Sound Mind, Sound Body

Sound mind, sound body, right?  Isn't that what healthy aging is all about?

This phrase is so familiar to promoters of martial arts and yoga;  mindful methods that help us focus through a deeper attention  and body control. Those of us that aren't active in these exercise forms can take a cue from their teachings.

Meditation, though a different approach, facilitates a sound mind and body through a deeper "connection" to the subconscious.  I have tried many times and failed miserably in the meditation realm.  Truly, this must be a case of practice makes perfect (or at least better!).  The first few times I tried to meditate, I quickly drifted off to sleep and before I knew it, the alarm was sounding.  Other times, my mind wandered to all of the unfinished business I had on my plate and had me worked up enough to get up and get back to work.  Hmm, I must be doing something wrong.

Prayer, a form of meditative worship, was a much easier way for me to quietly connect.  I like the idea of focusing my thoughts, filtering out noise and distractions, and paying attention to how I'm physically feeling at the moment.  I found that my thoughts were more cohesive and more productive when I was in a prayerful state because the peace I felt while "talking" to God was the antithesis of chaos and distraction.  Worries turned into simple comments, no emotion.  Emotion turned into trust.  Trust took me out of the physical and into the subconscious and that gave me a sense of control.

In my healthy-aging pursuit, though I don't believe there to be a fountain of youth, I do believe that every time we can truly be "in the moment", we are not missing the moment.  This is a quality of life measure.  And, when we can connect on a deeper level we get less caught up in the day to day distractions.  For me this "centering"  put me in the moment.

It's proven time and time again that optimal wellness has a spiritual component.  Those who are connected to a higher-level being have stronger unity of the other dimensions of wellness (social, physical, emotional, environmental, intellectual...).  Spiritual people have a sense of meaning and direction in life and report  a greater sense of fulfillment.  So take my word for it or try it yourself.  Find a method that helps you get "in the moment" or "centered".  Connect to a higher being or just "connect" your mind and body.  If you're looking for healthy aging, this is a critical piece.