Mind Body & Soul

Archive for the ‘Beauty’ Category

In many ancient systems of medicine (such as in China) treatment has been made with the view that mind, body and soul are linked together as a whole and should not be seen as isolated from each other.

You can’t treat one area; they are all linked together.Prevention and treatment should be based upon the mind, body and soul and this view is now becoming acknowledged by millions of people worldwide.If you accept this concept you will be healthier, avoid illness and be happier.Overall health and fitness combines physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of our being.

An overall approach to wellness

Mind-body and soul healing focuses on the interactions between the brain, mind, body and the ways in which emotional, mental, social, spiritual and behavioral factors affect us as a whole.It encourages an approach that enhances each person’s self-knowledge and ability to perform self-care.Mind-body and soul medicine typically focuses on intervention strategies that are thought to promote overall health.

These include such areas as:

Relaxation, imagery, meditation, tai chi yoga, Rekki, hypnosis, biofeedback, yoga, qi gong, autogenic training, spirituality and proper nutrition.Illness is viewed as an opportunity for personal growth, transformation and a move to a happier, healthier being.Health care acts as an important part of this transformation.

The History Of Complementary Medicine

In 2002, relaxation techniques, imagery, biofeedback and hypnosis, were used by more than 34% percent of the adult population of the USA.

The concept that the mind is important in the treatment of illness is integral to the healing approaches of traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic treatments dating back thousands of years.In Greece as long ago as 400 BC Hippocrates recognized both the moral and spiritual aspects of healing.This is probably one of the first statements on what we regard today as alternative medicine.

By the 16th century a different direction was being taken that stressed the complete opposite, the separation of mind body and soul, in the treatment of illness.During the periods of Renaissance and Enlightenment, advances in science saw an emphasis on science being the answer to everything.Technological advances in medicine including, the discovery of bacteria and antibiotics changed the notion of belief being able to influence health.In the 1920s, Walter Cannon’s work revealed the relationship between stress and neuroendocrine responses in animals and alternative healing came back into the public eye.

During World War II alternative medicine got another boost in popularity.During the battle on the beaches of Anzio, morphine for wounded soldiers was in short supply which led to an interesting substitute being used.Henry Beecher, M.D., discovered that much of the pain could simply be alleviated by saline injections.

He used the term placebo effect.

His subsequent research showed that up to 35% of a therapeutic response to all medical treatment could be the result of belief.The will to live is often quoted and this comes from the mind not just the body.Our mind has a huge influence on our bodies and this view has gained increasingly in popularity in recent years.The Rise In Complimentary MedicineSince the 1960s, and the rise of the hippy generation and all things alternative, mind-body interactions and there impact on overall health came back into fashion.Today, more people than ever are accepting alternative medicine and there is a rejection that science cures all.People are now seeing and accepting what our ancestor’s cultures saw:

That mind, body and soul are one.

We hear a lot about mind, body and soul and how important it is to connect all three. It has definitely been a prominent life lesson for me and others on a personal level. But what about the mind, body and soul of your business? Most entrepreneurs tend to rely primarily on their intellect. Yes, even the most soulful service providers tend to default to the intellect when it comes to matters of business. I am here to challenge the status quo and invite you to fully and authentically connect who you really are with what you do or provide for your clients.

People Do not Understand What I Do

More often than not the business strategies we are taught are not necessarily in alignment with how we genuinely want the relationships with our clients to unfold. This puts us in a place of incongruence. We have something of great value we know will help, or possibly even provide, a transformational experience for our clients. Yet, the methods to which they find us, and the words we use to describe our products and service, are not an adequate reflection of the benefits available to them through a relationship with us.

Sometimes it Takes More Than One Brain

I know you are passionate about what you do. You wouldn’t be a soul-o-preneur if you weren’t. And if you are reading this, I can assume that you also have a desire to help a lot of people, make a difference in your community or even the world. You also want to contribute financially to your family and your own personal growth and expression. Although your organization may be small-maybe just you-I want you to know that just because you are a solo entrepreneur doesn’t mean you have to build your business alone.

Highly successful entrepreneurs have 3 very important things in common when it comes to growing their business:

1. They seek professional help from a mentor or coach who has their best interest at heart.
2. They create a sustainable plan.
3. They Master Mind with others who provide accountability and a call to action.

Practice Doesn’t Make Perfect-Perfect Practice Makes Perfect

You do not have to be perfect to begin. Truthfully, nobody is perfect, nor do we need to be. However, you may have heard the expression, “Do the first thing first.” Well, I’d like to add that not only do you need to do the “first thing first”; you need to do the “first thing right!” First of all, some of us do not exactly know what the “first thing is.” Some of us are doing the right things in the wrong way and some of us are doing the wrong things really, really well!Aaargh! It is exhausting, frustrating, overwhelming, and doesn’t save us time or make us money.

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And I will respond, “Yes, I understand your independent nature-that is why you are an entrepreneur!” And then I will lovingly point out that money is merely a method of exchange, an exchange of energy, of giving and receiving.

Every part of our bodies is all connected to each other and therefore relies on each other to do their respective jobs. If one of those parts is not healthy then it only makes common sense that it’s going to affect the other parts.There are three very distinct parts to our being. That is the mind, body and soul. If one is not healthy then the other two suffer. Let’s take a look at each of these three parts separately.

The Mind:
Our mental and emotional well being as a very strong influence on the rest of the body. If the mind is not focused and strong then it cannot direct the body functions to do their job. Most often when the mind becomes despondent so does the body. In reality, the general health becomes affected. This can be backed up by the many Doctors that once they have exhausted all avenues of coming up with a diagnosis with a person they may put it off to being a mental issue. Another good example as to how the mind and the emotions can affect our overall well-being is with anxiety attacks. These are triggered by the mind yet they can be so severe they mimic a heart attack sometimes. Obviously when these are occurring, one is not feeling very healthy.

The Body:
The body like the mind affects other areas as well when it is sick. Look at how mentally exhausted an individual becomes when they are dealing with chronic pain. It’s not the cause of the pain that is the culprit to the mind it’s the pain level. If whatever ails the body is restrictive in some way, this too can have a major impact on the mind. It’s that cliché that the mind is willing but the body isn’t. A body that is not healthy is a creator of many negative factors.

The Soul:
No matter what each persons individual belief it there is a connection to the rest of the body. When an individual is in poor spirits, it has a direct effect on the health of the mind and the body as well.

You can feel your blood pressure rising when someone cuts you off in traffic. You lie awake at night thinking about all of the ways a particular co-worker has ruined your chances for a promotion. You cannot forgive your parents for the cruel words that were repeatedly spoken to you as a child. It seems like very little is needed to set off your temper or bring feelings of resentment to the surface. If these sentiments sound familiar, then you are obviously living with a great deal of anger and I imagine that this strong emotion is having a negative impact on your life. While anger certainly is a normal human reaction and completely repressing such honest expression is unhealthy for your mental and physical health, allowing anger to dominate your existence can be even more dangerous.

How can anger translate into physical problems? A study performed at Berkeley found that forty percent of people who experienced a stroke had felt angry or been through an upsetting event within two hours before the life-threatening moment. Another study, this one done at the University of Ohio, discovered that men and women who have trouble controlling their anger take longer to heal from even the most minor of wounds. Research completed at Yale University concluded that anger can trigger potentially deadly heart rhythms. There are countless other examples of ways in which anger manifests itself physically. Teeth clenching, rashes, indigestion, severe headaches and many other maladies all can be triggered by episodes of unchecked anger. I imagine that if you suffer from anger issues, you can add to this list based on your own experiences.

Beyond compromising your physical health, which should never be minimized, chronic or cyclical anger also decreases the quality of your day-to-day life. People who are focused on the problems and pain in their lives cannot open the door to the wonderful alternative of happiness and a peace of mind. Instead of noticing the opportunities for joy, those who live in anger are left needing to find ways that they can numb the painful feelings through drinking, drug use, or overeating. Depression, eating disorders, and insomnia are also common side effects of those who have not found productive ways to deal with their uncontrolled anger. This is no way to be living your life!