The 5 Pillars of Health (2 of 3)

(part 2 in a series of 3 posts)

Post 1 – The 3 Treasures: Mind, Body & Spirit

Post 2 – The 5 Pillars of Health

Post 3 – The 8 Dimensions of Wellbeing

In recent years, more hospitals, wellness centers businesses, and other groups have begun to acknowledge that there is some relationship between the food we consume, exercise, management of stress, social relationships, and sleep hygiene, collectively referred to as the “5 Pillars of Health.” These components can exist in harmony to play parts in overall health and well-being. With this realization, we can see from the graphic below how the many sub-categories that are now thought to be parts of wellness build upon the original concept of mind, body, and spirit.

The 5 Pillars of Health are a great segway from the 3 Treasures of the mind, body, and spirit. All aspects of society and culture evolve over time. It only makes sense that some ancient philosophical concepts will also continue to evolve over time. Thousands of years ago, nutrition might not have been viewed as good or bad, but rather as great to just have enough food to survive. Exercise may have not been so trendy, whereas again survival might have dictated the types of activities that people engaged with (ie. hunting, running, swimming, lifting dragging, etc.). While people have been coping with stress for as long as humans have existed, we have not diagnosed it as such up until recent decades. Social connections and sleep are again areas that had not really been considered to affect health that much, until more recently.

Food and Diet:

Importance: Food provides the essential nutrients that the body requires to function properly.
Key Aspects: A balanced intake of macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates, proteins,) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), appropriate hydration, and mindful eating.
Tips: Focus on consuming whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. Reduce intake of processed foods, sugar, alcohol, and excessive salt.

Exercise:

Importance: 2nd only to not smoking, exercise is the best activity for maintaining physical health, improving mental well-being, and enhancing overall quality of life.
Key Aspects: Includes cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise, strength/resistance training, flexibility exercises, coordination, control, and balance activities.
Tips: Strive to exercise for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic activity per week, while also engaging in muscle-strengthening activities for two or more days per week.

Stress Management:

Importance: Studies and relative research support that chronic stress can definitely have negative impacts on physical and mental health.
Key Aspects: Coping and managing techniques can help to reduce stress, such as deep breathing exercises (qigong), mindfulness, meditation, and better time management.
Tips: Try to implement relaxation techniques into daily activities and routines, engage in hobbies, and pursue support from friends, family, and/or professionals when needed.

Relationships:

Importance: The ongoing 80-year-old Harvard Grant Study on Adult Development supports that ongoing healthy social relationships can impact emotional well-being and also can provide support during tough times.
Key Aspects: Connections to family, friends, local communities, and other social support networks can affect well-being on many levels.
Tips: Seek open communication, show empathy, set boundaries, and make quality time for loved ones.

Sleep or Sleep Hygiene:

Importance: Quality as well as quantity of sleep is important for physical rest and recovery, emotional balance, and cognitive functions.
Key Aspects: Good sleep hygiene involves consistent sleep patterns, appropriate duration (7-9 hours for most adults), and an environment that promotes sound and uninterrupted sleep.
Tips: Strive to maintain a consistent sleep schedule, in a restful environment, reduce caffeine and electronics intake well before bed, and practice a bedtime routine.

The 5 Pillars of Health may seem like common sense to many. However, many people of all ages do not understand these pillars to be fundamentally important to overall better health and well-being. More than in other periods in the US, more Americans are suffering from disease and illness that can be managed through implementing these concepts of the 3 Treasures and the 5 Pillars of Health.

Reference:

2023 Annual report. (2023). In American Public Health Association, America’s Health Rankings. https://assets.americashealthrankings.org/app/uploads/ahr_2023annual_comprehensivereport_final2-web.pdf

I teach and offer lectures about holistic health, stress management, qigong, tai chi, baguazhang, meditation, phytotherapy (herbs), music for healing, self-massage, and Daoyin (yoga).

Please contact me if you, your business, organization, or group, might be interested in hosting me to speak on a wide spectrum of topics relative to better health, wellness, and fitness.

I look forward to further sharing more of my message by partnering with hospitals, wellness centers, VA centers, schools on all levels, businesses and individuals that see the value in building a stronger nation through building a healthier population. I also have hundreds of FREE education video classes, lectures and seminars available on my YouTube channel at:

www.MindAndBodyExercises.com
https://www.facebook.com/MindAndBodyExercises/
https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises
https://mindandbodyexercises.wordpress.com/
https://umareg.com/masters-council/

www.Amazon.com/author/jimmoltzan

Mind and Body Exercises on Google: https://posts.gle/aD47Qo

Jim Moltzan

407-234-0119

The 3 Treasures (1 of 3)

(part 1 in a series of 3 posts)

Post 1 – The 3 Treasures: Mind, Body & Spirit

Post 2 – The 5 Pillars of Health

Post 3 – The 8 Dimensions of Wellbeing

Mind (Qi)– How and what you think about and how you process information from sensory input. From the Traditional Chinese Medicine TCM) perspective, the mind is related to the vitality of the breath. Responsible for the blueprint of internal and external functions of the energy force within the body. Qi can be equated to the flame which is the source of the light that illuminates from the candle. The flame eventually consumes the candle. Qi is one’s energy or vitality. When Qi is used wisely, one’s Jing can last longer. Qi is loss through regular daily activities but gained back through good habits of diet, exercise, breathing, and sleep.

Body (Jing) – The physical matter that makes up you and how well it functions. The physical structure of the body’s tissue. Responsible for the developmental processes of the body. Jing can be equated to the wick and the wax which is the fuel for the source of the flame. Better quality wax determines the longevity of the candle. One’s Jing is determined by genetic inheritance. Jing is depleted over one’s lifetime and is not easily replenished.

Spirit (Shen) – What you believe as far as beliefs in the unknown, faith, morals, a purpose, etc. The refined level of the mind and higher consciousness. Consists of the spirit, soul, and mind. Responsible for the interaction of destiny & fate. Maintains internal and external functions. Shen can be equated to the light that illuminates a candle. A candle’s purpose is to light the darkness. One’s Shen is the illumination of their spirit. When one’s Jing and Qi are in abundance, Shen is released. Shen is divided further into the mind (shen), the intellect (yi), the corporeal soul (po), willpower (zhi) and the ethereal soul (hun). These 5 shen are a topic for another discussion.

These three treasures are the most valuable things that we all possess. Without these 3, we have no family, no friends, no career, no big house, no internet. What we sometimes see today as “new” is indeed rather old. This concept of the 3 Treasures comes from Taoism, a philosophy that is over 2000 years old, originating around 500 BCE. These are universal truths that are hard to debate. We all need to take care of our own “treasures” before we can be of benefit to those around us. Breathe deeper, exercise more, eat better, and earn a good night’s sleep by being active and relieving stress during the day.

Modern science and research seek to label and dissect any and all things, intending to assign a name or label to all that is and sometimes that which is not. With this realization, we can see from the graphic below the many sub-categories that are now thought to be parts of the original concept of mind, body, and spirit.

The mind is comprised of various components:

Intellect:

Perception – recognizing and acknowledging sensory stimuli.
Attention – ability to focus on specific thoughts and stimuli.
Language – understanding and producing speech and writing.
Planning – ability to formulate a strategy or process.
Problem-solving – finding solutions to complex issues.
Decision-making – making choices among options.
Adaptation – being able to change and adjust thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Mindfulness – an awareness of current thoughts, feelings, and surroundings.

Cognitive Functions:

Memory – storage and retrieval of information.
Thinking – the mental process of considering or reasoning about something.
Reasoning – the process of drawing conclusions or making inferences based on evidence and logical principles.
Understanding – to comprehend the meaning or significance of something.
Judgment – the ability to make considered decisions or come to sensible conclusions.
Behavior – the actions or reactions of an individual in response to external or internal stimuli.
Sensing – the process of detecting and responding to stimuli through the sensory organs.
Feelings – experiences of emotions.

The body can be broken down into various categories:

Health:

Metabolism – chemical processes that occur within living organisms.
Homeostasis – the body’s ability to manage and regulate stable internal bodily functions and conditions.
Growth/development – physical changes throughout a living organism’s lifespan.
Immune response – ability of the body to defend against pathogens.
Energy – the amount of physical power that can be drawn upon.
Sleep hygiene – the quality of an individual’s ability to rest and recover.

Fitness:

Survival – on the most basic level, the ability to stay alive.
Stamina – ability to sustain prolonged physical for an extended time without fatigue.
Endurance – the muscular system’s capacity to sustain activity.
Strength – the ability of muscles to exert force against resistance
Flexibility – the range of motion available at a joint or group of joints
Balance – the ability to maintain the body’s position, whether stationary or while moving.
Control – to manage and direct the body’s movements precisely and efficiently.
Coordination – ability to use different parts of the body together smoothly and efficiently.
Speed – to move quickly across the ground or move limbs rapidly for a specific purpose.
Power – ability to exert maximum force in the shortest amount of time.

Spirit can be interpreted through numerous facets:

Beliefs/values:

Faith – belief in principles of an organized religion or spiritual practice.
Morality – the ability to differentiate between what is considered right and wrong.
Ethics – a system of moral principles.
Reflection – the ability to be aware of one’s own thoughts and actions.
Awareness – a sense of one’s self, surroundings, and relative environment.

Connections:

Higher power – a sense of a greater presence beyond themselves.
Others – relationships with people, and community.
Nature – relationships with all living creatures and the environment.
Purpose – a reason to wake up every day.
Meaning – realization of one’s reason for existing.

Part 2 of this series will delve into the concept of The Five Pillars of Health.

What type of pillars have you built your foundation of health, fitness, and well-being upon? Watch my view below for further discussion.

Do you think “the higher power” has a gender?

I do not believe that God, Allah, Yahweh, the Divine, or whatever term we use for the higher power has a gender, nor race, ethnicity. These labels are all made from humans assuming that something greater and beyond us could be labeled as categorized by clergy, linguists or scientists is quite narcissistic on our part. Over the history of humanity, there were only two choices of male or female, so the higher power had to be one or the other in view of humans. When the Bible states in Genesis 1:27 “And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” If man (humans) was created in the image of God, many are led to think that God must be a male as Adam was the first human and a male.

If we can break away from our thoughts that the earth and humans are the center of the universe, we may be able to entertain the idea that other life or entities exist beyond what we know here on Earth. Perhaps elsewhere in the universe, their exists something beyond male or female, animal, or plant, etc. Perhaps when humans or other life passes on to their relative afterlife, all labels are removed. I would like to think that in heaven, Valhalla or whatever comes next, our age, gender, race, ethnicity, or any other dividing status would not follow us to that place of bliss.

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I teach and offer lectures about holistic health, stress management, qigong, tai chi, baguazhang, meditation, phytotherapy (herbs), music for healing, self-massage, and Daoyin (yoga).

https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises

www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

www.Amazon.com/author/jimmoltzan

Mind and Body Exercises on Google: https://posts.gle/aD47Qo

Jim Moltzan

407-234-0119

Do We Die and Go to Heaven, or Die and Bring Heaven With Us?

Many say they know of the afterlife either being a good place (heaven) or a bad place (hell). Others believe that life here is a temporary classroom, where we keep coming back to revisit lessons not yet understood. No one that is alive can truly know the proven existence of any life beyond their current physical manifestation. Some hope for an afterlife that is heavenly, but also live a life that is hellish. Quite the quandary, no? Why not try to live a heaven life, and hopefully bring that with when you pass? Sounds better than living in hell on earth, and then taking hell with to the next level of existence. There are many theories abound regarding the laws of attraction and how we often acquire what we dwell upon, whether deemed as good or bad. Those that think mainly about wealth and/or fame, put much of their energy into obtaining these things. However, once they acquire these items, they often realize that they are not truly happy with themselves, because they sacrificed things such as family, friends, health and other aspects of their being.

Others see God’s kingdom as heaven on earth. Their life may be full of love, gratitude, and happiness. Others may see their physical life here on earth as hell with none of the prior mentioned and therefore are looking forward to hopefully reaching a better place in the hereafter. The famous philosopher Confucius is thought to have said that we should not put focus on the afterlife, because we don’t understand much about it. Instead, we should focus on our everyday life here in the present. I take this further to mean that we can choose to believe that the Kingdom of God is here right now, in our mind and body here in the physical world. My understanding is that the state of our thoughts at the very time of our passing is of the upmost importance. What we do or don’t do here on Earth within our physical lifetimes, can and will affect what happens to our soul or consciousness after our physical being expires. I have personally been exposed to many people that are most concerned about what may happen in their next life, with very little concern about how they live this current physical life. And others, who care only about their wants and desires of what is in front of them, with no concerns for what may come next. We may indeed die and go to a place of heaven or hell, based upon how we live our lives. If we strive to live a “heavenly-like” life, we may be able to take that peacefulness, joy, and bliss with us to whatever the next phase we have earned. Consequently, if we live a life full of hell in anger, hatred, suffering and regret, we very well may bring that negative energy to whatever that next place may be.

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I teach and offer lectures about holistic health, stress management, qigong, tai chi, baguazhang, meditation, phytotherapy (herbs), music for healing, self-massage, and Daoyin (yoga).

https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises

www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

www.Amazon.com/author/jimmoltzan

Mind and Body Exercises on Google: https://posts.gle/aD47Qo

Jim Moltzan

407-234-0119

Philosophy or Religion? Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism – a brief comparison of the 3 systems

There is often debate as to what is a philosophy, versus that which is a religion. I have come to understand that there are fundamental differences between the two, that are rooted in the goals, nature, and methods of each system. Religion seems to focus mostly on spiritual awareness through understanding and moral guidance, whereas philosophy embodies more broad topics such as science, logic, politics, and art. Philosophy looks to find truth in empirical and logical evidence, while religion usually accepts faith as valid evidence. Philosophy can be a broader, and more general field, where religion usually involves specific sets of beliefs and practices within a group. Philosophical aspects often appear within religions and consequently philosophical discussions about religious topics. The relationship between philosophy and religion can be complementary, where each can offer a unique perspective of the human experience. I write about this topic as I have found that individuals who have some type of relationship with either a life philosophy or religion, often have a stronger sense of purpose, meaning and gratitude beyond themselves. This often leads to a healthier and happier life. Also, association with a religion in while aligning with a philosophical system need not be mutually exclusive to one another. In various parts of the world where people are free to worship and live as they may, one can be a Christian, Buddhist and Taoist if they so choose.

Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism are three of the most commonly practiced belief systems that are often labeled as philosophies, religions or even sometimes as both. The following is a summary of their origins and tenets:

Buddhism:

Origin:

Buddhism was founded in the 6th century BCE by Buddha (563-483 BCE), also named Siddhartha Gautama, in ancient India which is today Nepal.
Siddhartha was a prince who gave up his privileged life in order to better understand the nature of human suffering and to seek enlightenment or nirvana.

Core Tenets:

The Four Noble Truths define the nature of suffering and a path to reduce its presence:
- The Truth of Suffering (Dukkha): Buddhism acknowledges the existence of suffering and dissatisfaction in life. This suffering can be physical, emotional, or mental.
- The Truth of the Cause of Suffering (Samudaya): Buddhism asserts that the root cause of suffering is craving or attachment (tanha) to things that are impermanent. This attachment leads to suffering because everything in the world is subject to change and eventual loss.
- The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering (Nirodha): Buddhism teaches that it is possible to end suffering by letting go of attachment and craving. When one ceases to cling to impermanent things, suffering can be extinguished.
- The Truth of the Path to the Cessation of Suffering (Magga): Buddhism offers a practical path called the Eightfold Path that leads to the cessation of suffering. This path consists of ethical and mental practices, such as right understanding, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
The Eight-fold Path provides a guide towards ethical and mental development needed to achieve enlightenment (Nirvana):
- Right views
- Right aspirations
- Right speech
- Right conduct
- Right livelihood
- Right endeavor
- Right mindfulness
- Right meditation

Goal:

The ultimate goal in Buddhism is to attain Nirvana, where there is a state of liberation from the continuous cycle of birth, death, and rebirth also known as Samsara.

Taoism:

Origin:

Taoism, or sometimes Daoism, thought to have originated from Lao Tzu and his foundational text of the Tao Te Ching (The Way and Its Power), in China in the 6th century BCE.

Core Tenets:

Main focus is upon trying to live in accordance to the Tao (the Way), which is thought to be the indefinable, fundamental force that unites all and everything in the universe.
Another main principle is that of Wu Wei (effortless action), where one strives to live in harmony within the natural flow of the Tao rather than be subject to it.
Ying & yang focuses upon the unity and duality inherent in all seeming opposites, such as: night-day, male-female, good-evil, positive-negative, etc.

Goal:

Taoist philosophy strives to have the individual exist in a state of balance and harmony with the Tao, in order to align within the natural order of things, rather than imposing one’s own will upon nature and the universe as a whole.

Confucianism:

Origin:

Confucianism originated in China and was founded by Confucius (also known as Kong Fuzi) (551-479 BCE).
Confucius was primarily concerned with understanding of social order and its issues of ethics, morality, and the proper conduct of people living in society.

Core Tenets:

Sacred texts of the Wu Ching (Five Classics) include the I Ching (Book of Changes), the Lun-Yu (The Analects)
Emphasis is upon a moral code of:
- Li: A code of moral/social conduct
- Jen: Compassion/benevolence towards others
- Yi: Righteousness
- Te: Virtue
- Xiao: Filial piety
The importance of social harmony and the cultivation of moral character through education and self-cultivation.
Emphasis upon the “Golden Rule” of “do not do unto others what you would not desire yourself.”

Goal:

Confucianism focuses upon establishing and maintaining a harmoniously functioning, well-ordered society through the virtuous persons who can fulfill their roles and responsibilities for the greater good of all.

From my research, there is no historical evidence that supports that the founders of Buddhism (Siddhartha Gautama), Taoism (Lao Tzu), and Confucianism (Confucius) had ever met one another, crossed paths or had interactions during their lifetimes. All three of these individuals had lived in different times and places. Based upon the geographical distances as well as cultural differences between them, it is quite unlikely that these founders could have shared any direct experiences or even knowledge of each other’s existence.

These traditions often share some of the same philosophical ideas. Similarities in philosophical topics cultivated by these systems are most likely due to common exploration of universal ethical and existential questions during their times, rather than direct interactions or encounters among the founders. These systems do also have unique differences in their goals, teachings, methods, traditions, and approaches to life.

Comparisons between the three systems:

Basic Goals:
- Buddhism: understanding the self.
- Taoism: understanding the self in relation to all else.
- Confucianism: understanding the self and the relationship to society.
Geographic Origins:
- Buddhism: India
- Taoism: China
- Confucianism: China
Founders:
- Buddhism: Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)
- Taoism: Often associated with Lao Tzu
- Confucianism: Confucius
Central Concepts:
- Buddhism: Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, nirvana
- Taoism: Tao, wu wei, yin & yang
- Confucianism: Li, Jen, Te, Yi, Xiao
Ultimate Goal:
- Buddhism: Nirvana
- Taoism: Harmony with the Tao
- Confucianism: Social harmony through moral character and cultivation
Perspective on Life:
- Buddhism: reduce suffering, detach from desires.
- Taoism: alignment and harmony with the Tao
- Confucianism: ethical conduct and social responsibilities

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I teach and offer lectures about holistic health, stress management, qigong, tai chi, baguazhang, meditation, phytotherapy (herbs), music for healing, self-massage, and Daoyin (yoga).

https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises

www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

www.Amazon.com/author/jimmoltzan

Mind and Body Exercises on Google: https://posts.gle/aD47Qo

Jim Moltzan

407-234-0119