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Optimum
Health - Part Two
by
David
Findlay
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We are not just our bodies. Some people
think they are but, fortunately, not many. Surely there must be something
other than the body? But what?
Many people believe that they have a soul. The only problem with this
is the word “have.” “Have” implies possession.
If you have a soul, who are you that has the soul? The body?? And,
if the body dies and your soul goes to heaven – or wherever
– what happens to you?
A more logical premise is that you are the soul and that you have
a body. The soul is immortal; the body is not. Any discussion of optimum
health, therefore, has to include the soul or spirit. In fact, since
the soul comes first, the health of the soul is more basic that the
health of the body.
So, we have the body and we are a soul. But is that it? What about
the mind?
Some people believe that they are their minds and that the mind and
the soul are basically the same. And some people believe that the
mind and the brain are basically the same. If the mind and the brain
are the same, then it follows that when the body dies the mind dies
too. And if the mind and soul are the same thing, then why have two
words when one would perfectly well do?
It appears that the mind and the brain are not the same. One could
argue the point endlessly, but my reason for making this claim is
that in the hundreds of hours of regression work that I have done
with clients and on myself we have routinely run into “memories”
that do not fit with this lifetime experience, but rather “past
lives” or “between lives.” If the mind dies with
the brain, where do these memories come from? The research suggests
that, although the body and the brain die, the mind continues and
then somehow gets linked to a new body and a new brain. But what about
the soul and the mind being the same? Who then creates the pictures
and the data that we store in the mind? Recall a day on the beach.
Who made that picture? Who is looking at that picture? You are. That
would be you as a spiritual being looking at something that you have
experienced or a picture that you have created.
Any discussion of optimum health, therefore, has to include the health
of the mind.
Is that it now? Spirit, mind and body? Does that give us the whole
being?
Maybe, but I’d like to add emotions as a separate category.
Mainly for convenience. Emotions often seem to act as a link between
mind and body, or between spirit and mind. Take anger for example.
Anger certainly affects the body but is not purely a physical, bodily
reaction. Nor is it really just a mental reaction. Maybe there is
a mental component. “He or she should not have…”
and the anger is the response part which is expressed by the body.
But one could have the mental component without the emotion and without
the physical response. Typically an emotion has a mental and a physical
component. Sometimes, however, it appears that an emotion can be generated
directly by the soul or spirit. Take love, for example. Love may or
may not have a mental or physical component.
So, for the purpose of this article, a discussion of optimum health
can be subdivided into health of the soul or spirit, the mind, the
emotions and the body.
Does this get us anywhere?
Not maybe a long way but it can at least help us establish an entry
or starting point.
Optimum health clearly would consist not simply of optimum health
for the body but optimum health for the soul, the mind, the emotions
and the body. As an absolute in the physical universe optimum health
is no doubt unattainable. But it is something we can strive for.
Where should one start?
In the last issue we started with optimum health of the body, as this
is often the easiest and most obvious entry point. It is not, however,
the only entry point. There is no right or wrong here. The best entry
point is the one that strikes you as the best, or the easiest.
We pointed out that optimum health for the body depends on what you
want the body to do. Doesn’t the same apply to the other categories?
Emotions have a function. Emotions in themselves are neither good
nor bad. They may, however, be appropriate to the situation, or not.
Take anger again as an example. In some situations anger may be a
positive emotion that leads to action to correct or improve something.
In other cases, however, anger may cause one to do something, or to
want to do something, that would be harmful. Emotions should be appropriate
to the situation. I would suggest that optimum health emotionally
would include flexibility of emotional response. If someone close
to you dies, it is appropriate to experience grief. If, however, you
are experiencing grief six months or a year later, that is another
matter. You are the best person to decide whether or not an emotion
is appropriate.
The mind has a function. It is the interface between you, a spiritual
being, and the physical universe (which includes your body). Optimum
health for the mind would be a mind that works smoothly to assist
you operating in the physical universe. Sometimes data gets stored
in the mind which produces undesired results. “All women are
tramps.” “All men are trash.” Conclusions that may
be the result of “unfortunate” experiences. Sometimes
the negative data is linked with negative emotions (dislike of women
or men) or negative physical reactions (for example, impotence).
Now, what about you, the soul or spirit?
Basically you are senior to your mind, your emotions and your body.
So why not directly address yourself as a spiritual being?
Fine for those who can do it. This, however, often requires a level
of spiritual enlightenment that may make the mind, the emotions or
the body an easier entry point.
In the next three issues we’ll
be discussing individually in more detail the emotions, the mind
and the soul and how they relate to optimum health. David Findlay
is a co-founder of New Times Naturally! He is a retired counselor.
(727) 239-0029.
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