Mental Fitness

The underlying principle: Gratitude Health: Self:   nutrition, movement, breathing,  thoughts, actions Community:   communication, collaboration, connection,  thoughts, actions Planet:   energy, care, consciousness, responsibility, humility,  thoughts, actions Wealth: A natural consequence of health. Wisdom: A natural consequence of pursuing holistic health. If we look after our own health, consciousness rises and  the desire for everyone’s and the planet’s health grows. “Self” cannot be without “Community” “Community” cannot be without the Planet. We are one, there is no separation.

And when we can relax into the moment, we realize that our needs are met. This is the luxury we can (still) enjoy: there is no lack of air, food,  or any  of our material goods.  Every moment, there is love to give and to receive,  positive energy to share, and joy to feel. This moment, I feel gratitude for my life, for its lessons and opportunities.  I am grateful for the people who have crossed my path,  who have walked along with me for a while,  who keep by my side not matter what. This is life: birds are singing, the sun is shining,  I am free to be happy.  That, I choose. How about you?

In 1935, Georg Thurmair of Germany published a song initially titled “Traveling Song”  and later changed the title* to “We are merely guests on Mother Earth.” Photo by Julian Moses, April 2020 During the Easter Night, a close relative’s father passed on,  and  for the next two or so day  I found myself humming this song or reciting it my mind. So I began to think about it –  the meaning of the words as I can apply them today. I was taught that being a good guest means  to respect the host and abide by the guidelines  set forth for being in her/his space.  As a hostess, I appreciate guests who are “low maintenance” and respectful;  leave my place clean and appreciate the time we spent.  This would become the basis for many more visits,  for happy times in a shared space,  and for appreciation of each other beyond adhering to guidelines. I have also hosted guests whose stay couldn’t end soon enoug...

The cowslip flower in German is called Schl ü sselblume.  Translated back this means key flower.  They are in bloom right now in my area. Watching their beauty and thinking about their name got me to thinking: What is a key to what? Say my flaw is a key to my strength. That would be awesome, right? I’ll take it further: one of my flaws is that I can be judgmental. The downside to that is that judgments are often made from  unreflected assumptions based on past experiences.  That is, they are not helpful when seeking to fully recognize  the moment’s requirements. So the upside of might lie in the conscious awareness of the moment:  recognizing the quality of the energy present – “judging it” –  and making a great choice. Another example: feeling left out. The downside: becoming a victim of the perceived intention of others. The upside: learning to be free of interpreting the actions  and intent...

I AM

And how do we use his time which is forced upon us: stay home.  Stay inside. Keep social distance. In my dissertation studies I researched the occupational socialization of physical educators. Part of this qualitative work was to investigate the basis of  my study participants’ morals, values, and beliefs.  This would then shed light on their practices as teachers,  and on their expectations for themselves and their students. Maybe we can us this time at home to investigate  the foundations of our own attitudes, aspirations, and hopes.  What and who influenced your early days?  Those were times when the “collective unconscious” (C.G. Jung, 1865-1961)  imprinted “culture” on our minds and shaped us  into what was considered acceptable in main stream society, or,  alternatively, in the culture our immediate social circle called home. So now, and...

When you think about it, the acronym in the subject line makes sense.  Consider your present moment. Fear is something that the mind does:  It paints a terrifying picture which is not connected to the actual moment.  It magnifies those thoughts through repetition.  It causes feeling helpless, captivated, alone. What can you do? Find you way back out of your mind into the present moment.  Breathe. Connect with others. Get active.  Clean something. Cook something tasty.  Involve your senses. Move your body.  Let go of the images that fear has created. That is all they are: images appearing real. This moment is all we have.  Let us celebrate it.

Every day, something unexpected happens, small or big.  Phone calls or emails from a long dormant contact  can bring joy; a new perspective on an old issue presents itself. What if what happens brings disappointment or sadness?  How do we deal with that?  How to stay balanced in the midst of an onslaught of emotion? Well, there are suggestions about reality:  What we believe to be real may just be an imagination.  What we believe to be eternal may be a fleeting moment.  What we hold on to is meant to be lost. Does that help? Hmm, not really, and not in the moment of pain.  However, it may not make those suggestions about reality untrue.  The task is to let go and stay peaceful. I’m working on that. How about you?

From a class I taught at the University in Georgia - some potentially useful thoughts. Enjoy. Peace and Love