| When was the last time you thought about the | | | | form that represents the healing and energizing |
| miracle of your body? If you're like most of us, | | | | characteristics of food and eating. Feel a sense of |
| you don't pay a lot of attention to it unless it | | | | healing power flowing through your body as you |
| complains. When our body is going about its | | | | focus on that image. |
| business, keeping us functioning from day to day, | | | | Physical Activity |
| we don't stop to consider how wonderful it is, nor | | | | With exercise you are not only able to better |
| do we think about all the ways our bodies are | | | | convert oxygen and food into healing energy, you |
| supported by simple things we do. | | | | also increase your muscle tone, have better |
| However, in working with clients, and in my own | | | | circulation and have more energy for an active |
| experience, I've learned that paying attention to | | | | life. |
| these resources increases the impact they can | | | | Mini-exercise on the power of physical activity |
| have on one's sense of vitality. And since your | | | | With your eyes closed, picture yourself doing |
| physical well-being is connected to your emotional, | | | | some physical movement, whether that is an |
| mental and spiritual well-being, by paying greater | | | | athletic activity or simply walking as you go about |
| attention to these aspects of your life, not only | | | | your daily business. After you have felt your |
| will you reinforce your body's natural healing | | | | body energized by the picture in your mind, allow |
| mechanism when that is needed, but your mental | | | | an image or symbol to form that represents the |
| faculties will improve and your spirit will be lifted. | | | | vigor and energy that comes from physical |
| That is why in this article I encourage you to | | | | activity. |
| become aware, as often as possible, of the | | | | Sleep |
| images connected with each of these sources of | | | | Your body needs rest to rebuild cells and tissue |
| healing. To do this you may want to sit quietly | | | | that are worn down during the time when you |
| and simply focus on one or two of these sources | | | | aren't sleeping or that are depleted by illness or to |
| of healing. Or you may want to stop once every | | | | prevent illness from getting a foothold in your |
| hour and notice how it is that, at that particular | | | | body. And, of course, sleep is also needed for |
| time, your body is receiving healing and vitality. | | | | emotional renewal. |
| Read this through once and then look it over | | | | Mini-exercise on the power of sleep |
| again, choosing one mini-exercise you will do today | | | | Close your eyes and imagine that you are |
| and one you will do tomorrow. Tap into these | | | | sleeping at night or taking a nap during the day |
| resources every day and you'll be sure to feel | | | | and allow yourself to see, or to sense, all the |
| better for your efforts. | | | | various systems of your body using that period |
| Breath | | | | of rest and relaxation to bring your body back |
| The muscles in your abdomen allow the air to | | | | into balance, to restore the energies that get |
| come into your body without any effort on your | | | | depleted when you are awake and active. |
| part. You don't consciously think about the | | | | Ordinary Daily Activities |
| muscles involved in breathing, although they have | | | | There are a thousand ways in which we are |
| been doing their work since the day you were | | | | renewed each day when we experience any |
| born. They know exactly how to function so that | | | | activity with awareness and focus. The following |
| you can take oxygen from the air and use that | | | | are just a few of the possibilities: |
| life-giving oxygen to feed the billions of cells of | | | | Reading a good book |
| your body. When the oxygen has been converted | | | | Listening to your favorite music |
| to energy needed by the body, the simple act of | | | | Reading poetry |
| breathing removes from your body the toxins | | | | Being in the mountains or at the beach or just |
| and waste matter you don't need. | | | | sitting in the backyard or in a park |
| Mini-exercise on the power of breath | | | | Joy and laughter and watching a funny movie |
| Close your eyes and allow your body to feel | | | | Living life with expressions of patience, love, |
| renewed and strengthened by the oxygen that is | | | | generosity, beauty and all the other qualities of |
| brought so gently and easily into your lungs as | | | | the human Spirit |
| you breathe -- and by the breath's ability to | | | | Going to work, if you can, or if you don't work, |
| remove carbon dioxide and other airborne waste | | | | participating in some project that catches your |
| from your body. And then, to strengthen this | | | | imagination |
| small but important exercise, what image or | | | | Creativity and learning |
| symbol could you use to remember the gift of | | | | Active participation in a religious faith |
| breath? | | | | Quiet contemplation of the human spirit |
| Food | | | | Mini-exercise on the power of daily activities |
| From food your body extracts energy and | | | | With your eyes closed, reflect for a moment on |
| nutrients and turns them into healing properties. | | | | how healing energy is available in the activities |
| The immune system would not be able to | | | | common to every day. Then take a few |
| function if it did not receive nutrition any more | | | | moments to notice how you might be able to live |
| than it could function without oxygen. The more | | | | more consistently with awareness and vitality. |
| nutritious your food is, the stronger your body | | | | Love and Friendship |
| can become and the better you will feel. | | | | When friends express their love for you and tell |
| Vegetables and fruits, grains and animals provide | | | | you that they care about you, your spirit is lifted. |
| ingredients for the food you eat and they all | | | | And with a lighter heart you sense that your |
| contribute their energy to your health. | | | | body, in some mysterious way, actually feels |
| When you prepare these ingredients with love and | | | | better. In fact, when friends share their love with |
| participate in the creative process of cooking, you | | | | you, it is possible that your immune system gets |
| enhance your body's health and sense of | | | | an extra charge of energy and goes to work |
| well-being. When you eat at a restaurant and take | | | | even more intensely to keep you well and to heal |
| special care to select only those foods and drinks | | | | any part of you that needs healing. |
| that both taste good and are nutritious, your | | | | Mini-exercise on the power of love and friendship |
| body's healing process is enhanced. And when you | | | | Imagine that you are surrounded by all the people |
| are invited to eat at a friend's house, your health | | | | who love you and who send you caring energy. . . |
| and your spirit benefit from the companionship of | | | | . Allow an image to form that symbolizes the |
| friends around the table. | | | | healing power that comes from each one of |
| Mini-exercise on the power of food | | | | them. |
| Close your eyes and allow an image or symbol to | | | | © Copyright 1995, Revised 2002, Arlene F. |