| Body and soul Tapping the spiritual side of exercise We know exercise is good medicine. It can help prevent disease and control chronic illness, even prolong life. But beyond the easily validated scientific facts lies a spiritual side to exercise. The integration of action, thought and emotion creates a vital life force that enhances our workouts along with our quality of life. The new age of science and medicine is beginning to draw on spirituality to help people cope with illness and enhance health, with good reason: This inner source is a cost-effective therapy with virtually no negative side effects! "Mind-body" practices such as yoga, meditation, t'ai-chi, aikido and karate combine a spiritual framework with physical activity to produce a contemplative, self-reflective state in the participant. Many of these practices incorporate Eastern philosophies, which have long recognized the interconnectedness of the body and spirit. In addition to these activities, just about any workout can help you get in touch with your spirituality. Exercise such as running or cycling produces a natural tendency to focus inward, and requires you to draw on your vital inner force to transcend perceived barriers of intensity, distance or duration. Regularly overcoming your physical inertia can give you the confidence to tackle the social and emotional challenges of everyday life, and the calm feeling you experience following exercise can help you feel centered and balanced. Here are some ways to attain a more spirited workout: Take time beforehand to examine goals for your workout or to reaffirm your health priorities for the day (such as, eat five fruits and vegetables, drink more water, take time for relaxation). During your workout, pick a theme and focus. Often your creative spirit percolates to the surface during a good aerobic session. I was able to conceptualize a majority of this article while running! Take 10 minutes at the end of your workout to meditate. This can give you a profound sense of relaxation, which you can draw upon in stressful situations later to control your reactions. Play relaxing music during the cool-down period. Music helps integrate physical senses with feelings and emotions, and you can call on the relaxation response when the music is played at other times of the day. Try taking a class in one of the established mind-body activities such as the martial arts or yoga, or purchase a videotape for home use. You may find the formal instruction invaluable in helping you make the connection. Practice controlled breathing. Assume a comfortable position so that the body does not disturb the mind as it links itself to breathing, and then practice varying ratios of inhalation to exhalation, allowing the abdomen to extend as you inhale. Rest and reflect when you are done. Only a handful of controlled research studies in the United States have explored the mind-body connection, but already these practices have proved helpful in the treatment of conditions such as cardiovascular disease and asthma. Tapping your spiritual self through exercise can help you transcend physical and emotional barriers and achieve a more balanced life. And as we move forward in the new millennium, it is important to look back on where we have been. Perhaps we will continue to learn from philosophers like Aristotle and Plato who combined science, philosophy and metaphysics in a unified approach to life. |
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