Healing Retreat Center

"The body has an innate wisdom which, when allowed, can heal the body at all levels" – Dr. John Veltheim

HEALTH:  Is it just the absence of disease symptoms?

Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain (as in “good health” or “healthy”). The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health in its broader sense in 1946 as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Although this definition has been subject to controversy, in particular as having a lack of operational value and the problem created by use of the word "complete", it remains the most enduring. Classification systems such as the WHO Family of International Classifications, including the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), are commonly used to define and measure the components of health.

Physical
 A healthy physical body lives with a sense of freedom, strength, and happiness.  It is pain-free except when we over-stress it or subject it to minor injuries.  it heals rapidly from minor illnesses, sore throats, runny noses, etc.  It's teeth are solid and get regular dental care.  

Exercise is relatively easy, and fun.  Playing sports, swimming, hiking, housework and other activities come naturally, and you want to do more and share in the fun.

Staying healthy requires proper nutrition, exercise, sleep time, and variety of activities.  

Mental
Mental health is how we think, feel and act as we cope with life. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices. Like physical health, mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Staying mentally healthy is not always easy, especially during tough times. Here are some tips that can help:

Get support from family and friends
Find time to take care of yourself and relax
Have a healthy lifestyle, with regular exercise

Emotional
Emotional health is defined by the degree to which you feel emotionally secure and relaxed in everyday life. An emotionally healthy person has a relaxed body, an open mind and an open heart.

The more emotional health you possess, the more self esteem you have. This means you do not frequently react with knee jerk responses, anxiety or panic to the events that occur in your life.

Instead, you are usually calm and patient with yourself and others. This means you are an emotionally safe person.

Emotionally safe people do not judge or criticize others. This is because they have learned not to judge and criticize themselves.

Emotionally healthy people feel safe and secure with their own emotions and feelings. They feel their feelings and emotions instead of avoiding them or trying to control them.

To be emotionally healthy you must express your emotions in healthy, assertive ways

 
Spiritual
Most of us are unaware of the health of our spirit or life energy. We go about our daily business without ever giving a second thought to this very vital part of our lives. For the majority of people, spiritual health is intangible, invisible the notion of the spirit is purely an idea or abstract concept, not a thing that can be monitored and measured easily like blood pressure or insulin levels. Yet our spiritual health is just as real and important as any other measurement of our well being.

Lacking the modern devices and technology used to track physical illness, we must rely upon a routine of self examination and introspection in order to gauge the health level of our spiritual selves.

The following checklist has been designed to help determine whether your spiritual health is in need of attention.

1. You find yourself more in agreement with negative points of view

2. You are easily irritated or agitated, small things annoy you.

3. Beliefs that once seemed impeccable seem to have let you down.

4. You feel drained or tired most of the time.

5. Hobbies and interests seem less enjoyable.

6. You relive past events trying to determine when things went wrong

7. Migraines and other ailments occur more frequently

8. When you should be relaxing, you feel uncomfortable and nervous.

9. There always seems to be a void in your life which must be filled

10.  You find yourself judging others, have difficulty forgiving yourself and others

Any or all of these issues may point to a serious need to address your spiritual health and well being. Considering the important role which spiritual health plays in our overall sense of happiness and fulfillment as well as the direct connection between spiritual wellness and physical health it is unfortunate that more attention is not paid to this vital area.

When the spiritual self is injured, the mind and body suffer. Take some time to examine your life path, your beliefs and expectations. Consider practicing meditation or other relaxation techniques to reduce stress and anxiety. Make a point of self evaluating the strength of your spirituality and take steps to connect or reconnect with the sense of wonder and mystery of life.

Examine your beliefs. Are your beliefs working for you? Is it possible that the beliefs that you have held for so long are actually damaging your spirit?

Of course it is. We often inherit the beliefs of our ancestors, community and cultures. Many times these beliefs simply are not compatible with we intrinsically know to be true. The resulting inner conflict can result in a sort of spiritual flu, an illness which we carry often for a lifetime and we can never seem to shake. No matter how good things may seem to be going, we always feel a certain kind of emptiness. Examine your beliefs and your entire belief system, do not be afraid to throw out any beliefs which feel at all uncomfortable. Your spirit will thank you.

What is HEALTH?