Welcome everyone to the Mind, Body and Spirit thread.
A place to come and share experiences on our path to overall wellness.

There seems to be some interest in the subject, so I thought I'd set aside a place for us and see how it goes..

A little about me:
I've always been aware of the mind body connection and feel like I've practiced it for a long time, but for some reason stopped short of using all of the concepts for weight reduction and exercise enthusiasm.

Lately, I've added more breathing exercises, an evening meditation, with a goal towards being able to 'quiet my mind' and go through my day more mindfully. I do a visualization and guided imagery CD during the week. I've been able to stay on program better and feel more positive about it.

I've been working harder to stay true to my program of eating healthy foods and incorporating exercise in my day. I've tweaked my food and altered my exercise regimes striving for a healthy mix that works for me and I am making progress !!

Spirit will always be with me. If I stop and 'listen' the answers are always there in some form for me, I just need to slow down enough to hear them !! I have facination with totem animals... I'm a bear. The bear totem has been used for healing scattered thoughts and keep you centered. The bear acts as a gentle reminder to be more focused and connected to the more practical world.

So right now, today, my journey is starting to feel like a 'wellness' journey.
So what do you do ? Are you thinking of trying something new ?

Hi there!
I am so glad I found this thread! This is why I am here. I have spent so much time on my mind and soul but not so much on my body. I am learning that in order to be at my best emotionally and spiritually, I need to treat my body better. So, I am here.

I teach yoga. Do Reiki, meditate all sorts of types and exercise regularly. Problem is, I eat terribly!

Hello, Namaste8!

This thread seems like a good idea. I take it it's more along the lines of spiritual ideas and principles than being about any one religion--correct?

I'm a Buddhist, and many of the principles that come from Buddhism can be applied to the weight-loss journey. (And they are certainly not limited to Buddhism.)

Mindfulness. This is another way of saying being aware of what's going on. It's especially useful to me with regard to food! It's too easy to eat in a distracted way, not even really considering what or how much one is eating. Now I try always to be more focused on my food when I'm eating than I am on anything else, even when I've made a choice that might not be the best. Mindfulness also helps when I'm coming up with excuses like being too busy.

The path free from extremes. aka The Middle Way. This principle helps me realize that there is no quick way to lose weight that's healthy, and that starving one day and overeating the next isn't a helpful way to proceed. Also, it helps me keep from skipping the gym and from overexercising when I go.

I also do meditation, but meditation in the Buddhist way isn't guided imagery, and it doesn't use tapes of words or music.

Jay

YAY! I'm glad I found this thread!

I am learning about meditation as well. I am currently doing an exercise where I take 60 deep breaths and just focus on counting the breathing. It helps to quiet my mind.

My main reason for learning meditation is not only to relax, but learn to take my focus off food, even for just that short period of time.

You are absolutely correct Jay, it is not about any one religion. Gee, I really didn't think I mentioned any one religion, but you're right, its best to clarify that up front. Thank you for pointing that out as we get started...

What I did intend, is a simple, non-intimidating thread where we can discuss the mind, body and spirit connection and how it enhances the weight loss journey. So let's go...........

Today I tried mapping out a walking path so I can do 'walking' meditation.
My sister has a labyrinth located in the back of her church. It's beautiful. And just by focusing on stepping on each stone, that becomes the a form of meditation itself. She doesn't count it as physical exercise, but as exercise for the mind.....

This looks a lot like the one she uses... (we have no connection to the company)
http://www.labyrinthcompany.com/

I love this idea. Thanks so much for starting this thread. I have been meditating off and on for years. (well more off than on) Now that I have lost a bit of weight I have started back to yoga. (It was a little, not alot, difficult to bend and stretch with all my rolls..but mostly I was just embarrassed to go) My favorite part of the yoga class is the last 15 minutes when we meditate.
I do have to say that when I am in the grips of a crazy obsessive need to eat ice cream or potato chips, if I am can just sit down for a few minutes and concentrate on my breathing, the feeling passes.
I have spend years, decades, avoiding my body, hating my body ... and now I use meditation to get in touch with it and learn to love it. Have you ever used the body scan technique for meditating?

One of my goals for August is to spend at least five minutes every day simply feeling my emotions and doing nothing else. Done it every day except yesterday, when I forgot. One of my theories is that I get so busy that I forget to be more aware of what's going on with me on a physical and emotional level, beyond accomplishing something.

yay!
Isnt it great how like-minds find each other!
Jay, I have been doing a lot of study of Buddhism. Maybe we can chat sometime.
So glad this thread is here too. So many of us do eat mindLESSly. For me, I have learned that it has to be mindFUL and it is something that I have to work on just like anything else. I have spent so much time on my soul and mind lately and have just neglected my body. Watch out once I get that in shape too!! lol
Weight has always been a constant struggle. Never too too bad, but bad enough for me that I am uncomfortable in my own skin.
I plan on joining WW on Tuesday.
Til then, I will be here.
Still trying to figure out my wt ticker.
TTYL

Hello again!

Namast8, I'd love to chat with you sometime. As a new member, you'll need to have 20 posts and a certain number of days before you can get a ticker and also before you can send PMs (private messages). These are spam-prevention measures.

I think it's so important to pay attention to how the body feels. Too much of Western culture seems devoted to ignoring discomfort in the name of succeeding in reaching a goal. Sometimes that is appropriate, but other times it seems like just a way to keep people off-balance and being "producers."

Jay

Hi everyone!! This is a perfect thread for me. I'm in the process of getting back to myself. I used to be really into yoga, meditation, the mind-body connection, being at one with nature, and pretty much everything else in that realm. Unfortunately, it never quite spilled over into the eating realm. And, being a single parent, it's become wayyyy too easy to get caught up in the world of day-to-day activities and forget about the truly important stuff. I'm now in the process of getting to the essence of me.

I have a very strong connection with nature and believe that it's sacred. I'm at my most peaceful (and meditate the best!) when I'm surrounded by quiet nature. I could sit for hours in a forest and be perfectly happy.

It's nice to have this thread. Thanks for creating it!!

Redhead... I love your avatar, how did you get that one?

I found it on the 'net many years ago. Unfortunately, I can't remember where I got it or who created it. I'd never seen a Yin Yang that included the Chakras before.

Hello, everyone!

I like to remember that the yin-yang symbol is constantly in motion, not static. Many years ago one of my spiritual teachers explained the yin-yang as being the sunny side of the mountain and the shady side of the mountain--always changing, all day long. But it is all one mountain.

It helps me to think of my body as being in a constant state of change as well--energy coming in, going out--and yet balance is maintained. Even when losing weight, balance can be maintained, and the body is happy to comply with what's required as long as I don't push things too far one way or the other.

Jay