Mind Body CONNECTION

By Gérard de Lairesse

The senses are represented as women and children engaged in some typical activity and with attributes.

Hearing is associated with music.

Sight holds a mirror.

Taste has a fruit  

Smell a bunch of flowers.

Touch has a bird perching on her raised hand.

What an amazing Creator!  When we stop and appreciate what we have been given as a gift.  Joy should  fill us up and satisfy our souls.

Key word "stop"

Key word "appreciate"

Key word "gift"

I'm sure you've heard, growing up, as I did ...."you take it for granted".

ahhh so true.  

This isn't about appreciating and or acknowledging your senses - all though that could be said.

This is again about "the connection" between our senses and our being.

I've been saying over and over again.  We are body, mind and spirit.

Yet we (maybe just me.... but I doubt that) forget to acknowledge that we are a SPIRIT!

The mind body connection seem to leave out the part about the Spirit.  That, I believe is because the Spirit is weaved into our body, and weaved into our mind. So easy to overlook.  We only deal with the tangible.

Yet, it really can't be separated or ignored.   Nor should it.

I hear often (in my profession)  so many physical complaints.... illness, aches, pains... worries and concerns about sensations or lack of sensations of the body.

Oh, how I would love to discuss the connection between the Body and the Spirit.

The Mind and the Spirit.

I've gave this a lot of thought.  Certainly there are illness and disease that occur NOT because of some spiritual or mental weakness.   Consider the baby or child that develops a rare cancer or a congenital defect.  I'm quite aware of the fact that about 20% of illness do not stem from the connection of the mind and the body.

I truly respect and want to be sensitive to this fact.

I address the 80% of illness, disease, and or complaints that stem from unhealthy thoughts.

Take for instance when you smell a flower. 

   The fragrance may envelop you and bring a smile to your face.  You may close your eye's and feel the fragrance waif through your body, causing you to relax or feel invigorated.  It's cathartic, healing.... soothing. You physically have a chemical reaction in your body when your senses are stimulated.

Yet, you may smell a flower and develop  tension, sadness....loss of energy, maybe a headache!

How?

Well,  a fragrance   may remind you of something that invokes a 

sweet memories. 

 (like tonight  my smelling  the sweet jasmine as I walked in the moon light with the still cool breeze besides me in my old neighborhood)   

Or, for someone else, the fragrance of some flowers  may trigger the recall of a funeral home filled with flowers ... reminder of the loss of a loved one.

And don't you know there are some flowers that do that!  

Yes, we have these amazing senses- touch, taste, smell, hearing, sight!  

BUT it is our mind that takes these senses and creates thoughts that are pleasant or distressful.  Healthy or Toxic.

So, here it is:

Your senses take in a touch, smell, taste, sound, sight

Your mind processes this sense with previous thoughts that are associated with this sense.

You then have a CHOICE to STOP and Think.  If this brings me peace.... all is well and healthy.

If this brings me negative feelings (toxic)... I need to explore this.

Toxic feelings are rooted in Fear.  

Healthy feelings are rooted in Love.

                                                    Ok,  getting toooo deep and it's late!  .....

gotta go to bed and dream sweet dreams....  Fill my mind with "gardenia's"

Yes,  I like that.... pure white petals full of sweet aroma's to swirl around my mind.

Yes,  FILL my MIND with flowers for ME!  (see recent blog on this)

And when I wake in the morning

Then I'll have to go for a "fabulous walk"  

I    W I L L   "still" my mind and use all my  senses to fill my mind, body and spirit with  choose thoughts that bring me HEALTH and WELLNESS.

Salute!  

Time Spent

Thought for the day

How much time does the average person spend thinking about food and eating?
How much energy is taken up by what and when to eat?
How much money is spent on food?

Isn't it true a great percentage of our thoughts are about:
What should I eat
When should I eat
Where shall I eat

True or not true.  We spend A LOT of time, energy and money on food for our Body.

If we spent as much time, energy and money on food for our Spirit  ... Powerful!

If we spent as much time energy and money on food for our MIND.... Amazing !

Ok, back up..... is the food we choose really for our body our for our lust to please our senses.

Ahhh HA!

Think about it today.

Gotta go lace up!  Time to feed my body some life giving oxygen by a brisk walk/jog.


Salute!  To Your Health and Wellness

Flowers for Me

The other day I had a thought (as I often do) and I wanted to send myself flowers.  

Not flowers from a florist (although that would be nice) but flowers sent to my MIND!

A beautiful bouquet of lovely, fragrant.... flowers.

Ummmmm I thought, what would I like.  I thought of various bouquets but came up with choosing Hydrangea.  Why, I don't know.  

But just filling my "mind" "thoughts  "BRAIN!" with flowers was a powerful  thing.  Suddenly I invoke wonderful feeling that sent a message through out my body.  So, lovely!  

It's true that we live in a world that is bombarded with negative, ugly words being flung on us.  Yes, from the news on TV, things we hear while at a restaurant or shopping.  At work, on the phone.... we are bombarded in our minds with other peoples WORDS.

So, I think sending a lovely bouquet of flowers into the portals of my mind is wonderful!

I had to google just now the "meaning" associated with the flowers I choose.  There is a deep understanding I have in the symbolism of things we choose.  

So, pick a flower to send to yourself!  Enjoy!
 

Meaning of Hydrangea   

  

Japanese Legend

According to a Japanese legend, a proud emperor used a bouquet of hydrangeas as an apology to the family of a girl with whom he was in love. Ever after, the flowers have served as a representation of heartfelt feelings, whether of joy or sadness, says the website Flower-Choice.com.

The Language of Flowers

Although one meaning of the hydrangea in the Victorian language of flowers was that of coldness and heartlessness, the flower could also say "thank you for understanding."

Negative Connotations

Hydrangea can also have other, less flattering meanings. Perhaps because of its showy beauty, it is sometimes thought to symbolize boastfulness and vanity.

The hydrangea has magical properties as well. According to folklore, if a witch put a curse on an unlucky man or woman the hydrangea could be used to break the curse.

Hummmm?????  I wonder why I picked Hydrangea's.  Oh, well I made me pleasantly happy sending my Brain these flowers.

Salute!  

My Prayer

The other morning as I woke and stretch my mouth to form a big smile and then began my attempted  "habit" to speak Thanksgiving to the Lord for being alive, 

This verse came to me and I began to quote: 

                                Psalms 23 (memorized in Sunday School as a little girl).

As I laid in bed thinking a bout the words, I became curious about the meaning behind a prayer that calls my Lord (Jesus) my Shepherd.  I was most curious about the Rod and Staff.

Later, I had the chance to google  "Rod and Staff".  What I read touched my heart.

I've said before in my blogs that I'm very visual and I learn by "stories" (like parables in the bible).

The following is Psalms 23 and then some excerpts from what I found the Shepherd's duties in caring for His Sheep.  Even know I don't think that the word "duty" and "caring" belong in the same sentence.  At least not when it's calling Jesus the Shepard.  The proof of His love is in his willingness to Die for our sins.  (a brutal death).

Since I found this truth about the Shepherd guarding, guiding and caring for his sheep, I have found a deeper peace in the face of concerns, worries or challenges.

I pray you hear and then take into your heart this same truth.  

We have a Shepherd that is watching over us.  Stop thinking (talking to me) that I'm in control of my situations. 

 I'm only in control of my choices!! 

I choose to LISTEN to my Shepherds Voice

I choose to allow my Shepherd to lead me

I choose to not be anxious since HE is PROTECTING ME, Guiding me, Leading me..... Providing for me.

I Trust my Shepherd

When a disturbing thought (worry, anxiety, concern) comes into my head I then picture I'm in a beautiful Green pasture.  There beside me is my Savior (Shepherd).  The sky is blue... the breeze is soft and I am at peace.

Salute!  To your health and wellness too

Psalm 23

 ¹The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

 ²He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: 

he leadeth me beside the still waters.

 ³He restoreth my soul: 

he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

 ⁴Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 

I will fear no evil: 

for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

 ⁵Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

 ⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

found at: www.antipas.org
When the shepherd is afield with his flock in the high country, it is customary for him to carry a minimum of equipment. This was especially true in olden times where the sheepmen did not have the benefit of mechanized equipment to transport camp supplies across the rough country.


The rod was what he relied on to safeguard both himself and his flock in danger. And it was, furthermore, the instrument he used to discipline and correct any wayward sheep that insisted on wandering away.

...an interesting sidelight on the word "rod" ... the slang term "rod" has been applied to hand-guns such as pistols and revolvers which were carried by cowboys, and other western rangement. The connotation is exactly the same as that used in this Psalm.


We turn now to discuss and consider the shepherd's staff. In a sense, the staff, more than any other item of his personal equipment, identifies the shepherd as a shepherd. No one in any other profession carries a shepherd's staff. It is uniquely an instrument used for the care and management of sheep -- and only sheep. It will not do for cattle, horses or hogs. It is designed, shaped and adapted especially to the needs of sheep.

The staff is essentially a symbol of the concern, the compassion that a shepherd has for his charges. No other single word can better describe its function on behalf of the flock than that it is for their "comfort."


...the staff is used by the shepherd to reach out and catch individual sheep, young or old, and draw them close to himself for intimate examination. The staff is very useful this way for the shy and timid sheep normally tend to keep at a distance from the shepherd.

The staff is also used for guiding sheep. Again and again I have seen a shepherd use his staff to guide his sheep gently into a new path or through some gate or along dangerous, difficult routes. He does not use it actually to beat the beast. Rather, the tip of the long slender stick is laid gently against the animal's side and the pressure applied guides the sheep in the way the owner wants it to go. Thus the sheep is reassured of its proper path.

Being stubborn creatures sheep often get into the most ridiculous and preposterous dilemmas. I have seen my own sheep, greedy for one more mouthful of green grass, climb down steep cliffs where they slipped and fell into the sea. Only my long shepherd's staff could lift them out of the water back onto solid ground.

A Dog Returns to its Vomit OR Fail when you lost your balance and Fell

Side NOTE:

While writing this blog I started with "a dog returns to its vomit" but then saw the other truth that was being laid before me about balance; fell / fail

so I've kept them both since they came to my mind

From  Rudyard Kipling poem 

The dog returns to its vomit  

'The Gods of the Copybook Headings'

This was taken from the Bible verses

Proverbs 26  

¹¹ As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

2 Peter 2  

²² Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, 

"A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."

It occurred to me last week these scriptures, as I "fell" down by not doing what I knew is right (not exercising and eating some unhealthy foods).
 Thank God, I didn't fall completely. Most of the time I ate healthy.

Ahhh, I used the   word "fell" - a key to truth.

Funny how the words  fell and fail sound the same. 


  African Proverbs                
 "Do not look where you fell but where you  slipped" 
 Charles F. Kettering             
" Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail"

You fall when you are not balanced.

You are only truly balanced when you up hold up all three entities of Self:
                                     Body, Mind and Spirit.

I found myself in an environment  that I for the past 2 decades have enjoyed once a year.  It includes playing, eating and relaxing.  All good things except when they are met with poor choices.   Let me get to the punch line:  I ate some "crap".  There I said it.  Some Potato chips and a hot dog....

Now, you say "so what".   Once in a while that's ok.
Ahhh, but I also had some Cake too !
But  again you say,  "ah, so what"  "what's a little cake once in a while".

You just don't GET IT!

If you are a recovering Alcoholic or Cigarette smoker, do you think you can have just ONE?

BAD, is BAD, is BAD.  Returning to your folly!  Like a Dog returns to its vomit.

Again, you may say that's going overboard.  Is it?  Let me ask you this:  What is your Cholesterol Levels?  What is your Blood Sugar readings?  What is your BMI?
Can you Run an mile?   Are you on maintenance medications for your blood pressure or thyroid? How's your Bowels?  Those who are in amazing shape in their 50's that can say they're in Great Shape probably, just probably do not eat Chips, Hot Dogs and Cake.

Ok, I'm exaggerating.  But truly.   GET it together in your Mind.  What are you doing about your health?

Amazing how those (nay Sayers) will say "what's wrong with just one cookie"
"I splurge on a frozen yogurt"  "are you really going to give up food you enjoy?"

Romans 8

⁸Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

¹³For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 

For me (maybe not you)  I see a direct correlation between food and God.

Crazy isn't it!  

Food that doesn't bring health to my body is not a healthy Choice.

I'm not saying eating cheesecake is a sin but if you can't say NO to a piece of cheesecake knowing it's not a healthy choice than it's a close to sin as you can get.   What if I said it's ok to have one night of sex with a stranger once in a while. Or ok to steal once in a while.  

I know that eating cake isn't breaking one of the 10 commandments, but.

If you have health issues... and being over weight IS A HEALTH RISK. Then eating fatty, sugar laden foods is a sin for YOU.  You have NO business eating a bag of M&M's once in a while.  Trust me, if your over weight it's not because you eat some sweets once in a while, is it?

Point is I found in this past year that I'm controlled by my desires to please ME with food.  Food is my method of soothing my disappointments, unhappiness... discontent, frustrations.  

Eating unhealthy foods or TOO much foods (healthy or not healthy) is  a symptom of an unbalanced life.  

  

This is my battle.  Self Will?  Self Discipline?  Self Self Self.   

My failure is that I have attempted to deny myself food that I find brings me pleasure. AH HA!  that is the KEY.  My pleasure should be in my relationships.

My pleasure should be in things that bring me life, joy and HEALTH!

I want to be at a place where Strawberry pie brings me NO PLEASURE because it it FULL of Refined Sugar laden in a White processed flour crust that was mixed with "Crisco"!  

I want my pleasure to be food's that meet my need not my lust.  Like a Bowl of Juicy Red Strawberries.  Knowing their natural sweetness is a blessing to my body since their rich in vitamins and nutrients that feed my body.

Don't you get it!   It's not about a DIET.  It's not about denying yourself foods that you "like". Not about counting carbs and calories...

It's about balancing my MIND (what I know is healthy for me) and my Spirit (denying those things that are harmful to my body) and my Body (feeding my body life giving foods). 

BALANCE!  

Go ahead and try it again.  Some crazy diet where you count Carbs, or Sugars, or Fat's.  Some crazy diet that promises lose 21 pounds in 21 days.  Some crazy diet that never addresses the real issues of why YOUR FAT.  Millions of books about how to lose weight. Hundreds of choices how to lose weight.  THEN, I ask WHY ARE People fat?

I'll tell you (can you hear me screaming)

                     Your fat because you have NO balance in your life. Amen

Go ahead start a " the latest new diet"

I truly believe those that keep their weight off did it because they found something deeper than a diet.  

Again,

I "fell" during this vacation week because I didn't balance my day.  I didn't keep my chosen routine. 

I had some Unhappiness at moments due to a situation I can't change. 

Also, I've seen in certain social settings I'm vulnerable.

Making Life Style Changes takes practice.

When you fall down - GET UP, brush yourself off and Get up and back on the Road.

I know, that I know that I know what I need to do to keep balanced.

Wake every morning and "plaster a big Smile on my face"

Wake every morning acknowledging my Creator and speaking those words of 

    faith and thanksgiving to Him.

Wake every morning giving my Day to serving Him not Me.

Journalize or Blog every morning - speaking truth that is ROOTED in the Word of 

     God.

Stretching and exercising every day my BODY, my MIND and my SPIRIT!
Choose FOOD that are LIFE giving!  Water myself! HA HA 

I have to keep in mind I have a "sinful nature"  a curse from the Garden of Eden.   

             

I have to choose every day to be controlled by HIS SPIRIT.  

I have to choose everyday whom I will serve.

I have to choose everyday to think about what I'm Thinking:     

Philippians 4:8  

⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

I have to consciously CHOOSE today my choices on how to spend my time, what to feed my body and what I'm thinking.

I don't want to return to what I threw up, gave up.... purged myself of...
  ran away from.


  I want to  

focus on  where  I "slipped" not where I fell (fail)  

              

  BALANCE  take focus and strength  

                  My   focus        is in HIM 

                 My  strength  is in HIM

Salute!  To your health and wellness