When I selected the mind, body and spirit categories for this blog, I wanted to avoid using “soul”. As an atheist, I don’t believe in an eternal essence that exits after death.
Some might say, my choice of “spirit” to replace “soul” means just the same thing. However, the word spirit can have several interpretations, whereas I find soul implies religious belief.
Because of the absence of religion in my life, my experiences will not include a religious interpretation of spirit. However, my interpretation and discovery may convey a different meaning to your own.
In this article, I consider what spirit and spiritual mean to me, my approach and how it is connected to the mind and body. It’s important to define the mind, body and spirit because of their connection.
- About the brain and the rest of the body.
- The mind’s role.
- A secular view of spirit and spirituality.
- A plan to discover the mind, body, spirit connection
About the brain and the rest of the body.
First, I’m a huge advocate of our brain, the organ which gives rise to and hosts the mind. It is a powerful and complex construct that communicates with the other parts of our body. It controls our physical, mental and emotional states.
This holistic approach to mental health and wellbeing suggests that our thoughts and emotions impact our physical health. Our physical state which includes the brain, affects our mental and emotional wellness.
Our brain has an enormous influence on the way we perceive and experience the world around us. While the mind is an enigma that works within it, there’s a significant amount of knowledge available on the brain’s anatomy.
The brain belongs to the body even though it hosts the mind. It connects with other parts such as the heart, by sending and receiving chemical and electrical signals. Similar to the way a tree’s roots interact with the trunk and branches.
A damaged or impared mind can have a considerable impact on the mind, spirit and rest of the body. Likewise, other injured or impared body parts can negatively influence the mind and spirit.
There is more to looking after our body then exercising, dieting and doing Tai Chi. The heart, for instance, is also another interesting area with regards to its involvement in hormone production.
As my aging ego has become somewhat adverse to exercise and diets, I hope to rediscover my relationship with them. It’s all about developing a healthy, positive approach to wellbeing.
The mind’s role.
Second, the mind has a significant part to play when it comes to a person’s spirit and spiritual practice. I follow the school of thought where the mind is a construct of the brain. It enables us to think, interpret emotion and our environment.
How does the mind support and intereact with the secular spirit?
- The mind is a personal space for reflection on spirituality.
- It allows me to seperate the notion of spirit and spirituality from all beliefs.
- It encourages me to explore and discover a religious-free view of spirituality and how it impacts my health and wellbeing.
A secular view of spirit and spirituality.
Third, I’m encouraged to reflect on and own the concepts of spirit and spiritual. Sam Harris, a thought leader, points out that the roots of both words (spirit and spiritual) originate outside of religous belief systems.
I was considering merging the spirit and mind categories as one. Afterall, the mind gives rise to and controls our emotions, ego, and the three levels of our awareness recognised by Sigmund Freud.
However, developing a whole approach to mental health and wellbeing, involves balancing and exploring the connections between mind, body and spirit.
I am also encouraged by the Center for Health, Humanities and the Human Spirit in Houston, Texas, which has adopted the follow definition for spirit or spirituality:
“…a person’s inner world of values, vital beliefs, strivings, and goals—in other words, all that gives meaning to a human life.”
– Samuel E. Karff, DHL in Virtual Mentor. 2009;11(10):788-792. doi: 10.1001/virtualmentor.2009.11.10.msoc1-0910.
Progressive minds on secular spirituality, such as the Immortal Atheist and Sam Harris, also inspire me to expore spirituality through:
- The longing for connectedness with the world and cosmos.
- The desire for there to be more to life than death.
- A rational approach to transcend the self.
- The discovery of meaning outside of religion and other beliefs.
- A focus on the inner peace of the individual.
- The idea of spirituality without the belief in the supernatural.
- Recognising the mind’s ability to create experiences of a spiritual nature.
- The consideration of my relationship with the self, others, nature, creativity, artistic practice, dreaming and occasions of peace, beauty and awe.
In exploring the spirit and spirituality, I aim to reflect on the insights of Freud, Carl Jung, Roland Barthes, Rick Strassman and other 20th and 21st century minds. They have previously expressed coherent thoughts on the topic of spirituality.
Nurturing the spirit fosters resilience and a greater sense of purpose. It contributes to our overall harmony, the way we view and treat ourselves and how we interact with others.
The mind, body and spirit connection.
The connections between mind, body and spirit, play an integral part in discovering our inner synergy. All three aspects combine to determine our overall health, regulate emotions, give us our identity and determine who we are.
My plan is to develop their connections by:
- Recognising there is more to health and wellbeing than the physical body. The mind, body and spirit all contribute to wellness.
- Nurturing their relationships and discovering how each aspect contributes to living my best life. In this regard, I will also be exploring the broader 8 Dimensions of Wellness by Peggy Swarbrick and using journalling as a tool.
- Creating new and improved habits to facilitate change to lead to a more fulfiling life. By self-regulating and nurturing positive habits, I am taking control of my life and my happiness.
Rather than limit myself now to one area of enquiry for the spirit, I see my plan to live my best life as fluid, involving exploration and rediscovery of what I want my senior life to be, while building a place of strength for my golden years (still over a decade away).