When we in the Western civilization think of "spirituality," we often habitually return to our Christian beliefs and get mired into thinking in terms of religiosity.
Most of us believe in the human "soul" or "spirit." We speak of it as some unknown part of ourselves that we "hope" we have that might transcend us at the time of death. Some of us have "faith" that our spirit will survive us.
Let's transcend (or sidestep) those thoughts and beliefs and create a new system of reality. We know that something exists outside of our physical bodies. What is the difference between life and death? What energy or force makes the body move and think, and then stop? Who is the thinker behind the thoughts?
I am going to borrow terms from Dr. Wayne Dyer, the internationally-recognized speaker and author of 30 books about self-development with a Ph.D in psychology who recognizes our spiritual nature as the "higher self" or the "inner being."
Dyer is a great friend of Dr. Deepak Chopra, M.D., one of the world-renowned advocates of mind-body connections and Ayurvedic medicine, and he is the author of over 50 books. Chopra has a Wellness Center in California based on spirituality, meditation, massage, herbal cures, and non-medical interventions to create centeredness and healing.
In their cassette-taped discussions (Living Beyond Miracles, 1993; Living Without Limits, 1996; and Creating Your World the Way You Really Want It to Be, 1998) about mind-body connections, the men bring up many natural life experiences and discuss how different cultures/individuals deal with them.
Chopra asks the simple question of doctors/surgeons who don't believe in the mind-body connection, "How do you wiggle your toes?" Although you can describe the results with electrical thought patterns and synapses and motor effects and say, "I am moving my toes," then the question becomes: "Who is the thinker behind that thought that makes it happen?"
We have a consciousness that controls our thoughts and movements, beliefs and emotions. In fact, Deepak insists that every cell is a thinking cell. It controls the hormones and chemical balances to make itself work. If it "forgets" how to work efficiently, Deepak says this leads to cancer where new cells go wild in re-growth. But "happy" cells receive chemicals like adrenalin and cortisol, which excited, happy people feel when they are on a roller coaster - if that is a positive experience for them.
If the riders are terrified of roller coasters, they will create negative hormones and stress-filled chemicals that harm the body and cause a kind of fear paralysis that damages cells.
So how do we make "happy cells" that renew themselves and prevent the inevitable side-effect of aging (caused by dying cells that are overstressed that don't regenerate)?
Deepak tells of cultures where the elderly are revered and the people live into their 90's and hundreds quite capable of doing physical tasks like walking for miles and swimming in cold mountain streams. Because age is looked upon favorably, people in that culture age differently. They think of time differently: they see time as circular, like seasonal patterns, rather than linear, as young, middle-aged and old.
Their thoughts - "aging is good" - and their emotional health is positive and their bodies respond accordingly. It is not that their lives are easier, but they perceive time and change and aging differently and their bodies "process time differently."
This is the "spiritual" reality we can tap into by the "knowing" that it can be done. This is part of the personal and cultural "belief" system that is all created with "thoughts."
As Dyer's book titled, "Change your Thoughts, Change Your Life" suggests, you can control your life by altering your energy patterns.
Both men recommend doing this through meditation. This is the ultra-simple process of "thought stopping" to make contact with the higher self. Some people practice this by counting the breaths to stop the mind chatter. Some concentrate on a sound (mantra) to clear the head of thoughts. Some can get "into the zone," by repetitious movements like walking, knitting, or hitting tennis balls (like Dyer did when he meditated through a tournament to control the ball).
Our inner, spiritual beings are connected to us, and we can reach that part of ourselves when we become quiet and simply "be." As Dyer says, "We are meant to be human beings, not human doings."
Some people connect to their higher selves through prayer. They feel that they are talking to a "source" outside of themselves, although both Dyer and Chopra say that we are part of "All that is," and we only need to go "within" to find our true natures. But, as Dyer says, "If you call that source God or higher consciousness or Ralph, it doesn't matter."
The lesson is clear. We become unfocused, uncentered, unhealthy, divided beings. We must reconnect our minds/bodies/spirits to know well-being.
By connecting with our spiritual nature, in whatever way seems natural and easy to you - meditation, prayer, reflection, gratitude, contemplation, reconnecting with Nature - practice it often; relieve daily stress and allow your body to heal and recenter itself naturally.