Living in Harmony with Nature

True happiness, success, health, and peace come through an alignment of the mind, body and spirit. This is the philosophy of holistic living, which focuses on physical, emotional and spiritual health.  Each area means something different to every individual.  There is no one-size-fits-all approach when trying to strike a delicate balance between the most important health aspects and your lifestyle.

Physical health is the primary focus of most people, but signs of illness may or may not be rooted in a physical cause. Western medicine treats the symptoms of illnesses with pharmaceutical prescriptions. However, whatever the sickness is--even something as simple as a sore throat--might be an undiagnosed, deep-seated emotional issue. If your inner feelings and spirit are not aligned, you will experience a disruption in your energy until they are properly balanced.

Emotional health means keeping a healthy mind, whether it is through meditation, yoga or daily affirmation. Negative emotions will upset your body’s natural balance, causing not only anxiety and stress but sometimes also actual physical pain. Anyone who has experienced profound loss or disappointment knows that heartbreaking sadness can lead to feelings of physical discomfort or sickness. It’s important to take care of your emotional needs just as much as your physical ones. A holistic lifestyle helps to find a balance of both.

Spiritual health means you have accepted who you are and where you fit in the natural order of the world. Our spirit is the essence of who we are and when the body and mind are at odds with each other, the spirit suffers. It’s important to make time every day to take an assessment of all areas of our lives to ensure we are on the right path to being a whole person, inside and out.

To start adding these components to your life, keep it simple; be mindful of the foods you choose and how you maintain your physical wellness.  You should try to eat organic, consider a vegetarian diet, and use natural and organic personal care products, whenever possible.  

Both yoga and meditation are great for your physical, mental, and spiritual health. They focus on mindful thinking and being aware of oneself in relation to the world. These exercises are meant to calm anxiety and strengthen willpower, which are great qualities to have if you want to lead a holistic lifestyle. Spiritual health can also include small acts of kindness, compassion for others, forgiveness of hurtful acts by others, and abstention from materialistic things.  On a daily basis, engage with your inner self for more patience and a sense of peace, and live in a state of gratitude. We are all guilty of not taking the time to reflect. Take time to meditate and do yoga.

There is significant evidence to support the benefits of transitioning to a holistic lifestyle, but the ultimate goal is to find a balance that works with your own unique self. Being committed to a holistic lifestyle is a personal choice, and one that will lead to a more wholesome way of living for the rest of your life.