ENHANCING THE MINDBODY PROCESS
Namaste. First of all I want to offer my heartfelt thanks to all the readers who provided feedback on my first article.
In the several upcoming articles, we will explore the fundamental foundation of MindBody maintenance. We will explore the basics of achieving a healthy body and happy mind using discoveries made in science. Simultaneously, we will reflect on the role of spirituality in guiding that MindBody optimization process.
Let's begin with this hypothetical question. Suppose you were lost on a boat in the middle of the ocean. What would you need to find your way to shore? (Let's say you had sufficient food supply and there were no storms to topple you.)
First of all, you would want some energy source to propel the boat. Whether it's in the form of your shoulder and biceps pushing off on an oar or a mast with a sail that can capture the energy of the wind, you would need something to move you along. Then, you would need a map and a compass to figure out where you were and which direction to go to in order to reach land. With the help of the propelling energy source, the overview map and the guidance from the compass, you would have everything you need to chart the most efficient course to land. Furthermore, without these, you may go round and round in circles for days and months or even years without getting anywhere.
Well, such is the case of our life. As we go through the journey of our life, day by day, year by year, we often feel like were lost in an ocean. We definitely feel the effects of the accumulating stress and often feel like we are going around in circles. To get some place, we need the knowledge of where we are, where we want to go and the sail and compass to set us on our course.
Because our MindBody is the boat that carries us through this ocean of life, we need to optimize our MindBody apparatus to make the most of our journey. As the stress of life erodes our physical and mental/emotional wellness, it often leads to disease processes. Medical science has provided many miraculous discoveries to slow down the wear and tear of physical and mental/emotional illnesses. However, wouldn't it be nice to have things that prevent or delay illnesses from happening to start with? If we had the knowledge and the ability to prevent illnesses, we would live longer and healthier lives. After all, a strong boat in the form of a healthy body and a balanced mind are required to cross the ocean of life successfully. Let's make this one of our goals as we set our course in our journey towards our 'yet to be determined' destination.
We also need to learn to maintain our MindBody against the damages of life stress. Whether its science or spirituality, or both, we must harness these possibilities given to us to make the journey of our life as smooth and efficient as possible. So, the obvious question is, where do we get the sail, the map, the compass and the energy source?
Well, as eager as I am to share what I know, I'll have to leave you wondering about this question until the next article. The answer requires much more than the allotted space for this month's article. Namaste.
Maulik Trivedi, MD, is a practicing psychiatrist and a MindBody physician. For details, visit www.FMCmindbody.com You can also follow him on Twitter @MindBodyYogaMD