Spiritual Strength

Spiritual teachings stress wisdom, love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility and truth as the values that enable people to live in a way that promotes harmony and balance with everyone and everything in creation.

Think of a compass rose, defining the four directions and representing a particular way of perceiving things, but none is considered superior or more significant than the other. The emphasis is always placed on the need to seek and explore each of the four great ways in order to gain a thorough understanding of one's own nature in relation to the surrounding world.The four cardinal points of the circle transcend the mere compass directions. The directions themselves embody four powerful natural forces representing seasonal influences associated with various other powerful attributes.North represents Wisdom. Its colour is white, its power animal is the buffalo and its gift is strength and endurance. From the South comes the gift of warmth and growth after winter is over, a place of innocence and trust. Its colour is green (or sometimes red), its power animal, the mouse. To the West is the place of introspection, of looking within one's spirit. Its colour is black, its gift is rain and its power animal the bear. The East is marked by the sign of the Eagle. Its colour is gold for the sun's illumination, the new dawning sky and enlightenment. Its gift is peace and light.

As a guide to strenthening the spirit, think of four hills representing infancy, youth, maturity and old age. The four stages are celebrated in ritual as the four prime moments in life corresponding to the four directions.The first hill is the south (innocence and trust) where the infant's reception into life occurs. The second hill, that of introspection, in the west, becomes the youth's solitary vigil and quest for vision. This first quest seeks the revelation of the Great Spirit's manifestation and continuing presence.This is the time when a power animal attribute enters an individual's soul becoming a part of his or her identity (eagle, bear, tiger and so on). It marks the beginning of the dweller within, the dreaming soul that contacts the higher spiritual planes bringing back visions that serve as fundamental guide posts in life. The hill of maturity lies to the north and represents the successful realization of ability and ambition. It is the place of recognition in which the pursuit of wisdom underlies and nourishes all action.Sympathy with life itself grows in this quarter.The final hill is that of old age situated in the east. It represents a quiet, reflective and meditative segment where the old ones now can pass on their knowledge to youth as they have mastered the meaning of joy and sorrow and the many other trials and tribulations encountered over the course of their existence.

Strong scientific evidence suggests that individuals who regularly participate in spiritual worship services or related activities and who feel strongly that spirituality or the presence of a higher being or power are sources of strength and comfort to them are healthier and possess greater healing capabilities. Numerous research investigations have reported positive correlations between spirituality and decreased rates of stroke, cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, drug abuse, suicide, and general mortality. It has been suggested that faith is beneficial for health and healing because it helps people avoid unhealthy behaviors such as smoking and excessive drinking. However, studies designed to statistically control for such factors also report positive associations between spirituality and health in individuals with unhealthy behaviors.

The impact of spirituality on health and healing is a topic that has been virtually ignored in the disciplines of athletic training and sports medicine. Because of their lack of exposure to this topic, most nutritionists, dietitians and athletic trainers are unaware of the many positive associations that exist between spirituality, health and healing. The available literature base regarding this topic is quite large; its findings need to be explored and integrated as one component for those who wish to loose weight.

JD Kaz describes a philosophy for which overweight people can apply while trying to not only loose, but also to keep those unwanted pounds at bay. By addressing each component (mind, body and spirit) through exercise, diet and spiritualism, he was able to adjust his own lifestyle, to replace excess, with strength. Please consider this rationale as a roadmap to better health and wellness. For more information please go to http://elegantthin.com

Source: http://articles.submityourarticle.com/spiritual-strength-293469

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