When you say "nourishment", most people probably think of food . . . the stuff you eat, that you burn to create energy to keep the body going.
Since this, however, is a holistic (or whole-istic, with the emphasis on "whole") magazine, let's look at nourishment not only from the point of view of the body, but also include the mind and spirit.
This raises an interesting question. What are the mind and the spirit?
Often the two words are used loosely as synonyms, which is unfortunate as this leads to a lot of confused thinking.
If "mind" and "spirit" mean more or less the same, then mental or spiritual nourishment would also mean the same thing. If "mind" and "spirit" are not the same, then mental and spiritual nourishment may be very different.
Another thing that is confusing is that the words "mind" and "brain" are often used to mean the same. If this were the case, then good, nutritious, physical food that nourishes the brain should also nourish the mind -- which is clearly not true.
So, what would good mental nourishment consist of?
Primarily, positive thoughts and positive emotions.
Have you ever tried eating a good, nutritious meal while angry or upset? Doesn't work too well, does it? This would be a case where the mental and physical nourishment are at odds.
Thoughts are "things". What we think has a peculiar way of materializing in the physical universe. If we think we can do something, the likelihood is that we can. If we think we can't, failure is virtually assured.
We normally take care to fill the gas tanks of our cars with a good grade of gasoline. And most people realize the importance of good, nutritious food. (Ironically, however, many people pay more attention to what they "feed" their cars than they do to the food they give their bodies!)
Mental food, however, is more subtle. Reading a newspaper is giving the mind nourishment. Watching television or a film. Even taking a walk in a shopping mall where the mind is bombarded by all kinds of direct and indirect advertising.
I'm not suggesting we avoid all such pastimes -- just be aware that in the process of doing these things we are feeding our minds.
It might be useful, however, to reduce the amount of time spent doing things where it is difficult to control the quality of the mental nourishment, and put more time into activities where one can control the quality. For example, reading a good book is likely to give one better mental nourishment than an evening of indiscriminate TV viewing.
One can also deliberately devote some time each day to filling the mind with positive thoughts and emotions. What do you want out of life? Put the thoughts and emotions there that are likely to help you get what you want.
Visualization and affirmations are two useful tools. By "visualization" we mean creating a picture or impression in the mind of something (it doesn't have to be visual) that we want. One might, for example, visualize a relationship one would like. Or one might simply visualize playing a better round of golf. By "affirmation" we mean a positive statement that one makes to oneself. For example, "I feel good about myself", or "I can stop smoking".
So what about spiritual nourishment?
Isn't it enough simply to fill one's mind with positive thoughts and emotions?
The mind is a great tool. In fact, we as spiritual beings wouldn't get very far in the physical universe without it. However, it is only a tool. Sometimes we tend to forget this and think that we are the mind -- or, worse still, that we are our bodies.
We need time to "tune into" our source. You can call it God, the Supreme, the Infinite, Spirit, Consciousness . . . what you will (no words are adequate to describe "It" anyway).
And here comes an interesting point. This "tuning into" does not mean "thinking about" God or Spirit etc. Listening to an inspiring sermon or talk may be good mental nourishment, but we are talking about something different. Essentially what is required is the cessation of thought.
Consider, for example, a radio telescope set to receive signals from some distant galaxy. It has to be able to exclude all the local noise and signals (which may be compared to the mental chatter of the mind) and be completely open to receive the distant signal.
In order to be able to receive the nourishment we need
from God or Spirit, we need to be able to "turn off" the mind
and turn our attention away from the body and our physical attachments.
This makes it possible for spiritual nourishment to occur.
David Findlay M.A. is editor of Tampa Bay New Times
and also a certified trauma specialist with a private practice in Clearwater,
FL. (813) 449-8964. Email: david@altnewtimes.com