HEALTH AND WELLBEING IN THE SPIRITUAL INFRASTRUCTURE

It surprises me at times to meet people who come to my spiritual talks and lectures, who drastically neglect and ignore their own precious spiritual selves and psychic infrastructure.

Often those in their teens and twenties, will be aware of the benefits of physical exercise, and will disco dance, cycle, skateboard or even roller skate, yet the majority of youngsters will get a ride to school or college in the car, and will spend whole evenings in front of the T V or games consul, and the diet of many youngsters consists entirely of junk food, cigarettes and alcohol.

Many know the now famous “F and V “ rule of 5 portions of fruit and vegetables we need each day, and the damage done by various drugs, and remember most people get addicted through their G.P. and in fact there is now an unbelievable pill called “Nalmafene” For computer geeks, football obsessive and shopoholics to combat retail therapy addiction.!

When I was a full time counsellor, a lady came in who was addicted to antidepressants, she was initially prescribed them for the 1926 bus strike 65 years previously, and was still trying to break free all that time after, so we all know these rules but few work with them, similarly who would risk their emotional health by watching scenes of repetitive violence, general rubbish or pornography, or be involved in the damaging “one night stands” of meaningless promiscuous relationships, or binge drinking which puts our physical and emotional health at risk.

So most people are aware at some level of the need to care for and maintain bodily and emotional fitness, so why do so many and I include many amateur spiritual people here, that is those of the “do as I say, not as I do “ brigade, neglect their spiritual health ?

We would not put bad fuel in our car yet we continually put it into our bodies, both in the physical and emotional arenas.

Stress is the curse of today’s society, playground bullies grow into workplace bullies, and often worse.

We can see the results of physical obesity, but the far more sinister spiritual obesity is far more damaging.

The fashion to separate the physical from the emotional and spiritual, is known as “reductionism” and has been a very damaging trend in modern psychology and medicine.

To neglect one area will over time affect the others, I refer to this in my talks as the “spillover effect” which can result in the psychic stagnancy I call “spiritual obesity”.

Lets look at 7 golden rules.

* Non violence to all living beings, in the east this is known as “ahimsa” they say only god can give life, and only god can take it, cruelty in all forms is a sign of weakness, this means respect for both the human, animal, bird and fish kingdoms.

* Spend 20 minutes each day in switching off, meditation and contemplation while keeping still, follow this by gentle yoga to free up inner energy reserves and increase health.

* No more crisps, sweets, cola drinks or fast food, instead enquire in your health food shop for an all round vitamin and mineral supplement. A wide ranging vegetarian diet is preferable for those who would walk a spiritual path, you cannot claim to be spiritual yet support the killing industry.

* Walk to work, stand tall, be aware of your posture, stretch your limbs and breathe deeply and slowly, oxygenate the stale pockets of air in the corners of the lungs where bacteria can develop.

* Take time to read a chapter of a good book last thing at night, this focussing mentally while relaxing physically, reduces the need for sleeping pills, and antidepressants, this assists sleep patterns. The British Medical Journal claims the British nation consume 15 tons of pain killers and anti-depressants each year, do not see life as a battlefield, work with your karma not against it.

* It is the duty of the strong to protect the weak, reach out with the umbrella of care for those in need, a few kind words can go a long way, and remember the day may come when we may be in need too.

* Education, read up on spiritual authors, find out who you are and what your needs are, and listen to others, go to meetings, and pay a yearly visit to a professional for a spiritual M.O.T.

So many people will say at my talks that they too want to see auras, give messages, and heal others, yet the ground must be prepared for this precious crop to grow, and these simple rules will prepare the ground, for you to plant your crop.

T Stokes lecturer in paraspiritual studies