Personal training tends to strongly emphasize the physical, sweat-filled approach to fitness and good health. Of course, physical exertion is an important aspect to better health, but there are many other methods to compliment holistic body health. These include mental, spiritual and meditative approaches to well-being, which can be just as important for your overall health and fitness. To be totally fit, your body-mind-spirit should all be connected and strong in order for you to be at your best.
While the western approach to health used to separate the body and mind when treating people for illness, more and more people are turning towards ancient eastern traditions that treat the body and mind as a whole unit when considering holistic health. Yoga, tai chi and meditation are three methods that help strengthen your body-mind-spirit connection and encourage overall health, fitness and well-being.
Yoga
Yoga is based on an East Indian philosophy of uniting the body and mind. It combines various forms of body postures, stretches and breathing techniques to tone and relax your body, calm your mind and manage stress and anxiety.
According to the Mayo Clinic, practicing yoga has many health benefits including:
- Stress reduction
- Improved fitness in the form of balance, flexibility, range of motion and strength
- Management of chronic conditions including heart disease, high blood pressure, pain, insomnia, depression and anxiety.
There are several types of yoga that can be practiced, making it an excellent activity for people of every age and fitness level. Here is a brief list of the basic types of yoga and their descriptions which may help you decide on a practice that is right for you.
- Satyananda - a gentle form of yoga focussed on slow stretches, flexibility and deep breathing. It is excellent for beginners and stress reduction.
- Hatha - a reasonably gentle form of yoga focussed on stretching and breathing. Targeted towards beginners, seniors and stress reduction.
- Iyengar - A form of yoga focussed on precise body alignment, balance and posture. It is aimed for those looking for overall fitness and deep relaxation.
- Kundalini - A faster paced form of yoga moving quickly through a routine of poses. It also uses breathing, chanting and meditation. An excellent physical and spiritual workout.
- Hot yoga (Bikram or Moshka) - Yoga practiced in heated rooms for both purification and stamina. It is intense, sweaty and requires a higher fitness level usually.
- Power yoga (Ashtanga) - A form of yoga that is fast paced, vigorous and focussed on flexibility, strength and stamina. Excellent for those looking for a strong workout and weight loss.
Tai Chi
Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese tradition and graceful form of exercise. It is based on the premise that wellness and relaxation requires the body’s bio-energy (or Qi) to flow smoothly around the body. The muscle movements are designed to stimulate the flow of Qi through the body and the major organs. It involves a series of 108 co-ordinated movements performed in a slow focussed manner accompanied by deep breathing. These gentle flowing movements promote serenity and overall health and well-being.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the many health benefits of practicing Tai Chi include:
- Reducing stress and anxiety
- Increased aerobic capacity, energy and stamina
- Increased flexibility, balance and agility
- Increased muscle strength and definition
- Improved sleep quality
- Reduced joint pain
- Reduced blood pressure
Tai Chi is low impact, putting minimal stress on joints and muscles making it appropriate for people of all ages and fitness levels.
Meditation
Meditation is a type of mind-body exercise that is commonly used for relaxation, stress reduction and clarity of thought.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the benefits of Meditation include:
- Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations
- Stress reduction
- Increasing self-awareness
- Focusing on the present
- Reducing negative emotions
While conclusive evidence is lacking, many people believe that meditation can help with many medical conditions such as: allergies, anxiety, asthma, cancer, depression, eating disorders, fatigue, heart disease, high blood pressure, insomnia, pain and substance abuse. A type of mind over matter approach, if you will, that could compliment other healing therapies.
How do you meditate?
There are no right or wrong ways to meditate. It is a deeply personal practice that has to be explored with an open mind and heart. But there are a few basic suggestions that many people find helpful:
- Focused attention (closed eyes)
- Relaxed breathing (deep and slow)
- Quiet setting (turn off electronics)
- Comfortable position (sit with uncrossed legs, open hands)
If you have trouble developing your own meditation practice, there are often classes offered where instructors can help guide you through the process. Try checking your local community centre, gym or YMCA for meditation or for the other types of fitness classes discussed above.
Prayer & Spirituality
Another approach to holistic health can be achieved through prayer and spirituality. A belief in a higher power can have many positive impacts on ones well-being. They can offer a sense of purpose, provide community and social support, lift the spirit, prevent depression and help you cope with difficulties. While statistical evidence is lacking, many people believe that prayer can help various health conditions such as: heart disease, hypertension, stroke and cancer.
There are many types of religions in the world practiced by millions of people. These include Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Taoists, etc. Thus the power of faith has undeniable influence across the worlds population, which must stand for some amount of worth. Indeed these practitioners find that spiritual well being help improve self-awareness, stress management, connectedness with others, empowerment, confidence and the ability to live with meaning and hope. All of these things will have undeniable value during the struggle we will face during a zombie apocalypse.
Prayer and spirituality is a deeply personal practice and I don’t personally believe there is one true faith above all others. As long as we treat others well, respect our environment, spread love, compassion, and understanding, then we are on the path to healthy spirituality. But I encourage people to explore the different faiths in order to better understand each other, and to ultimately choose the one that feels right to them. Visit your local church, mosque, synagogue or temple and explore your options along your quest for inner peace and spirituality.
Other Holistic Therapies
1. Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering a person's mind, mood, cognitive function or health. The aromatic power of the oil is usually either inhaled or absorbed through the skin whereby it may promote relaxation, increase mental alertness, sexual ability and healing.
2. Massage Therapy
Massage is the manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue using various techniques, to enhance function, aid in the healing process, decrease muscle reflex activity, inhibit motor-neuron excitability, promote relaxation and well-being, and as a recreational activity.
Many people know well the positive effects of receiving a massage. Part of this effect comes from the medical effect of the muscle manipulation, but undoubtably the human touch and feeling ones hands on your skin has an undeniable positive feeling, much like that of a hug from a friend. People require touch for positive mental health and emotional development.
3. Music Therapy
Everybody knows the effect music can have on our emotions and moods. Certain genres can alter our emotional state with their sounds and beats. The loud driving intensity of heavy metal, calming vibes of classical, toe-tapping and inner soul reaching R&B, all touch a spot inside of us when heard. Music can cheer us up, get us moving or make us cry. Try to use music as a tool to help you get through tough times and channel your energy in a positive direction.
A lesser known benefit of music is that it assists in uniting the left and right sides of the brain, helping with cognitive thought and reasoning. Albert Einstein often found that after playing his violin he was better able to work on his scientific research, and many other Nobel Laureates also played musical instruments, giving a nod of credibility to a potential musical link for healthy brains, and in the mind-body-spirit connection.
4. Animal & Pet Therapy
Research has shown that people who own cats and dogs tend to live longer, happier lives. And people who care and play with animals even for just a couple hours have increased levels of serotonin and lower blood pressure. Often service dogs are brought to hospitals and retirement homes to cheer people up. Many horse ranches have equine therapy programs to help children with cognitive and development challenges. Sometimes just cuddling or playing with a loved pet can bring great joy into someone’s life - and we all could use more of that!
Mental Health in Post-Apocalyptic Times
After living through the terrible ordeal of the zombie apocalypse the survivors are going to have to reconcile the horror and trauma they will have undoubtably witnessed. Disease, despair, destruction all have extremely traumatic and negative impacts on the human body-mind-spirit, which may lead to substance abuse, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Its important that you look out for these disorders and try to get those afflicted some professional help, be it counseling, therapy or medical intervention. Patience, sympathy, and a compassionate shoulder to lean on can go a long way to help someone in need. Even if no therapists are immediately available a friend and a positive support net can really help someone in crisis get back to normal depending on the severity of their trauma.
Why hope and faith are so important for surviving the zombie apocalypse:
The zombie apocalypse would be a time plagued with disease, death and despair of epic proportions. Witnessing these horrible events on a daily basis for long periods of time will take a toll on our spirit, mental health and overall well-being. While we can physically train our bodies to run and fight for long periods of time, if we don’t have a strong spirit, positive attitude and good mental health to balance our physical selves, we won’t be able to keep going for very long. During darker times in our lives, people often seek to find a reason to keep going, a higher purpose, a sense of calling. Having a sense of faith or belief in a higher power can help keep a person’s spirit from giving into despair during these difficult times. Hope is what gets you out of bed in the morning and gives you the strength to carry on, when you have nothing else left. Hope is essential for survival. Without hope and faith you can not survive the zombie apocalypse.
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Morgan’s Story - “Believe”
Chapter 5. Body, Mind & Spirit
Morgan was running hard away from the community centre, but it was now getting dark outside and it was difficult to see where she was going. The sun had set while she was searching inside the community centre, and with the street lights no longing working there was nothing bright enough to safely light her way through the town streets. She glanced up at the sky to search for the moon, but the thick clouds blocked any chance of the moon lighting her way. She weighed the pros and cons of trying to press on in the darkness or to take a chance of finding a safe place to spend the night before trying for the harbor in the morning.
She made up her mind to take shelter after alerting a couple of lurking zombies to her presence after snapping several twigs on the foot path she was taking. The loud clear snap of the branch rang out in the air, just as clear a signal to the beasts as if she had shouted hello!
If she couldn’t see well enough to keep quiet at night what chance did she have to fight the things off in the dark either? It was hard enough in the daylight. Nor had she any idea what the creatures night vision was like. There was too much at risk. She needed to find a place to lay low for the night, just until dawn at least.
But first she needed to put down the zombies that were chasing her right at this very moment. She found herself stumbling through the old town cemetery and thought how appropriate it would be to do it right here. So she pulled out her securely belted hatchet and with two determined swings of her blade gave them both an impromptu funeral. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Rest in peace, zombies!
Raising her head from the most recently deceased, the adjoining church fell into her field of view, and not needing much more encouragement she ran towards its doors. It had been many years since she had last been inside. She figured it was probably Joshua’s (her youngest nephew) christening, over five years ago now. Those were better times. She was sad now, thinking about those thoughts again. Her memories flashing back to the family photos she had just saw in her mind’s eye.
She was sad, tired, exhausted, confused and a million other emotions as she broke through the chapel door. Why was all this happening? It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. Wasn’t she a good person? Wasn’t her family? What had she done to deserve this? She worked hard in school and at her job. She never hurt anybody, stole or cheated. She thought she did everything she was supposed to, yet still this was her fate?!
The irony did not evade her that it was the church she was now standing in while asking all these questions. Looking around at the religious paintings and sculptures decorating the large open room, her eyes fell on the crucifix above the alter. Christ hanging there, tears of blood falling from his face. A rage swelled up inside her and she suddenly grew very angry with God. ‘Well come on? If you’re there won’t you help me now? Where are you now God?!’ Morgan didn’t hear a response. She picked up a copy of the Holy Bible and flung it angrily across the room. Its pages scattering as it hit the wall and fell to the floor with a thud.
Feeling discouraged and abandoned she slumped to the floor and began to cry. She had no idea how long she laid there, crumpled on the cold marble floor, but the coolness felt good on her hot face while she wept, so she simply laid there and cried until she couldn’t cry anymore, getting the anguish that had been building inside her for weeks out of her system.
She started to settle down eventually, and she slowly sat up on the floor, wiping her cheeks with her shirt sleeves. She took some slow deep breathes and tried to clear her thoughts of all her feelings. She didn’t want to feel angry or sad anymore. She thought about what her yoga instructor had said during their meditation portions of their classes. Breathe in through the nose and out the mouth, in a slow, deep, controlled motion. Let the air move through her body and flow through her veins. Think of a rushing river, like water flowing over her body - washing away the bad, bringing the good, cleansing her spirit and her soul. Take a deep breath and let the water rush over her. It felt purifying in her mind. After doing this for several minutes she stood up and walked over to the basin of holy water and washed her face with it. The cool water was refreshing on her skin. It did feel good, she had to admit. She felt a little more settled after her meditation. Calmer, more centered.
The church was almost pitch black now and she rummaged through her pockets to find the matches she packed so that she could have some light. Hearing the rattle of the match sticks she finally found them and struck up a flame she used light a few of the thick white candles on the altar. She lowered them to the floor to prevent too much light from reaching the ceiling and walls, possibly alerting anything lurking outside to her presence within. Staring at the candlelight she thought on a childhood song she had taught Evan and Josh:
"This Little Light Of Mine"
There’s a little flame inside us all
Some shine bright, some shine small
The rains will come and the waters rise
But don’t you ever lose your light
In this life you will know
Love and pain, joy and sorrow
So when it hurts, when times get hard
Don’t forget whose child you are
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine, gonna let it shine
May you live each day with no regret
Make the most of every chance you get
Let your eyes get wide when you look at the stars
With the same sense of wonder as a child’s heart
With the ones you love treasure the time
And for those who are gone keep their memories alive
Hold on to your dreams don’t ever let go
There’s a fire inside you burning with hope
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine, gonna let it shine
There will be days when you want to give up
When the clouds settle in
But after the rain comes the sun
Don’t you ever forget
One day there will be no more pain
And we will finally see Jesus’ face
So until then I’m gonna to try
To brave the dark and let my little light shine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine, gonna let it shine
There’s a little light inside us all
After some reflection on the songs lyrics she knew that she couldn’t give up. She had to keep trying to keep her light alive. She wouldn’t lose hope, not yet. She still had to check the harbor front for her family. In her heart and soul, she knew that as long as there was still a chance she had to try. Quitting was not an option.
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