Remember the last time you had the flu?
Your body ached, yes—but your mind was likely also a little cloudy, as the health of our minds is interconnected with our bodies. Likewise, our bodies are interconnected to our spirit. If you study the life of any Olympian you will see that physical performance is always tied to the state of their spirit: their motivation, their mood, and their beliefs.
In order to thrive, all three levels of our being—physical, mental, and spiritual—need to thrive in conjunction. They need to be integrated. But in order for them to operate well, they first all must be maintained. We need to find a balance within ourselves that works for all three parts.
At some point or another, we all find ourselves struggling in one of these areas. We’ve run our bodies into the ground, we rolled our minds around in dirt, or maybe we’ve neglected our spiritual needs. Then, if we’re like most, we find distractions: cheap substitutes for our hearts’ real desire. These distractions are easy to spot because they only give us temporary pleasure or relief, but leave us feeling worse than when we started. These placebos take many forms and are as unique as each of us.
We see this pattern most clearly in addiction—the cyclical compulsion to do the things we know aren’t in our best interest. But, even if we’re not clinically addicted, this lack of balance leads us to a distracted life, robbed of real freedom—as we continually turn away from our deepest sources of wellbeing and peace. So how do we get past this?
When we start operating with an awareness of how our mind, body, and soul interact—we will discover what parts of us need to be strengthened, fixed, or even disinfected. Through integration, one focused effort will influence all three parts. The more aware we are of the need for balance, the more we experience a deep interconnectedness within ourselves.
WAYS TO INCORPORATE THIS PRACTICE
THEMES
Moderation • Healing • Consume what nourishes (mind, body, spirit)
HABITS
Write down an area of your life where you feel stuck or struggling. Everyday write down a change you could make in your life that could help you in that area. At the end of a month decide what action steps you want to make.
At the end of the day, consider the media you’ve consumed. Which helped contribute to you being healthier in mind, body or spirit? What got in the way of you being healthy in mind, body, or spirit?
We need adequate rest. Set a standard bedtime and wake time and do everything you can to stick with it.
“These distractions are easy to spot because they only give us temporary pleasure or relief, but leave us feeling worse than when we started.”
@monkmanual | #monkmanual
