The Modern Dilution of the Mind, Body & Spirit Connection

Mind

Body

Spirit 

Often times we hear of the mind, body and spirit harmony expressed in the news, at the health club, yoga studio, coffee shops or places of worship. Spirituality and religion are often lumped together but have rather distinctly different meanings. So let’s look at spiritually more as a level of self-awareness, purpose and life direction and not necessarily a membership to any particular religion or belief system.

Who doesn’t desire a strong, sharp and intelligent mind?

A healthy, strong and disease-free body to last us into our latter years of life, would also be nice.

A strong connection to a higher power gives us direction, a hope for something greater than ourselves and for some a sense of purpose.

A harmony between the mind, body and spirit would wrap it all in a nice package, right?  But how does this come about other than merely saying that this is what I am pursuing? I work out daily, go to church regularly, eat healthy foods, read books and magazines, stay informed – I have the mind, body and mind connection down pat, right? I guess it depends on what my goals and expectations are relative to achieving this harmony.

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To pursue a strong, disciplined and intelligent mind, I think one needs to become and stay educated.   Whether from schooling, reading, employment, life experiences, etc. you need to keep learning as long as you are able to. Once you think you know all of any particular subject matter, you limit yourself to learning something new or experiencing a different perspective of whatever knowledge you may already understand.

To achieve a healthy and disease-free body, usually requires some amount of physical effort or restraint from activities that tear the body down or put oneself in bodily harm or injury. Very few people make it past the middle ages of 33-58, free of injury or disease if they are not aware of what they eat, how they move their body (whether for career, fitness or lifestyle) and what they focus their thoughts upon.  Thoughts being positive, happy, optimistic or more negative, depressed, counterproductive.

Acquiring a strong spirit doesn’t necessarily require attending religious institutions or services, but for many provides the direction or path to do so. Others go direct to the source, but I feel to each their own as long as it doesn’t infringe upon others living their lives and enjoying their freedoms to do so. I do however think that some method of self-reflection needs to be cultivated in order to see oneself as others see them. With this awareness, one can pursue the best version of their self, as a daily practice and not an occasional event.

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There are many methods and formulas to achieve the mind, body and spirit connection I am writing about.  In this article forward, I am referring more towards yoga, tai chi, qigong and martial arts practices.  These I am most familiar with from my studying, practicing and teaching of for almost 40 years.

I feel that much of the yoga, qigong, tai chi and martial arts, being currently taught in the United States to the general public through health clubs, wellness centers, community rec centers, etc. is a watered-down version of these practices focusing merely on fitness and sometimes some other health aspects such as flexibility and stress relief.  Many wellness centers try to fill up their calendars to offer the “one stop shop” featuring every version of fitness available.  Spin classes, water aerobics, personal training, meditation, jazzercise, and the alternatives like yoga and tai chi  – you name it, they will provide it. Often times the instructors are exercise instructors or ones having picked up a weekend course on a particular subject, who are now “qualified” to teach the methods without much real diligent practical experience themselves.

All of these methods can be taught or practiced as “yoga-light”, “tai chi-easy” or “cardio-kung fu” but the reality is that it takes time, physical effort and deliberate thought to achieve beyond the basic fitness benefits. Current culture doesn’t really encourage individuals to join the yoga ashram nor retreat into the mountains for years of training and isolation.

What took years of physical training, observation, contemplation and meditation in years past, is now packaged in weekend seminars or 200 or 500 hour programs that take a few months to a year or two to become “certified”. This is great that so many more people have more access to what was previously kept to yogis, monks and royalty. Those that are more knowledgeable or good teachers, usually move on to have their own clients or businesses elsewhere.

What is being left out is the actual mind and body integration that can lead to the higher levels of self-healing, chronic pain management and self-awareness. One will find it difficult to achieve a better understanding of self when they are not challenged to self-critique the inner dialogue that is part of the human condition. These aspects are not currently acceptable as mainstream within fitness centers, as it delves into asking the individual to question their own reality and look into the mirror to maybe see something they don’t care to deal with.

Interesting though is that the practices previously mentioned where indeed originally developed as a means of self-preservation of the body and mind to unite with their spirit. Yoga means “yoke” or unite.  The yogi greeting of “namaste”, may the god in me see the god in you.  Kung Fu meaning “hard” or “deliberate” work.  Tai Chi meaning “the supreme ultimate”. Qigong meaning “energy” or “life force” work. You get the idea, being a deeper meaning or purpose behind the names themselves. Currently, yoga is often looked upon as glorified yuppie stretching; you have to have the yoga pants (I prefer Lululemon), the Hydro Flask water bottle. Tai chi is commonly perceived as exercises for old people who can’t run. And qigong, well that is that weird mediation and chanting stuff, right? Most people don’t want to spend the time to become better educated about these methods but would rather do the yoga-stretching classes at the gym,  lift some weights, bike or run to feel the “burn”, break the sweat or overall just feel like physical exertion is the means to get in touch with their inner self.

Please don’t misunderstand my frustration with pursuing only the physical benefits of training. The physical training and self-discipline is indeed the gateway to a better understanding and management of ones thoughts and emotions. By disciplining the body, this leads to disciplining the thoughts and breathing rhythms which can consequently lead to higher levels of self-awareness.

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There are still some very good teachers and schools/centers that continue to teach the mind/body/spirit aspects; but one needs to seek them out. Their numbers are dwindling, and there is the real possibility that the deeper root of knowledge will not be passed on to the next generations unless in books, videos or other resources.  Supply and demand.  No demand from people wanting to learn about the value of the mind, body and spirit connection, means the supply of teachers will continue to decline. You can’t make people understand the value of a diamond by giving it them for free. One cannot value an education that they did not earn for themselves.  Is a college degree worth the paper it is written upon, or is the lessons and experience of the education process where the value is at? Teachers cannot pass the knowledge out, if the student doesn’t desire it to begin with. Knowledge is freedom. The sharing of knowledge is when knowledge becomes powerful.

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Jim Moltzan started his martial arts training at the age of 16, starting with Korean martial arts and evolving into BaguaZhang, Tai Chi, and Qigong. Jim has been training, studying and teaching for almost 40 years effectively educating hundreds of students.

Master Instructor Jim Moltzan has trained with a diverse group of masters and high-level martial arts teachers of many different disciplines. Jim’s specialty is teaching exercises to improve chronic conditions, working with people of all ages, especially senior adults. Offering guidance and instruction, Jim has also worked with Parkinson Disease patients through Florida Hospital. Jim gives regular lectures as requested by AdventHealth (Florida Hospital) regarding the benefits of Eastern practices.

He is the author and graphic artist of numerous journals, graphic charts and study guides relative to the mind and body connection and how it relates to martial arts, fitness and self-improvement.

Jim continues his training and teaching in the Orlando, Florida area conducting classes, seminars and lectures as his schedule allows. He balances his teachings and businesses with his own personal cultivation and time spent with his wife and two college-age kids.

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