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.
The Dunning-Kruger effect was theorized by psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger in a 1999 study. They proposed that there is a cognitive bias where individuals with knowledge or ability within a specific area have a propensity to overestimate their own competence in a particular field. This overestimation may come about due to a lack of the necessary metacognitive skills to accurately determine their own competence. A common phrase used to summarize this phenomenon is that of “they don’t know, what they don’t know.” This effect may be seen in examples of recent high school or college graduates who sometimes express a type of hubris, where they believe that they are intellectually superior to others. Expecting parents sometimes experience this effect where before their child is born, they have delusions of what type of parents they will be. “My kids won’t get away with that,” “I won’t be doing that with my children,” or maybe prejudging other parents in how they choose to raise their kids. Once their children are born, new parents might soon realize that parenting is much more complex and difficult than what they first believed.
Conversely, those individuals who are highly knowledgeable or skilled in a particular field often underestimate their own competence. This underestimation may manifest because some individuals assume that challenges or projects that are easy for them, may also be easy for most others. Well-seasoned individuals in any particular field of knowledge, skill, or ability often gain much wisdom from experience, adaptation, and application of their specific skill set. For some people, this is also highly humbling as the individual realizes that the more someone knows, they ironically recognize that there is so much more to learn.
The Dunning-Kruger effect can be summarized into four key stages:
Incompetence and Confidence: Individuals possessing low skill levels or knowledge may fail to acknowledge their lack of skill, leading to inflated self-assessments and high confidence.
Awareness of Incompetence: Once an individual acquires more knowledge and experience, they may start to become more aware of their own incompetence, which in turn leads to a further decrease in confidence.
Competence along with Cautious Confidence: With further experience, practice, and learning, individuals begin to develop true competence. As their confidence begins to increase again, they can more accurately showcase their abilities.
Mastery with Modesty: More highly skilled individuals will often acknowledge the complexities of a particular domain and realize how much they still don’t know. This awareness can lead to modesty or humbleness about their abilities, despite the individual being highly competent in their specific field.
The Dunning-Kruger effect highlights the importance of seeking self-awareness and striving to continue to learn new things. It proposes that improving one’s metacognitive skills, such as the ability to self-assess one’s own knowledge and performance accurately can help minimize the effect. In summary, the Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias where individuals with low knowledge, ability, or competence in a specific area may overestimate their own skill level. On the other hand, people with a high competency in a particular field often underestimate their relative ability. This may occur due to the same skills that contribute to competence are also needed to recognize competence, leading to a disconnect between self-assessment and actual ability.
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).
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:
I rely on a diverse array of reliable sources for my research, including peer-reviewed studies, medical journals, and databases like PubMed and BMJ. I choose Google Scholar and other sites as a means to finding other sources of information knowing that information needs to be quantified. As far as the CDC and the FDA websites are concerned, my skepticism is that they will not post their own shortcomings on their own websites. Instead, we need to look towards more reputable and non-biased news or research sources that are not connected financially to these government agencies. For example, the American Medical Association has recognized the public’s lack of trust in the CDC, highlighting the need for greater transparency (American Medical Association, 2020) where it will carry more weight if the CDC actually acknowledges what many have already felt was a lack of transparency of information during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, I believe that The Washington Post is considered a legitimate and reliable news source. The Post reported that the CDC experienced “technical blunders and botched messaging” that were brought to public attention by friends, supporters, and even some professionals within the CDC’s own Atlanta headquarters (Sun & Achenbach, 2020).
Evidence-based Medicine?
Dr. Jon Jureidini, a child psychiatrist in Australia and a member of the Critical and Ethical Mental Health (CEMH) research group, authored ‘The Illusion of Evidence-based Medicine’ (2022). The CEMH conducts critical appraisal, meta-research, teaching, and advocacy, with the goal of promoting safer, more effective, and more ethical research and practice in the field of mental health (Staff Directory | Dr Jon Jureidini, n.d.).
Dr. Jon Jureidini reports that medicine is mostly dominated by a few very large and competing pharmaceutical companies, that are quite aligned in their methods to expand their profits. He reports on the issues of evidence-based medicine being compromised by the commercialization of academia, failed regulation, and other corporate influences. This doctor sees the scientific progress being abused by the medical industry and its relationship with academic researchers, as they often do not share raw data, suppress negative trial results, and fail to report adverse events. Because of this, there is a greater potential for patient death, due to commercial interests’ influence upon regulators, research agenda, and universities. He strongly suggests that reforms need to be made in all of these areas, in order to bring trust and legitimacy back to evidence-based medicine. Jureidini calls for a separation of regulators from drug company funding, due to regulators often accepting funding and industry-funded trials to approve drugs that a particular company is trying to market (Jureidini, 2022).
Why Drug Marketing Rules America
Lydia Green, a pharmacist, and former pharmaceutical advertising copywriter speaks about her goals of decreasing the sway of influence of pharmaceutical marketing and misinformation on the American healthcare industry. America contributes only 5% to the population of the world yet spends 1/3 of the world’s $1.4 trillion pharmaceutical healthcare marketplace. In spite of spending the most, the US often ranks low on the overall health of its population. Medicine often prioritizes profit over patient well-being. These pharmaceutical companies are businesses that at their root, just like all businesses, operate to make a profit. Again, it is all about the money. When healthcare and its relative components of pharmaceuticals, doctors, and the profits that both can gain from promoting their products, despite actual need – this whole system is severely corrupt and broken and in need of drastic reform. Green proposes a need for a 3rd party agency to help return trust, regarding the pharmaceutical industry. This alliance would be made up of communicators, marketers, former pharma-ad writers, medical and pharmacy schools, and doctors who have no influence from companies with profits as their sole motivation. However, Green suggests that such an organization could be funded through payments, but once again from fees attached to monies that pharmaceutical and medical device companies make to doctors (TEDx Talks, 2020b).
DTC Pharmaceuticals
In 2015, the US pharmaceutical industry spent $5.4 billion on direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements. The U.S. is one of only 2 countries that legally allow DTC for drug companies. New Zealand is the other. Not coincidently, Americans pay more for drugs and medical devices than any other country in the world (Drugwatch, 2022).
Michelle Llamas, a Board Certified Patient Advocate (BCPA) has a long list of experience, but what makes her credible to this article is her almost a decade of medical writing and research experience. She is a trusted source for information on high-risk prescriptions, health conditions, drugs, and medical devices (Drugwatch, 2023).
Drug companies often invest billions of dollars in their attempts to promote off-labeling of their drugs and/or devices that are not approved for other uses by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Companies try to convince doctors to prescribe their brand-name drugs or devices, for uses other than their original approval. Additionally, drug companies sometimes create clinical trials focused on swaying doctors and educational courses to highlight expensive drugs for non-FDA-approved uses, despite having no scientific evidence of efficacy or safety. Drug and device companies spent in 2015, about $4 billion on television ads, and about $1.5 billion in magazine advertising. Radio, theaters, newspapers, billboards, and some other types of marketing took up an additional few million dollars. It paid off for these companies to advertise, as every dollar spent on advertising generated increased sales of prescription drugs by $4.40. Big pharmaceutical companies are willing to gamble on being fined for a few hundred million dollars, despite their product being found to cause adverse effects if they know that they can market a product that may generate billions of dollars in profit (Drugwatch, 2022). From a business perspective, this is a good business model. From an ethical perspective, this is downright criminal and inhumane.
Another area of concern is that the CDC often receives funding from the exact same pharmaceutical companies that it is tasked with regulating. The ASH Clinical News, a magazine for the American Society of Hematology, reported that the CDC Foundation received $79.6 million from companies like Pfizer, Biogen, and Merck between 2014 and 2018. The CDC responded that the agency doesn’t accept commercial support, but its own media office has stated that “the CDC claims its public-private partnerships are synergistic and beneficial” (CDC Pressed to Acknowledge Industry Funding, 2021).
FDA Allows Toxic Ingredients in the US, But Other Countries Ban Them
“The FDA has once again failed the public by ignoring the harmful effects of phthalates on our health,” said Kristina Sinclair, associate attorney at the Center for Food Safety. “The agency’s refusal to pay attention to scientific evidence will have detrimental health effects for years to come” (Earthjustice: FDA Approves Use of Toxic Chemicals Leaping Into Food and Beverages, (2023).
“Despite its nearly $7 billion annual operating budget, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) isn’t analyzing every shampoo or supplement on sale at your local drugstore. In fact, the FDA does not approve most cosmetics before they hit shelves—let alone assess how they’ll affect human health after years of regular use. This information vacuum has given rise to a network of nonprofits, consumer-protection groups, and independent scientists dedicated to informing the public about potential hazards lurking in their products.” (Ducharme, 2024).
Red Dye No. 3, brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, titanium dioxide, and other chemicals are banned in other countries, where the FDA allows these to be added to food products in the US (Worthington, 2024).
Don’t Burn Bridges With Your Future Employer
Lastly, I find it disturbing that there is a merry-go-round of employment where high-level pharmaceutical executives and directors of the FDA go to work for one another, whereas in other types of business, these interactions would be considered conflicts of interest. For this issue, I found that NPR, National Public Radio (considered a reputable news source) reported that from 2001 through 2010 about 27% of its FDA employees who approved cancer and hematology drugs, went on to work for the pharmaceutical companies. The potential conflict of interest here is that FDA employees may have a career goal of later working in the public sector at pharmaceutical companies that they are in charge of regulating. Will these FDA regulators give pharma companies the benefit of the doubt for their products or be more critical of them by using poor comparisons in drug studies? The article did bring up the idea that having former FDA officials on the pharmaceutical industry payroll can offer some benefits to the general public. Former FDA employees having knowledge of the drug approval process can help facilitate the processes and relevant research that needs to be completed, and where the most current pathways to approval are followed (Lupkin, 2016). Another more recent peer-reviewed article from the Stanford Law School addressed this exact issue in further detail (Karas, 2023). We all know these issues are wrong and continue to go along with the societal cognitive dissonance, hoping that it will all work out and the general population will be fine.
Be well, become healthier, and be wise. Do your research.
TEDx Talks. (2020b, November 23). Why Drug Marketing Rules American Healthcare and What We Can Do About it | Lydia Green | TEDxMcphs. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh7rQbknPyE
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:
This video discussion covers many topics, such as:
whole vs holistic health
fitness vs. health vs. wellness
the tensegrity model
the Three Treasures (jing, qi & shen)
3, 5, 7 pillars of health
the Harvard Grant Study of 1938-present
resting heart rate vs. heart rate variability
how breathing rate (BPM) affects the parasympathetic nervous system
DOSE – dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, endorphins
abdominal or diaphragm breathing
“Box breathing”
energy suns vs. energy vampires
restoration, longevity & cultivation
yin & yang
TCM, the 5 elements, and Ayurveda’s doshas or constitutions
living with a sense of purpose & meaning (ikigai)
motivation vs. desire
My goal is to present an education for holistic health to increase longevity and quality of life (heathspan), that brings awareness to these time-proven methods. With an intent to de-mystify and simplify explanations, hopefully, more people can come to realize that we are all accountable for our own well-being. Contact me at info@mindandbodyexercises.com if you’re interested in hosting me for speaking events for fitness, holistic health and wellness.
Motivation played a critical role in my recent journey to hike Utah’s “Mighty Five” national parks. With the right motivation, one can literally achieve new heights in mental, physical, and spiritual development. The desire to explore these majestic parks and push my limits fueled my determination. This motivation helped me overcome physical challenges, stay mentally focused, and experience profound spiritual moments. When properly motivated, the potential for personal growth is limitless. Visiting Utah’s renowned “Mighty Five” national parks—Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion—was an adventure that profoundly impacted me on mental, physical, and spiritual levels. Each park offered unique landscapes and challenges that pushed my limits and transformed my perspective on life. Additionally, a hike to the Lower Calf Creek Falls in Grand Staircase-Escalante added a refreshing and memorable experience to our journey.
Preparation and Training
Before embarking on this journey, I increased the intensity of my physical training three months prior. Although I have been practicing and teaching martial arts, tai chi, and qigong for over 40 years, I knew that I needed further mental and physical strength. Consequently, I added in 1-1/2 hour weight training, treadmill, and stairmaster routines 5-6 days per week for 12 weeks. This preparation was crucial for building more stamina, and endurance, and aiding the rehab of an old injured ACL on one knee and a torn meniscus on the other. The rigorous training paid off immensely, allowing me to tackle the demanding hikes with confidence and resilience. Additionally, some other minor chronic aches and pains resolved themselves after a few weeks of this increased schedule. My martial arts training greatly helped me with my self-discipline, overall flexibility, and core strength.
Mental Renewal
Arches National Park: Home to over 2,000 natural stone arches, this park sparked a sense of wonder and creativity. The iconic Delicate Arch, standing alone against a backdrop of fiery sunsets, inspired introspection and clarity. The surreal landscapes made me reflect on the passage of time and the enduring beauty of nature’s creations.
Bryce Canyon National Park: The vibrant hoodoos—tall, thin spires of rock—stood like sentinels in the amphitheater. Hiking among these geological formations felt like stepping into another world. The silence and majesty of Bryce Canyon offered a space for meditation, helping me to clear my mind of everyday clutter and focus on the present moment.
Lower Calf Creek Falls: The hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls was a refreshing mental escape. The sound of cascading water and the lush, green surroundings contrasted sharply with the arid landscapes of the other parks. This serene oasis provided a perfect spot for contemplation and mental rejuvenation.
Physical Challenges
Canyonlands National Park: This vast park, divided into four districts, tested my endurance and resilience. The Island in the Sky region, known for its challenging terrain, pushed me to my physical limits. Navigating the rugged paths and towering mesas required strength and determination, reinforcing the importance of perseverance and preparation.
Capitol Reef National Park: Hiking the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile-long wrinkle in the Earth’s crust, was a physical feat. The diverse trails, ranging from easy walks to strenuous climbs, improved my fitness and coordination. The sense of accomplishment after conquering these trails boosted my confidence and physical well-being.
Spiritual Awakening
Zion National Park: The soaring cliffs and deep canyons of Zion are awe-inspiring. We hiked the Narrows, wading through the Virgin River with towering canyon walls on either side, which was both a physically and spiritually invigorating experience. Additionally, the hike to Scout’s Landing, with its panoramic views, invoked a sense of humility and connection to something greater than myself. These trails offered a profound sense of peace and spiritual renewal.
Conclusion
The “Mighty Five” national parks of Utah, along with the Lower Calf Creek Falls, are not just destinations for outdoor enthusiasts; they are sanctuaries for personal growth and transformation. The mental clarity gained from Arches and Bryce Canyon, the physical challenges met in Canyonlands and Capitol Reef, and the spiritual awakening experienced in Zion have left an indelible mark on my life. These parks reminded me of the beauty, strength, and resilience inherent in nature—and within myself.
I encourage everyone to explore these natural wonders, not just to witness their breathtaking beauty but to embark on a journey of self-discovery and transformation.
Tips for Future Visitors
Preparation is Key: Ensure you have the right gear and physical conditioning for the hikes.
Respect Nature: Stay on designated trails, pack out all trash, and respect wildlife.
Take Your Time: Allow yourself to fully experience the beauty and serenity of each park.
Reflect and Journal: Take notes or journal your thoughts and feelings during your visit to capture the transformative moments.
Embarking on this journey through Utah’s Mighty Five is more than just a travel experience; it’s an opportunity to reconnect with yourself and the natural world in a deeply meaningful way. Feel free to reach out to me if you have more questions about this adventure or how to prepare to undertake the challenge.
Read my detailed gear and trip logistics review (JR Moltz) of our outfitter REI at:
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:
United Martial Arts Association 