There are those (albeit few) who continue to believe that “being healthy” is all about focusing on how well the body is working. Then there are more enlightened people who are aware of their mind-body connection and know that “being healthy” refers to the health of the mind as well as the body.

Brighter still are those enlightened ones who are aware that true health begins even deeper than the mind. True health begins with our deepest connection to life: our spiritual selves.

The different parts of us: our mind, our emotions, our body and our spirit are not separate entities, isolated and operating independently. We are a working unit with all parts working together to achieve one thing: our health, happiness and longevity.

Exercise is, without a doubt, the most empowering thing we can do to increase our body/muscle and mind/muscle strength. But exercise isn’t just about keeping our bodies fit, our internal organs running at peak efficiency, and our minds alert.

Scientific studies prove that an active and healthy lifestyle, which includes regular exercise, is the key that opens the door to our spiritual fulfillment.

Think about it. When we actively exercise, we actively love ourselves. And, when we actively love ourselves, we open the door to our spiritual connection. It is this connection that allows us to build our spiritual muscle!

Building your spiritual muscle

Why is it important to have spiritual muscle? Our mental health is directly affected by our spiritual health in the same way that our physical health is affected by our mental health. Without a strong spiritual foundation to fall back on, our mental muscle would soon weaken.

The reality is that when our spiritual cauldron is empty, it is very difficult to remain and function from positive perceptions. A positive mental attitude is the result of having a happy and fulfilled spirit. It is impossible to feel spiritually empty and mentally satisfied in the same way that it is impossible to feel physically healthy if our mental attitude is depressed most of the time.

Every day we make multiple decisions and face daily challenges and it is our spiritual muscle that is called to feed the strength of our mental muscle and it is our mental muscle that feeds the strength (through positive and encouraging thoughts) for our bodies, ultimately leading them to health. and happy lifestyle path.

It is exercise that provides the chemical (we can say hormones) and emotional change that in turn allows us to clear the “mental chatter”, the chatter that constantly seeks our attention but only wastes our precious energy.

Without our personal mind chatter cluttering things up, it is much easier to connect with our true deepest essence: our spiritual self.

When we clear the clutter and separate ourselves from the chaos in our minds, we are left with the “now” moment. This “moment” is affectionately called “the zone” by athletes and when they are in the zone, great things happen.

In this “now” moment, this mindful state of mind, we are consciously connected to our mind, body, and spirit, and that empowers us to decrease negative thoughts and constant chatter, build confidence, and increase emotional stability.

Let’s face it, each of us struggles at one time or another with our not-so-pleasant attitudes and feelings. Where do we go for relief?

Exercise: Exercise gives us feel-good hormones (those magical endorphins) that help change destructive negative thoughts and emotions. The more endorphins we have working, the happier and more content we will feel.

When we are happy, we have positive thoughts and our quality of life improves thanks to it.

Exercise helps us detox from all the poisons we are subjected to on a daily basis allowing our bodies to become lighter and brighter. This same detox clears the mind and spirit. No body will survive long if the mind is sick, and no mind can survive if its underlying spirit is sick.

The body thrives on a healthy mind and the mind thrives on a healthy spirit. And, the key to a healthy spirit is, not surprisingly, you exercise!

The reality is that all areas of our lives: family life, work environment, personal life, and spiritual life are affected and positively impacted by exercise.