Practise mindfulness to take command of your mind; breathe consciously to reorganise your energy and go back to your centre; eat organic; take time in silence
For the last 20 years, I have been engaging in practices that support health and wellbeing at the emotional, psychological, physical and spiritual levels -- and teaching this to others in my seminars and counselling practice.
The reason it is vital to address and tend to all of these areas is because these are all key aspects of the whole human experience. If any one of these areas is ignored or neglected, it is experienced as a lack of wholeness - stress, fatigue, anxiety etc. and usually makes us feel that some area of our lives is not working out or giving the best results.
It involves awareness - paying attention to the signs that both mind and body communicate with us.
Mind
The mind is powerful. Through meditation and mindfulness practices, you can come into command of your mind, and learn to detach and observe what you are thinking, so that you may act with greater awareness and make better choices.
PRACTICE 1 - Make note of every time you go from feeling calm to getting triggered by something. Become a detached observer and know that every automatic reaction into any kind of disturbance - whether jealousy, aggression, frustration, anger etc. - is not the real you. It is the unhealed reactive part of you that is unconsciously playing out. Observe this and make a mental note of it.
Emotions
As you observe your emotional reactions and acknowledge this reactive part and the hurt you may be feeling, begin to centre yourself in your breathing.
PRACTICE 2 - Write down on a piece of paper and post in your home or workspace environment the phrase Conscious Breathing. The breath is your life-force energy and can be used to instantly balance your emotional states. Take a minute or two of long slow deep breathing, through the nose, deep into your belly and observe what happens to your energy. If you don't post the sign, you may forget. Eventually it will become habit.
Body
The physical body needs nutrients to carry out a wide range of physical and chemical processes to function well. I have been on a vegan plant-based diet for over 20 years, consuming low-fat whole foods - fruits, vegetables, lentils, beans, rice and potatoes, mainly. When I switched to this regime any health issues and body weight issues immediately disappeared.
PRACTICE 3 - Buy organic foods as the body has to work very hard to release harmful toxins from the body.
The spiritual Self
Spiritual awareness reminds you that you are more than your mind, body and personality identity. You truly are a spiritual being having a human experience. Take time for silence and time in nature to nurture your Spirit.
PRACTICE 4 - Combine your breathing exercise with time in silence. Close your eyes and begin to clear away any mental or emotional tension with long slow deep breathing. Set your alarm for 15 minutes each day for this exercise and you may be surprised by how it affects your ability to feel relaxed and to rest in the present moment.
Jain Wells, Ph.D, is a transpersonal psychologist and therapist and has just released her new book Meditation: The Incredible Gateway to an Abundant Life on amazon.com (the version with the gong on the cover includes a variety of practices for emotional, psychological, physical and spiritual wellbeing).