The Three Way Connection
Body, Mind Spirit
By Kathy Bibeau

The theme of this issue of the American Spirit Newspaper is, “The Body, Mind and Spirit Connection.” That there is a correlation between our minds and our bodies has been well documented. How we think effects how we feel. In fact, it is now widely accepted that a change in our mental state can bring about a change in our physical state. Conversely, that our physical state can affect our mental well-being is also widely acknowledged. Ask anyone who has experienced a pro-longed illness and they will tell you that this is true — But what about our spirit? In our society we often overlook the spirit. We tend to worship the body and the intellect. However, without a balanced relationship between all three components we do not truly experience living a full and rewarding life.
In today’s hectic world many of us find ourselves at a loss. That connection between body, mind and spirit that is so important to a balanced lifestyle is difficult to maintain. Most of us are stressed out. Many of us have lost a sense of direction, rushing to and fro trying to get somewhere when we don’t even know what or where it is that we are trying to get to. The balance between work, family and play is often difficult to find, and the struggle to keep our heads above water can be daunting at times. Given the added stress from the threat of terrorism, fear of war and economic uncertainty is it any wonder that Americans are under more stress today than any other time in history?
It is a well known fact that stress is one of the number one killers in America. There is no question that stress damages our physical bodies. High blood pressure and heart disease are just some of its’ consequences. Stress also affects the mind and our decision making processes, causing us to make poor judgments and to rush to decisions without taking time for proper deliberation. Depression, another by-product of stress, now affects unprecedented numbers of Americans.
The combination of stress on our physical and mental well-being affects our spirit. Perhaps we become less enthusiastic, more pessimistic. We lose our joy for life. Maybe we don’t take the time out to attend church, meditate, have quiet time with ourselves, or spend quality time with others in our family or community. One way that I have noticed that stress effects my spirit is that I often feel too pressured to simply enjoy another’s company. I know I want to stop and smell the roses but I often feel compelled to rush on to the next thing.
In this issue of the American Spirit Newspaper our contributors share their personal experiences and insights into the body, mind and spirit connection. Some articles focus more on one element than the other, yet all bring to light the value of having our awareness on the relationship between them all.
In the article “Body Talk, from the hands of an intuitive massage therapist” we discover first hand how our bodies are affected by the thoughts that are occupying our minds. We learn that our bodies store certain types of thoughts as stress and how important it is to give the body opportunities to release stress through such avenues as massage therapy. In “How your mind can keep your well” we gain insight into using the mind not only to keep the body healthy but also to prosper ourselves on all levels. Complement that with the “Tithing” article and you will learn the secret to unlimited prosperity. Since the majority of us spend most of our lives in the workplace, in the article “How you can maintain your mind/body connection in the workplace” the author shares his experiences and learning lessons regarding how to maintain a balance in the workplace. And in “A little miracle” you will learn how the mind, body and spirit worked together in one little girls’ life to produce a small miracle.
Perhaps you are ready to make the relationship between your body, mind and spirit a more solid connection. It is our hope that the articles presented here will contribute to a better understanding of yourself as well as provide guidelines for a practical application that will increase your enjoyment of life.