Interfaith Spirit Quest

Healing & Healthcare for the Mind, Body & Spirit

Healing comes in the form of material methods as well as prayer, encouragement through faithful progress and a good attitude. A personal transformation of mind and spirit oftentimes leads to healing because bad habits and unhealthy living practices are exchanged for a healthier lifestyle. The expectation of health is in the mind of strong and positive personalities. Fear and anxiety lead to thoughts that are negative and weak, which may lead to physical illness. Not that we think ourselves well or sick, but that our actions (material effect) are a direct result of our attitude, and our actions are what cause health or disease in many instances. The lazy mind resists the efforts that bring about healing.

Good health, a sound mind, and a happy disposition are the result of integrating truth, beauty and goodness into our human experience. Truth - material, philosophical, or spiritual - resonates with the soul. Beauty brings joy and pleasure to the human senses. Goodness brings stability to our world. An abundance of truth, beauty and goodness can heal our hearts, minds and bodies.

The physical body is not afflicted with disease by God, by by the consequences of material effects. Diseases or accidents of nature or material thing are not in any way pre-ordained or arranged by God or any other spiritual force. You are free to reap the rewards of a healthy lifestyle, just as you are free to reap the negative effects of an unhealthy lifestyle. We are equal in our capacity to receive our reward for our actions. Remember that our choices may also affect the lives of others – including our children and other loved ones.

Selflessness – the opposite of selfishness – creates an abundance of joy, which in turn produces medicine for good health, motivation for the heart, and an energizing effect on the mind. Should illness or accident strike, know that these situations will always work out for the welfare and progress of those involved.

To get through trying times, rely on true spiritual faith:

1. Make progress upward and not toward animalistic tendencies
2. Trust God, even if….
3. Have courage
4. Dig deep, stand strong
5. Be at peace
6. Trust the outcome
7. Believe in God
8. Life goes on – even after death
9. Remain triumphant
10. Remain selfless
11. Seek divine guidance, pray faithfully, listen
12. Continue to praise God

Have an extraordinary attitude toward the material environment and a strong faith in the power of the mind, and of God, to heal.

What about miracles?

What if everyone was healed through miracles? How would that advance our world spiritually? What reason would people have to behave responsibly and what would an irresponsible world look like?

If God chooses to heal or help someone through a miracle, we just need to be thankful and smile back.

Interfaith Prayer for Healing:

O Lord my God! I cry unto Thee,
this prayer of faith, for Thou it is Who cures me.

Free us from suffering and disease,
and Unite us with life eternal.

Thy Name is the best bestower of health.
Thy Name is the healing remedy.

Thy Love is the best bestower of health;
Thy Mercy my healing remedy.

Action: Faithful Prayers

Pray sincerely:

• To heal the sick, and heal ourselves
• To receive guidance to bring about healing
• To receive courage, strength and wisdom
• For God's will to be done – exchange our will for God's will
• For God's comfort, peace and love
• For a word of truth

What you can typically hope for in response to your prayer is information and peace; information from the wisest counsel to ever-exist, information that's true, beautiful and good, peace that passes all understanding, peace that comes from God and upon the realization that you have exhausted all efforts toward separation or healing.

Pray for spiritual strength and wisdom to carry you through and to guide you as you work through the issues or problems at hand. Be truthful, selfless, unafraid and personal.

(Above article was originally published here on InterfaithSpiritQuest.com on 2/28/2009)

Also see: 

Interfaith Spirit Quest article:

Health & Healing - Material vs Spiritual vs Crackpot Methods

American Holistic Health Association (AHHA) Free Booklet: 

Wellness From Within:  The First Step

Health & Healing - Material vs Spiritual vs Crackpot Methods

Have you been sicker than a dog lately?  Maybe we can help. 

Perhaps you've heard this quote before: 

"Physician, heal thyself!" It's from the Bible - Luke 4:23.

Let's paraphrase it:

Healer, heal thyself!
Minister, heal thyself!
Miracle Water Merchant, heal thyself!
Health Nut, heal thyself!
Drug Maker, heal thyself!

Everybody's got a cure - so why isn't everybody healthy?  Are we conditioned to believe we'll get sick and stay sick?  Is it all in our mind?  Here's how we typically handle things when we're sick: 

Material Method:  Take some drugs from a supposed reputable source, and/or go to the Doctor and have them prescribe some drugs, wait and see what happens. 
Does it work?  Sometimes. 

Crackpot Method:  Buy some miracle potion from some website or health expo, (far superior to regular drugs, right?), assume the risk and swallow, wait and see what happens.
Does it work?  Sometimes. 

Spiritual Method:  Pray, have faith, wait and see what happens.
Does it work?  Sometimes.

Since all of these methods have some chance of success, what are we supposed to do? 

Maybe it's as simple as using a little common sense. 

Common Sense Method:  Practice healthy lifestyle habits, take care of yourself and those you are responsible for, eat right, exercise, get enough sleep/rest, give lots of love to whoever needs it, get out more, get regular check-ups, you know the routine.  Receive the spiritual benefit by being thankful for the abundant resources the Creator provides.  Work in tune with nature, not against it. 

Why is this method any better than the others? 

Because you're not sitting around doing nothing, just popping pills, or even just praying.  You are taking an active role in your health care by making sure you're doing everything you should be doing.  You don't have to be a health nut or fanatic - but you should know that your actions play a major role in how you're feeling.   

Our next article will focus on this more in depth, the article is titled 'Sickness & Health' and will be posted on 3/3/10 - please watch for it.

Body, Mind & Spirit: Healthy Lunch Ideas – Survival Skills – Happiness

Prayer for the New Year: To the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, the One who makes all things new again; thank you for this new year, for new beginnings and new hope. As we come and go, may we be enlightened and enriched by your Spirit of Truth, may we find new ways toward peace and understanding, love and joy, giving and happiness. Thank you for our daily bread, may it nourish and strengthen us, thank you for providing all that we need. Hear our prayer, in thanksgiving and remembrance of Jesus. Amen.

The following information is provided for members of Interfaith Spirit Quest and is intended to be an outline for our local discussions. Feel free to use this format for your discussions, wherever you may be.

Interfaith Spirit Quest - Body  

Body – Healthy Lunch Foods: Some of you may prefer a big lunch and a light dinner (supper), others may prefer to have their bigger meal in the evening – either way – we just need to pay attention to our bodies and do whatever works best. Those who have a very physical job tend to require more food, whereas the rest of us can easily subsist on smaller meals. In addition to the ideas below, please feel free to share some of your healthy lunch ideas in the comments section.

(See previous and future posts for Breakfast & Supper/Dinner Ideas – this is an ongoing discussion.)

Healthy Lunch Ideas – Control your own portions and remember - everything in moderation.

• Soup or Chili with Hearty Bread/Crackers/Pita, Pickles/Olives/Veggies
• Salad with Veggies & Cheese, add Meat or Egg or Beans (or Veggies/Fruit/Nuts), with Hearty Bread/Crackers/Pita  
• Baked Potato or Sweet Potato with Butter and a side of Stir-Fried or Fresh Veggies
• Sub Sandwich on Hearty Bread or Pita with Grilled Chicken or Turkey or Tuna or Egg Salad with Veggies & Cheese
• Omelet with Veggies & Cheese, Toast & Butter
• Grilled/Baked/Broiled/Boiled Fish/Chicken/Lean Meat  with a Small Potato or Sweet Potato and Steamed/Grilled Veggies

Interfaith Spirit Quest - Mind

Mind - Brain Rule #2- Survival: The following tips are from the book:

Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School - by John Medina.

We typically acquire knowledge through improvisation; we then build upon this acquired knowledge in a variety of ways. We could go way back to caveman days to explain how our brain developed, but we won't; we'll just stick to the present moment. Suffice it to say that this acquired knowledge through improvisation is how we learn to survive. Given that the rules have changed since caveman days, we are now free to unlearn some of the conditioned responses we are currently using to survive – such as symbolic reasoning and manipulative methods.

What are some ways we might unlearn some of these behaviors? Our emotions play a large role in our learning process. If we can begin to consider the desired outcome that includes a result that does no harm to others, yet is beneficial to you and others, we will have placed ourselves on the right path to learning new and helpful methods toward living a happy life.

Interfaith Spirit Quest - Spirit

Spirit: 

Contribute to other people's happiness & you will find the true goal, the true meaning in life.

—the Dalai Lama

Happiness: In the same vein of eating healthier for our own good health and with the spiritual realization that our bodies are the temple of God – that manifests itself as a force of energy, as a vast storehouse of Godly wisdom awaiting our inquiry, and in the same vein of changing the way we use our minds to produce more fruitful survival instincts and habits; we come now to the Spiritual Module portion of our discussion, which will center around the idea of Happiness.

While our old survival instincts push us to seek and hoard, our new survival instincts will guide us to seek and find. Find what? Happiness, joy, love fulfillment, inspiration, meaning, strength, wisdom, understanding, peace, zeal for life, generosity, service and giving. Teach yourself to overcome pain, guilt, conflict, fear and moods by changing your attitude, your mind, and your heart – by changing the obstacles that keep you from enjoying life fully.

All these things can be ours, if we only seek them with the right motives. The right motives must include sharing, giving, service or assistance to others – people within and outside of your immediate circle. You must give away that which you wish to receive. Our motives must come from our higher self, we must shift the consciousness of our own minds, and we must be the force that moves mountains – if God lives within, can He not do this?

Interfaith Spirit Quest Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think is keeping you from having more happiness, joy, love, fulfillment….etc? _________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Does being successful scare you or do you believe you're unworthy of success? Why? _________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Does the person with the most toys win? Why or why not? _________________________________________________________________________________________
4. How can we tap into our higher self?

   _________________________________________________________________________________________

Healthy Breakfast Ideas – Exercise for the Mind – Spiritual Hospitality

Body, Mind & Spirit Practices

A Prayer of Thanksgiving: When I think of Jesus and the Last Supper, and his desire that we should remember him, I think of sharing a nice meal with friends in the warmth and glow of his love. Here is an interfaith prayer to share at such a time:

Creator and Sustainer, you feed the creatures of the Universe through your goodness, kindness and creativity; being created in your image, may we find a way to feed each hungry soul here on Earth in the same way. We thank you for this food, may it nourish and strengthen us. We thank you for this day and this opportunity to gather in your name, may we be enlightened and enriched by your Spirit of Truth. In thanksgiving and in remembrance of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Body – Healthy Breakfast Foods: Let's talk about food – in particular, let's talk about Breakfast Food. Below are some healthy breakfast foods that you may wish to incorporate into your day. We all know that breakfast is supposed to be the most important meal of the day and that we should make it a healthy one – so no need to belabor this point. In addition to the ideas below, please share some of your healthy breakfast ideas by leaving a comment.

Healthy Breakfast Ideas – Control your own portions and remember - everything in moderation.

• Oatmeal or Healthy Cereal with Nuts, Seeds and Fruits (Sweeten with a bit of Cinnamon & Honey if desired), Milk or Almond Milk, Coffee, Tea, Diluted Juice

• Scrambled Eggs or Omelet with Favorite Veggies (Spinach-Red Pepper-Broccoli-Tomato?), Fruit or Healthy Juice, Slice of Toast (Whole Grain with Butter or similar), Coffee, Tea, Diluted Juice

• Whole Grain Toast with Natural Peanut or Almond Butter(or a Slice of Cheese or Tomato Slices), ½ Grapefruit or Whole Orange (or other Fruit), Coffee, Tea, Diluted Juice

• Cottage Cheese or Yogurt, Fruit, Whole Grain Cracker (like Wasa Crackers), Coffee, Tea, Diluted Juice

• Poached, Fried or Hard Boiled Eggs, Whole Grain Toast with Tomato Slices, Coffee, Tea, Diluted Juice 

• Baked Squash, Potato,Sweet Potato or Brown Rice with Butter, add dried fruit or sweeten with a bit of Cinnamon & Honey if desired, Slice of Toast (Whole Grain with Butter or similar), Coffee, Tea, Diluted Juice

Interfaith Spirit Quest

Mind - Brain Rule #1- Exercise: The following tips are from the book

Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School - by John Medina.

Exercise? Why are we talking about exercise? Because it's good for the body and the brain. Besides improving and maintaining our health, exercise helps eliminate harmful stress chemicals, improves our problem-solving and planning skills, and our attention spans. Besides the tremendous physical body benefits, studies show that exercise can also boost brain power by up to 42%!!!

Ways to incorporate exercise into a rather sedentary lifestyle:

Take a recess twice a day for a minimum of 15 minutes each. Allow yourself to spend 30 minutes a day on exercising your body and improving your health. I am challenging myself to do this and I am also challenging you.	To begin with, pick anything that will get your body moving and increase the blood supply to your brain. Walk – Dance – Run - Jump Rope –Climb the Stairs - Jump on a Rebounder (small trampoline) – Swim – or Aerobics.	If you have a laptop and a treadmill, consider building a platform for your laptop on top of your treadmill and learn to coordinate walking and typing at the same time – according to the author of Brain Rules – it took him about 15 minutes – he's a molecular biologist – so OK, maybe it will take us an extra minute – but we can do it.
John Medina wonders what if students or employees walked on treadmills while they were in the classroom or at work. Maybe this is why they make us stand up in church so much, they want to get our blood flowing!	Exercise with fitness guru, Jack LaLanne. Watch one of his easy to find online exercise videos or look for his program on cable. The exercises are really easy. Jack must be doing something right because he's 93 years old (born in 1916) and still going strong.	Have fun! Play Speedminton (a faster form of Badminton) – Volleyball – Racquetball – Tennis – Basketball – Football – anything with a ball! Pick any sport! Do strength training – lift weights. Enjoy yourself!

 

Insert your own exercise ideas here.  Purchase a copy of Brain Rules here.

Spiritual Hospitality 

Enhances: Tolerance 

Balances/Counters: Hostility, Criticalness

The Basic Practice

We are practicing hospitality when we welcome guests — including strangers and enemies — into our lives with graciousness. An open house reveals certain things about us: we are well-disposed toward others, we focus on the positive, and we believe the universe is basically a friendly place. Sometimes hospitality requires that we cross boundaries and dismantle some of the barriers erected in our society to keep "the other" out. Sometimes it means entertaining ideas that might be alien to us.

To be hospitable, you need to accept pluralism as a natural condition in the world. Celebrate the diversity of the Creation. One particularly valuable spin-off of hospitality is inter-religious dialogue. Spirit speaks in many languages, and this spiritual practice helps us receive these multiple messages.

Why This Practice May Be For You

Hospitality and hostility are both derived from the same word root — but they couldn't be more different. Whereas hospitality is about welcoming all, hostility thrives on insider/outsider conflicts. Practice the former to increase your tolerance of the various groups in our society and their distinctive lifestyles.

On an interpersonal level, hospitality is a good prescription to balance a tendency to be critical of and unaccommodating to others. People who are distrustful of the world, who become fearful and paranoid when strangers approach, or who are suspicious of ideas unlike their own will also benefit from this practice.

--From Spirituality & Practice -- Part of the 37 Spiritual Practices, or the Alphabet of Spiritual Literacy – By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussa.  Find much more here:

http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/practices/practices.php?id=13 -----------------------------------------------------------

Interfaith Spirit Quest Discussion Questions:

1. Can you remember a time when someone showed hospitality toward you? What did they do to make you feel welcome and comfortable? _________________________________________________________________________________________
2. In a similar vein, please share a memorable spiritual encounter you've had with another religion — a conversation with a religious/spiritual person, a visit to a sacred site, attendance at a ritual, or a faith practice — and what you learned from the experience. _________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What about a time when someone excluded you, or made you feel unwelcome? How did this make you feel? _________________________________________________________________________________________
4. In addition to the above, what are some ways we can be more hospitable toward each other? _________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for stopping by - please check back often for future Body, Mind and Spirit posts.

Interfaith Spirit Quest

Health Tips from Kids: Carrots & Spanish

Carrots & Spanish keeps you healthy and strong - at least according to these two adorable kids!

Sickness & Health - Practical Methods for Healing and Good Health

Healing comes in the form of material methods as well as prayer, encouragement through faithful progress and a good attitude. A personal transformation of mind and spirit oftentimes leads to healing because bad habits and unhealthy living practices are exchanged for a healthier lifestyle. The expectation of health is in the mind of strong and positive personalities. Fear and anxiety lead to thoughts that are negative and weak, which may lead to physical illness. Not that we think ourselves well or sick, but that our actions (material effect) are a direct result of our attitude, and our actions are what cause health or disease in many instances. The lazy mind resists the efforts that bring about healing.

Good health, a sound mind, and a happy disposition are the result of integrating truth, beauty and goodness into our human experience. Truth - material, philosophical, or spiritual - resonates with the soul. Beauty brings joy and pleasure to the human senses. Goodness brings stability to our world. An abundance of truth, beauty and goodness can heal our hearts, minds and bodies.

The physical body is not afflicted with disease by God, by by the consequences of material effects. Diseases or accidents of nature or material thing are not in any way pre-ordained or arranged by God or any other spiritual force. You are free to reap the rewards of a healthy lifestyle, just as you are free to reap the negative effects of an unhealthy lifestyle. We are equal in our capacity to receive our reward for our actions. Remember that our choices may also affect the lives of others – including our children and other loved ones.

Selflessness – the opposite of selfishness – creates an abundance of joy, which in turn produces medicine for good health, motivation for the heart, and an energizing effect on the mind. Should illness or accident strike, know that these situations will always work out for the welfare and progress of those involved.

To get through trying times, rely on true spiritual faith:

1. Make progress upward and not toward animalistic tendencies
2. Trust God, even if….
3. Have courage
4. Dig deep, stand strong
5. Be at peace
6. Trust the outcome
7. Believe in God
8. Life goes on – even after death
9. Remain triumphant
10. Remain selfless
11. Seek divine guidance, pray faithfully, listen
12. Continue to praise God

Have an extraordinary attitude toward the material environment and a strong faith in the power of the mind, and of God, to heal.

What about miracles?

What if everyone was healed through miracles? How would that advance our world spiritually? What reason would people have to behave responsibly and what would an irresponsible world look like?

If God chooses to heal or help someone through a miracle, we just need to be thankful and smile back.

Action: Faithful Prayers

Pray sincerely:

• To heal the sick, and heal ourselves
• To receive guidance to bring about healing
• To receive courage, strength and wisdom
• For God's will to be done – exchange our will for God's will
• For God's comfort, peace and love
• For a word of truth

What you can typically hope for in response to your prayer is information and peace; information from the wisest counsel to ever-exist, information that's true, beautiful and good, peace that passes all understanding, peace that comes from God and upon the realization that you have exhausted all efforts toward separation or healing.

Pray for spiritual strength and wisdom to carry you through and to guide you as you work through the issues or problems at hand. Be truthful, selfless, unafraid and personal.

 

Bonus Action: Simple Exercises for Healing – from the teachings of Eckankar

Eckankar means "Co-worker with God." It offers ways to explore your own unique and natural relationship with the Divine. Eckankar is mainly about your daily, personal connection with Divine Spirit.

From a little Eckankar booklet titled 'Spiritual Wisdom on Health and Healing' – by Harold Klemp

Gratitude: A Simple Exercise to Heal Yourself using Gratitude

• Forget about what you don't have and what other people do have
• Count your blessings, be grateful for them
• Open the heart to love and the gifts that love brings
• Have an attitude of gratitude
• Love enters through gratitude
• Appreciate what you have in your life
• Let people you love know that you love them
• Notice and say thank you to people who help you
• Receive blessing upon blessing, open the door to healing

Dreams: A Simple Exercise to Heal Yourself using your Dreams

• Before you sleep, say softly or softly sing the word Hu (pronounced hue) a few times
• This will relax you – it's sort of a high level sound that is soothing
• Create a mental picture of your problem, see it as a simple cartoon in your mind
• Sing the Hu and think about the mental cartoon for 5-10 minutes
• Feel free to draw the cartoon and lay it by your bedside
• Then let yourself fall asleep as usual
• When you wake up, immediately make a short note, a record, of what you dreamed about
• Be alert during the day about clues from other people about your problem
• After 1-2 weeks, you may learn of the solution to your problem – simply by being aware
• If it doesn't work, it is recommended that you try again, but this time, think about the mental cartoon for 15-20 minutes