Heal the Body With the Mind (knowledge of how the body works)
Heal the Mind With the Body (skillful practices that engage one’s mind)
Many chronic health issues can be managed or eliminated with appropriate knowledge of how the human body works. Ailments such as joint or muscular pain are often due to injury or postural issues. Proper knowledge of exercise and physical movement can usually help. Issues such as stress, headaches, high blood pressure, obesity and many others can be improved through the appropriate methods for each individual’s personal situation.
Additionally, many emotional and mental issues can be improved or managed through skillful practices that engage the individuals mind and body simultaneously. Examples of mind and body engaging methods would be tai chi, yoga, pilates, meditation. Other methods might include playing a musical instrument, painting or engaging in nature.
Be well!
I teach and encourage people how to live a healthy lifestyle. Learn how this works and relates to your health and well being.
How aware are you, of seeing yourself for who your truly are? Can you see every line, mark or feature on your face in your thoughts without looking in the mirror? If no one is around to see your actions, do you still keep your morals and values in check? Seeing yourself as others see you, and not caring what others think of you are two entirely different discussions. This post is about the ongoing cultivation of trying to become the best version of yourself and not about how to justify our poor behavior or actions towards those we interact with. Now then, how can we become more self-aware to be the best we can be?
I have found from my almost 40 years of studying, practicing and teaching of martial arts and other Eastern wellness methods, that it is much easier to become aware of our physical body than to know how our mind works. Therefore, the body is the key into the mind. The mind controls the body. Our body protects our mind. We are not our thoughts, but rather the observer of our thoughts or consciousness. Our body doesn’t move on its own, other than for reflexes and autonomic functions. Our body doesn’t make the decisions to get up, open the refrigerator, and put something to eat in our mouth. Junk food or healthy snack? You as the observer makes these choices. Our thoughts do not make these decisions either, but rather our consciousness. Once one becomes self-aware of their consciousness, now they can observe their thoughts and choose to direct them with our without emotion. For example, after opening the refrigerator and accidentally dropping a glass container that shatters, we choose how to react to this maybe by experiencing regret, anger, frustration, sadness, etc. Or maybe you really didn’t like that container to begin with and now you are happy, relieved or indifferent after all it was only a glass container and not your house catching on fire or someone being seriously injured.
You are not your thoughts!
For most people, it is very difficult to train or discipline their mind and consequently, their body. People often say or do things they regret only to realize later that they lacked the self control and self awareness to make good decisions to begin with. By gaining control of the physical anatomy, a relationship with the physical body is developed. Attention to the details of your body positioning, is what trains the mind to become more self-aware. When aligning the limbs and joints to stretch and strengthen them, while also maintaining deep and deliberate breathing rhythms, an individual can cultivate a more harmonious link between the mind, body and spirit (self-awareness). Practice of exercises that truly engage the mind and body, (very much like yoga, tai chi, isometrics) to improve health & wellness. The mind directs the body, while the body protects the mind.
Ship Pal Gye, Taoist yoga or the “Filling the 8 Vessels”
Ship Pal Gye, Taoist yoga or the “Filling the 8 Vessels” are methods to increase the capacity of your nervous system. By holding the body in specific alignments, the nervous system is strengthened to endure more pain, stress and discomfort. Think of tempering steel in fire to strengthen the metal. Building self-discipline of the mind and body simultaneously!
When engaging the muscles, tendons, bones and fascia, the 12 regular energy meridians are engaged plus the 8 extraordinary meridians are opened and filled as reservoirs to adjust the ebb and flow of energy throughout the body and thereby strengthening the immune system among other bodily functions.
Exercise methods like these have been known for centuries, but are considered new or “alternative” to modern western culture.
Often times people will ask me, “where did you learn this?” Well…almost 40 years ago I began studying Korean kung fu, then Traditional Chinese Medicine, medical qigong, fitness, wellness and anatomy. It didn’t happen overnight or from a weekend seminar. It took me decades of learning, studying and teaching from and with high level masters and teachers. And I’m not done learning yet, are you?
Learn how this all works from private, small or group instruction.
For example, in the US an individual needs to go through the school system at least until 16 years old, before they can starting working to earn an income. Then one can possibly move on to trade school, college, the military or other further education to elevate their knowledge base to their next level. Or not! Some people enter into the work force, take care of family or friends, or move onto other modes of becoming what is considered a successful life. With age, knowledge and life experience, I have found that all roads basically lead to the same goals of:
Pursuing health and happiness
Living with meaning and purpose
Becoming an asset to society
Acquiring wisdom throughout one’s life
Unless someone is independently wealthy and have innate knowledge of how to manage their resources, they need to have some plan to gain the knowledge in order to achieve the above facets of life.
Review the following graphics to see a logical progression of achieving a well earned life. Learn before earn. Never stop learning; never stop earning. Invest in yourself.
Be well, stay healthy, be wise.
I can help. I have almost 40 years worth of experience in practicing and teaching others to take control of their health and well-being. Wellness lectures, classes, study guides & booklets.For more information, contact Jim Moltzan at 407-234-0119 or www.MindAndBodyExercises.com
We have an inner mental dialogue going on inside our head that mostly never stops. Often referred to as self-talk, inner chatter and inner speech. The next time you have a disturbing thought or emotion, remember that it does not define or control you. After all, you are not your thoughts but rather the observer to your thoughts. You can actively choose whether to participate in it or not.
Whatever thoughts or feelings that happen to present themselves in your head at any given moment do not define or control you. You are not angry, but rather can experience anger. We are not happy nor angry human beings but rather can choose to be happy, angry or whatever emotional state we care to experience at any given time. However, managing or controlling thoughts and consequently emotions is for most people, not an easy task to achieve.
Thoughts Affect Your Emotions
Every thought, has an emotional attachment on some level. Positive emotions keep organs in balance for optimal performance. Negative emotions disrupt this balance leading to other symptoms and ailments.
Emotions affect the endocrine system (body chemistry)
The body chemistry affects hormones (growth & stress)
Growth or stress hormones affects bodily functions of the physical health
Physical health affects your thoughts – completing the circuit, brings us back full circle
What You Think Affects Your Outlook If your thoughts have a mostly positive emotional attachment on some level, you may have more of an optimistic outlook in your life. Conversely, mostly negative emotions tend to make people have a somewhat pessimistic outlook in their life.
Traditional Chinese Medicine recognizes that there is a direct link from our emotions to the health of our internal organs and their functions.
Tai chi, yoga, martial arts, meditation and other time-proven methods are known practices to help manage and control the inner dialogue.
A recent article form the Wall Street Journal explains more about managing the inner chatter.
As we all continue to age, we need to decide how much time and effort we choose to put towards our health and well being. Weekly hours of time pursuing a healthy lifestyle can prevent potential hours at the doctor’s office or days in the hospital.
Be well, stay healthy, be wise.
I can help. I have almost 40 years worth of experience in practicing and teaching others to take control of their health and well-being. Wellness lectures, classes, study guides & booklets.
Self-reflection can lead one to contemplate about how they are motivated to accomplish specific tasks and goals.
Intrinsic Motivation:
Intrinsic motivation is executing an activity for its own sake. Enjoy the activity because it is fun, satisfying or challenging. Not because you’ll get a reward or avoid punishment.
Extrinsic Motivation:
Extrinsic motivation is doing something not because you enjoy it, but rather because you want to receive a reward or avoid punishment. This is the opposite of intrinsic motivation.
United Martial Arts Association 