Mind, body, spirit medicine is spiritually based medicine. It cultivates health through applying spiritual principles and practices. The health of our mind and body is a reflection of the health of our spirit. All illnesses, whether of mind, body or behavior point towards a deeper spiritual disturbance. Complete healing of the illness can only be achieved through healing at the spiritual level.

We have gained much control over the way our body superficially expresses health with conventional medicine. This is often mistaken as a cure. Yet, pills and surgeries do not address the deeper spiritual root cause of illnesses. That inner turmoil will simply find another form of expression if left unaddressed. In our culture, there is a growing realization that we are missing something as more of us are getting firsthand experiences of the limits of modern medicine. Our culture is ready for mind, body, spirit work.

Before starting this work, there are two important spiritual principles to understand for success. The value of all other principles and practices depends on how well they help us apply these principles in ever deepening ways.

Spiritual healing is the result of developing a direct relationship with God. Even those of us who have had no spiritual connection before, or have a rejection towards the idea of God, can access spiritual guidance. The door is unlocked by sincerely wishing to have an inner loving attitude towards all and proving this with our actions.

The Law of Karma determines the quality and depth of this relationship. It is known in Christian religions as, “that which we do to others is done to us”. This law is true of our words and behaviors, but also true of our hidden intentions such as our thoughts and fantasies. When karma surfaces, the exact circumstances do not have to match. However, the way we end up feeling will.

The rational solution to develop our spiritual connection is simply to maintain loving intentions in all situations and towards all people including ourselves, our thoughts and God. Achieving loving intentions in all aspects of life requires 24⁄7 mind, body, spirit work. This work can be divided into three categories and ALL three must be done simultaneously for success:

Outer work:

We review all aspects of our life with an open mind and are willing to change anything that is negative. We even consider major life changes such as where we live, our job and our closest relationships. Getting rid of the negative is not enough for spiritual healing. We are also proactive and adopt a new, more loving spiritual lifestyle and job. The most important outer work we will do is to become an active and useful member of our community.

Inner work:

It is critical to adopt practices that help us focus our attention inwards, because our innermost intentions are often hidden from us. Inner practices are typically done when we are alone, or least when we are not socializing with others. Meditation, prayer, journaling, reflective walks in nature, yoga and art are all excellent forms of inner work. Some form of inner work will become a part of our daily routine. It is a time we will set aside to nourish ourselves.

Applied inner work:

Through our inner work, we will learn how to process our emotions and bring balance to our mind, body, and spirit. Naturally, we will want to feel this well-being as we go through our day-to-day routine, not just in our down time. We will do our best to maintain the inward focus as we go about our day. This will help us notice non-loving aspects of our life much quicker, because we will see things about ourselves that we could never have seen when we moved through our day mentally absorbed. We may immediately discover new outer work that we can engage in to improve our lives. In doing so, we become a source of positivity for all.

A variety of mind, body, spirit resources will be needed to keep us focused on the positive, in a world of confusion. “Peace is Every Step” by Thich Nhat Hanh has a collection of excellent applied inner practices. “The Spiritual Treasures, Final Edition” has a comprehensive collection of resources for all three aspects of mind, body, spirit work and is available free at www.kriyayoga.com.

Through persistent application of these three types of mind, body, spirit work we will experience the release of a burden that we may not have realized we carried. Our hearts will have opened and healing will occur at the spiritual level. As a result of this spiritual health, our mind, body and behaviors will effortlessly express health as well. This work goes far beyond just establishing physical health. It is our life purpose to know ourselves as loving souls.

Roger Gietzen is a medical doctor who after an intense and unexpected spiritual experience immediately saw the shortcomings of modern medicine. He now shares insights from his spiritual path in his mind, body, spirit clinic, “Healthy Mind Body”.

by Penny Golden For Body Mind Spirit Guide