you can really take keeping "balance" into account - are your pursuits for bettering body and mind compromising your relationships, with yourself or with others? Remember, this is your life, so try to spend time doing only things that make you happy and fulfill you. If necessary, seek out therapy for any outstanding issues; life is too short to be unhappy and spiritually unsatisfied.

BONUS QUESTION: What are your feelings about finding the center and balancing mind, body, and spirit? Do you think it is a good philosophy or nonsense?

While some may deride the concept of having a balanced body, mind and spirit, casting it off as some New-Age wackiness, I find that it is a valid, important idea. Having balance is key in every aspect of life, whether it be work, lifestyle, or diet, so incorporating the idea into your body, mind and spirit is only logical. If you are in tune with your mind, you can understand yourself better, predict your attitudes and moods, and have better relationships with others. Once you understand yourself, you will be able to assess how much exercise and activity you can handle and see the difference between what is healthy and desirable and what is excessive. Incorporating your mental and physical state into an understanding of your spirit completes the puzzle, allowing you to be at peace and find happiness amid all your activities, whether they be intellectual or athletic.

[mrkdrt]

Many people believe that a proper balance between mind, body and spirit is the ultimate key for a naturally healthy and happy life.

If you're reading this article, you're on a bodybuilding website. One would assume you've come here because you want to improve your health, fitness, physique, or all of the above. Each of the mind, body and spirit play important roles in your improvement. Having them in balance though, is the key, and can better your lifestyle as a whole.

How can you create the perfect balance between mind, body and spirit?

Pay attention to yourself. If your mind is weak, aim to improve your mind. If your spirit is down, work on that. The balance will come when each are attended to, and none neglected.

The best way to create a fine balance between your body, mind and spirit is to better each of them. Each cannot really work at its best without the other, and each can better the other. Put each of them to use, everyday.

What are some key elements to a better mind?

Use it or lose it. While the brain isn't a muscle, it still follows this saying. Think back to junior high, your summer break. You blew off all schoolwork for two months. Then you got back in the fall, and what happened? That same speed-test in math took a little bit longer, right?

Do anything to keep your mind working. Sure your brain works when you move or process what you watching on TV - but the mind really isn't being worked here. Use your intellect, your wits, your mental prowess. Keeping busy with problem solving, learning or using the information you know can better your mind.

Read a book. Write a book. Learn a language. Or be creative - sometimes I "design" a new exciting sports supplement for fun, using what I know and I learn more. You can do almost anything to improve your "mind."

While I don't think they are absolutely necessary, there are also many nootropic supplements that can have various positive effects on your mind.

What are some key elements to a better body?

Exercise is great way to better your body, and as we know, our spirit too! Sure there are many training programs for different fitness goals - all can better your body health as well. Different exercises and aerobic training can improve circulation of nutrient-rich blood and oxygen to your muscles, your physique, your immunity and reduce health problems such as heart and stroke illnesses. So get moving!

Be sure to recover well, and get plenty of sleep at night. Rest and recovery are vital to your health. Over-working yourself in pursuit a better body is counter-productive! It is also important to reduce infections and maintain good immunity.

Of course, diet plays a huge role on how well your body works for you. Your health, performance and even your brain function and attitude depend on it! Lean meats, green vegetables and healthy fats are great choices for almost any fitness goal, or just healthier eating! Vitamins and minerals are also very important, and if you aren't able to get enough from your whole foods, buying a multivitamin is a great option to meet your needs.

Avoid typical vices like alcohol, tobacco and drugs. These can all have detrimental effect to not only the body, but also the mind and the spirit.

What are some key elements to a better spirit?

I'll be the first to admit that in the past I would laugh at developing a better "spirit." But I've learned that my emotions and demeanor can have a big effect on my health and my mind.

Think happy thoughts! One of the first songs I learned as a kid was "Don't worry, be happy." To this day, whenever I'm having a bad day, or I'm getting stressed out over work or school, I say that to myself. Most of the time, it's never as bad as it seems. Maintaining a positive attitude really can do wonders (including your health and mind).

I recommend meditation to better your spirit. Now I don't mean burn the incense and hum like a monk. It can be as easy as relaxing, and taking your mind far from all your anxieties. Sometimes that peace you get can really help.

Bodybuilding has also done a lot to improve my spirit. Having a goal and seeing myself moving closer to that goal, improves my self-pride and self-image, lifting my spirits a lot.

BONUS QUESTION: What are your feelings about finding the center and balancing mind, body, and spirit? Do you think it is a good philosophy or nonsense?

While I don't personally use the phrase "balanced mind, body and spirit," I strongly agree with the philosophy, and live it. I don't think you can be at your best without being healthy in each category. In my opinion, the spirit is what drives the mind and the body, the mind controls the body and spirit and the body can improve the spirit and the mind. They all work with each other, for each other.


Cheers

mrkdrt

[May Blaiz]

“I need to be successful in my career to feel fulfilled, be surrounded by people I care about to share it with, and have my health to be able to do the things I love to do!” – Kiana Tom, television fitness instructor/host of “Flex Appeal”


Many people believe that a proper balance between mind, body and spirit is the ultimate key for a naturally healthy and happy life.

How can you create the perfect balance between mind, body and spirit?

To create the perfect balance between mind, body and spirit, we need to understand first and then define for ourselves what creates imbalance.

The process first begins with being mindful. Awareness of where life is now and where we want our life to be often sparks feelings of imbalance. Thoughts such as, "I don't find my job challenging", or "I wish I could eat better and workout more to lose weight", or "I want to spend more time with my family" begin to clutter our minds, weaken the body and diminish our spirit. Take note of these thoughts.

Daily journal writing is a method that I use to define for myself, what creates imbalance. I highly suggest you write freely using pen and paper first thing in the morning. Write down every thought that comes to mind that day and don't stop writing until you feel you've written everything you feel is cluttering your mind. This is a cathartic experience. You can write then throw it right away. Or others, including myself, keep it for a period of time in order to capture some patterns in thought process. One thing I found out about myself through daily journal writing was that I spent a lot of time planning what I wanted to accomplish in the day, but didn't spend any time doing those tasks. I now write out my list of things to do as soon as I wake up and don't do anything else until they are done. I increased my productivity and I was happier with myself for getting things done on time.

There's the saying that the sum is better than all its parts. I will explore some key elements that we can be more aware of in order to attain to a better mind, a better body and a better spirit and in turn, create a perfect balance between the three.

What are some key elements to a better mind?

? Meditating. Most yoga styles (i.e. Iyengar, Ashtanga) incorporate meditation through deep breathing and relaxation techniques to calm and centre the mind.

? Visualizing success, happiness, and healthy living. Finish this sentence? "Wouldn't it be lovely if.... ?" It can be something material, a worthy cause or even something you've dreamed of wanting, being or doing. Once that is determined, visualize each and every step you will make to achieve that goal.

? Stimulation through learning, reading, interacting with others, and traveling. Expose your mind to new thoughts, new challenges, new adventures, and new lessons each day.

? Sleep for 6-8 hours every night. If it's anything that needs the most rest, it is your mind.

What are some key elements to a better body?

? Daily physical activity through strength training, cardiovascular conditioning, stretching and/or participating in sports, dancing or gardening. Daily activity strengthens the body, exercises the heart and releases those "feel good" hormones to keep us energized all day.

? Eat nutrient dense meals and snacks that incorporate proteins, carbohydrates and fats the body can effectively use. By eating right, each body system functions as they should and ensures that we are fueled and prepared to deal with what the day (and life) will bring.

? Drinking enough water to facilitate circulation of the blood, movement of nutrients in the body and nourish our brain cells.

What are some key elements to a better spirit?

? Listening to music creates a connection to our spirit that can only be understood by the person who hears it. Singing (for those who have that talent), could also be considered a key element to a better spirit.

? Incorporating the principles of "The Secret", more specifically, the Law of Attraction. By believing in something and creating experiences as if it is already happening, what begins to occur is a movement towards that thought.

? Believing in a greater cause. Whether it be a higher power, a corporate vision, environmental cause, political association or non-profit society, we better our spirit when we believe we are doing things for a greater cause.


BONUS QUESTION:
What are your feelings about finding the center and balancing mind, body, and spirit? Do you think it is a good philosophy or nonsense?

I certainly believe that finding the center and balancing the mind, body and spirit is a good philosophy. There are many factors, as I have demonstrated above, and I am sure you can find more in each category of mind, body and spirit that you can think of, that can interfere with trying to create this balance.

It's not easy and many times, stress, frustration and depression enter our lives unexpectedly, create imbalances and we are forced to deal with those circumstances, whether we want to or not.

Take for example, the current recession, the economy and the state of our own financial affairs. Money is a driving force in achieving the balance of mind, body and spirit. How can we eat healthy if we don?t have the money to buy nutrient dense foods? How can I sleep properly when I have debt to pay? How can I visualize success when I don?t have the money to afford higher education?

Finding the perfect balance between mind, body and spirit really boils down to the power of perception and perspective. I do not believe the philosophy is nonsense. It is certainly a good philosophy to consider but it is one that requires great thought, heightened awareness and forward thinking actions. When we have an understanding of what creates imbalance in our mind, our body, our spirits, it is then that we can begin to find ways to change. It is then that we can begin to take action. It is then that we can move forward and create a better balance between mind, body and spirit.

[lilaviator]

In modern times, thanks to the heavy influence of Decartes theories, we have a tendency to break things down into individual components, examining the pieces rather than the whole.

Perhaps this works when looking at a machine. Figure out what is wrong with the alternator and maybe you will solve the problem with your car. However, daily more studies show that perhaps we humans have been too quick to break things down - more often than not the Cartesian approach fixes the symptom but fails to address the underlying cause of whatever the problem is. That is only a band-aid solution, and while it may temporarily solve the problem, it may lead to a greater issue later on, as you have only fixed the symptom, not the cause.

Thusly, science is learning that perhaps a "Systems Theory" approach - looking at an entire system as an interrelated operation - may be a more complete solution to any problem one explores.

The same is true when looking at the human being. We are more than our individual parts. For far too long now we have looked at individual aspects of our Selves, perhaps examining the mind, kicking ourselves when our will-power fails, or looking at our body and getting angry at it when it doesn't perform as we had hoped, or 'fails' us by manifesting illness, not to mention allowing our spirit getting dragged down when we feel out-of-balance in general, or when we aren't successfully achieving our goals across-the-board. Indeed, the true key to creating balance between Mind, Body and Spirit would be to integrate them, respecting them as an integrated whole, rather than looking at them solely as individual pieces of a puzzle. Rather than looking at the three as separate things which need to be brought into balance, perhaps we would be wiser to look at how the three can work together to create balance in our lives overall. If we look at the three pieces as one, you will find you can almost effortlessly create a balance between the three by thinking of it in relation to the others. Once you understand that, you will learn that the final key to bringing in balance is through the highest quality 'nutrition' possible and cardio-vascular activity.

Let's first examine each of the three independently to see how the others affect it, and then follow up by exploring what high quality nutrition for that aspect looks like:

What are some key elements to a better mind, body, and spirit? This contest asks that you break them down into three separate questions -b ut I'm going to show you that they are, rather, interrelated. It takes addressing all three, to get ONE answer:

Let's examine this in terms of improving the mind. If you want to improve your mind, one of the best approaches is to examine how you are nourishing all three aspects of self, for they in turn feed off of one another.

How so? Look first at your body, and consider what you ingest: are you eating in ways that keep your blood sugar stable? Are you avoiding alcohol and cigarettes? Are you getting enough oxygen into your bloodstream through aerobic exercise? Are you overdosing on caffeine or do you have it in balance? Everything in your body, every last cell, is regularly shed and replaced. Where does your body get the raw materials for converting into new cells? From what you ingest. If you want your body to replicate your cells in the best way possible, it is important to feed it high quality food and supplements, and to make sure nutrients and oxygen are circulating properly, and that our hormones are triggered properly. High quality nutrition of both nutrients and oxygen are key.

How, you may ask, does this affect your mind? Your thoughts are created out of the materials you ingest, too - everything about you is. This includes your nutrients, oxygen, water, and experiences. If you are on an insulin or caffeine roller coaster, this affects your hormone regulation, your brain chemicals, and your overall mood - which in turn affects the quality of your thinking. If you are eating well, you are giving your mind great material to work with. If you are getting cardiovascular exercise - which is food for the blood, in the form of oxygen - you are helping keep it nourished as well. The body needs oxygen as much as it needs good nutrition. Too, cardiovascular exercises is key to releasing releasing brain chemicals such as serotonin that help keep your mood elevated, fighting off depression. So, as you can see, oxygen is as important an element of nutrition as what you ingest. Which, for a bit of foreshadowing here, helps keep your spirit elevated too.

However, it doesn't end here. You also must feed your mind good information. By feeding your mind new challenges, in the form of puzzles, learning a new hobby or activity, or reading about a new subject, you are growing additional brain cells, helping to prevent possible alzheimer's, and overall keeping your mind more fully engaged. A more fully engaged, agile mind helps create a better operating body, as you are going to make better choices overall (such as what you are eating, how much sleep you get, and whether or not you hit the gym today), when your thinking is clear and unfettered.

Don't forget, too, to feed your mind, body, and spirit plenty of sleep, too. This helps further regulate your body chemistry, so your mind and body are operating at the highest level possible.

That brings me to spirit. Our sense of Spirit needs to be nourished as well. Spirit provides the 'why' behind what we do. It is our motivation. It is our reason for being. We must feed our spiritual selves as well, for it will then provide the impetus for our keeping ourselves operating at our highest level. Take time to dive deep into the wellspring of self. You can do so through quiet meditative thinking; deep relaxation; yoga; massage; or just taking a quiet walk lost in your own thoughts. The form doesn't matter so much as the act of taking time to nourish your spiritual self. In turn, you will feel more motivated to make good choices in terms of your body and mind, for you will have reinforced within your own identitified mind the reasons as to why it is so important to eat well (that includes food for the brain in terms of learning), get rest, and exercise.

So you see, rather than examining these as separate pieces we need to address and bring into balance, perhaps it is better to step back and look at your body as a whole integrated system. Is your body feeling out of balance? Instead of just looking at your nutrition or exercise in terms of your body, remember to explore the problem in terms of your mind and spirit as well. If your mind is feeling frazzled, look to what you ate, or whether you got proper rest, or enough exercise - and don't forget to contemplate whether you've had enough spiritual food lately, too. If your spiritual life is feeling out-of-whack, consider whether you are nourishing your body well in other ways - are your eating and sleeping habits less than on par? That could drag down your spirituality, too, as can an overworked mind.

I personally feel that it is insanity to not consider the balancing of Mind, Body, and Spirit as relevant. This brings one to the question philosophers across time have queried: Who are we? Are you just one or two of the three, or are you your mind, body, and spirit? The answer is easy, each are one aspect of our individual selves. And as with all else within a closed system, if one aspect is out of whack, the others soon will be as well. An imbalance in one area will soon create an imbalance in another. Let's put an end to this separatist thinking, and step back and look at ourselves as an integrated whole. Let us honor our Mind, Body, and Spirit as an integrated whole, and let us always nourish them with the highest quality 'food' possible. Ingesting the highest quality nourishment on a regular basis will get you the highest quality results. Feed your mind, body, and spirit wisely, and you will create an amazing, balanced life in return.

~Create an amazing life for yourself!

[Stefanogym]

By Costantly paying attention to our emotional guidance system and costantly choosing thoughts that feel better