Mind Body Spirit

Principles and Practices

Healthy Mind Body

A Spiritually Based Holistic Clinic
 Roger Gietzen, MD

Core Principles
Holistic health acknowledges that health and happiness are a natural expression of our
spiritual wellbeing. The human being is resilient when thriving in life. To thrive
requires a frm desire to become a better person and to prove it through daily actions.
Wherever you are in life, there is always one practical change you can make to deepen
your spiritual wellbeing. That practical "next step" can be thought of as a hidden life
test. Being familiar with two core spiritual principles will help you recognize that test
and how to work through it.

1) All are capable of direct spiritual guidance from God.

2) All are subject to the Law of Karma (that which you do to others is done unto
you)

The law of karma is valid for your words and actions, but more importantly it also
applies to your hidden intentions, your thoughts and fantasies. What you hold in your
mind and your heart (your inner attitude), is what you give life to in your very own
future. Each thought is like a prayer or a wish. Be careful of what you think about and
why you do what you do. Be careful of what you wish for. When your karma comes
bouncing back, the exact outer circumstances do not need to match, but the way you
end up feeling will.

Love is the natural solution to karma. God is love. To deepen your direct awareness of
the spiritual dimension, of God's presence in your life, then simply make that goal the
frst priority in all aspects of your life. Enjoy life, but remember to use it as a tool for
spiritual progress. If you become dependent on your worldly life, then your happiness
is vulnerable. Someday, at the latest the day of your death, you will lose all. If you use
life as a teacher to deepen your awareness of God's presence, then you will know that
after loss, all is well. To be sure you keep to your spiritual goals, remember to
occasionally review your life and let go of those things that have no real spiritual or
human value. In the space created by letting go, start flling your life with positivity.

God's love is real. It can never be owned by any group or organization, but is
accessible to all who sincerely wish to feel his presence. The path to knowing love is
paved through forgiveness and reconciliation. True forgiveness starts with a wish to
do so, but needs to be supported by real actions until you feel at peace with your
adversary. You can always assess how real your forgiveness is by thinking of the
person or situation that upset you and noticing how relaxed your mind and body is.
Better yet, if it is possible, you can face that person or situation. You know that you
have truly forgiven them, if it feels natural to give them a smile and a hug.

To protect ourselves, we learn to contract inside. We learn to build invisible walls. As

a child, we get scared or learn to feel bad about ourselves, especially our sexuality, and
we hide behind these walls. Yet through the process of self improvement work, we can
learn to be vulnerable. Through this process of letting down our guard, we will begin
to naturally feel good about ourselves. If step by step, we recognize the life tests that
are in front of us, and begin to successfully resolve them, it becomes easier to let go of
problems that we don't have immediate control over. If we apply forgiveness towards
others, then it becomes easier to forgive ourselves. If we know we work hard to be
useful for others and helpful to those truly in need, then it becomes easier to enjoy the
simple things in life.

Your personal happiness is direct result of your personal eforts. If you are thoughtful
about how you use resources, including other people's time and attention, then
eventually you may fnd that your time and attention is used eficiently by others. And
you will have the strength to say "no" when it isn't. If you strive to be a source of value
by improving the quality of your work, then you may fnd that people want to pay you
for your products or services. Then you will feel useful deep in your heart. To
consume things in life that deep down you know you didn't earn through your own
eforts or that you had to "self yourself short to get" creates an inner imbalance.
Things of true value are created by human eforts. When it comes to inner happiness,
there is no such thing as "getting something for nothing". To gain income through
other people's eforts, is to take advantage of people. Your heart knows what you do,
even if you try to hide the truth from yourself. To take such income, makes you feel
like a burden in your heart. Even if you have the most luxurious things on earth,
nothing will make you happy. To be happy you need to be balanced. To be happy we
all desperately need to learn to live more spiritually oriented, sustainable lifestyles.
The good news is that living in balance is accessible to all who are ready to put forth
eforts.

Living by the following values has been a goal of the author. He has found them most
challenging to apply in all aspects of his life. But through a deepening ability to apply
them, he has enjoyed defnite spiritual progress and wellbeing:

1) Open for God. Allow God to be present in your life. If you have had painful
experiences in God's name, know that they do not truly represent Him. Maybe
you would fnd it easier to focus on love. Allow love to be present in your life. It
will achieve the same end results, because God is love. Make a practice of
actually imagining God being with you as you go through your daily routine.
This practice will give you the most useful feedback about which parts of your
life are non-loving and need modifying. Be careful if you chose to pray to or
focus on beings other than God (even angels and saints). You may put forth the
same amount of eforts on your spiritual path, but miss real love.
2) Love all beings and all situations. If you are truly right about something, it
speaks for itself. There is no value to fghting or defending yourself, because if
you need to do so, then the other person already has a fixed opinion. Go through
your day with the mentality that forgiveness is more important than being right.
Forgive all and reconcile with all until you can face even your worst enemy with
love in your heart and a smile in your eyes. Then you may fnd that wherever
your body is, feels like home and whoever is surrounding you, feels like family.
3) Be transparent, honest and direct. Whether at work, home or recreating
maintain integrity. Be the same loving person regardless of the circumstances.
If you feel the need to hide something you are about to do, don't do it. If you
want something from someone else, ask them directly. If you feel uncomfortable
doing so, reassess your intentions, if they are sincere then allow that to be a
 chance to face your fears for what you know is right. When you talk or think
about someone else, choose words and thoughts you would be comfortable
saying directly to their face. When you always speak the truth, you can relax
because you won't have to defend yourself or remember what you said to others.
4) Master a truly useful career. Ask yourself what are the essential products
and services in life. Clean water, healthy food, construction, homemaker,
healthcare, clothing, etc. Be apart of those products and services and maintain
the highest quality possible and you will know that you are truly useful and that
wherever you go on this planet, your life will be supported, even at times of
disaster.
5) Be debt free. Whether it is money, mortgages, student loans, fees, time,
energy, promises, hidden obligations. Whatever you may feel you owe others,
invest all your energy to pay them back as quickly as possible, without incurring
any further debts along the way.
6) Pardon all debts. Whether you are owed money, child support, disability,
worker's compensation, loans, material goods, etc. Forgive all debt owed to you.
Work towards independence and freedom. All have the potential to develop a
skill that is useful to others. If developed, all have the chance to know what it is
like to live of resources that people actually want to give you. Once you
experience the diference, you will only be satisfed living in such way. In the
future if someone truly needs money or resources that you have in excess, then
give them what they need free and clear.
7) Live by honest donations. When receiving payments, honest donations mean
that you expect a payment for your work, but that you allow the client or
employer to choose a meaningful amount. When spending money, honest
donations means you are happy to pay a full amount for the things you love to
consume. You understand that such payment is needed to sustain the resources
you value. When using services, an honest donation means that you pay them
the same amount per hour that you make, regardless of how simple their job
may be. All who put themselves out in this global work force for the beneft of
serving others deserve to be treated equal. A small increase in pay makes sense
for those who have decades of experience. Maybe you don't get paid by the hour
and are not sure how much to calculate, your heart will know the right amount
to pay.
8) Live simple. Own only what you can be a steward for with your own two hands.
Let go of what you do not need now or haven't used in a couple months and fnd
someone who needs it. The more you recognize your life purpose, the more
clear it will be what to keep and what to let go of.
9) Integrate with nature. Nature is healing and loves to heal. Protect it. Support
it. Surround yourself by wild nature and soak it up as much as possible. Learn
to respect nature and allow it to fnd its own balance.
10)Help the poor and needy. When you walk out your door, keep your "feelers"
open to notice people in need. Those in most need, won't be begging or creating
drama, but their sufering is palpable. Learn to recognize these signs and
always be prepared to help. Carry cash so you can share money, if it will solve a
real human problem. Make a regular practice of random acts of kindness, such
as buying someone a meal, handing out fowers to strangers, listening to
someone who needs to talk or caring for someone who is sick. If you are fully
busy helping those truly in need, there will be no time for fghting and no energy
left to focus on any of your own unsolvable problems.
Be free. Don't be owned or own others. Choose who you associate with, what you do
and where you go in life only because you wish to and because you know it is for the
beneft of all. Inner happiness is an all or none phenomenon. Don't rely on hearsay or
philosophizing. Make a strong commitment to apply the above spiritually oriented
values and lifestyles and learn for yourself. The author has found that the following
three "arenas" of work, when performed simultaneously, have been critical for success
in his life:

1. Inner Work; Develop mind control. You absorb in your heart, whatever you
focus your mind on. It is possible to feel sufering and pain, without letting it
control your thoughts and to know deep down that everything is okay. Getting to
the point where your inner loving intentions are stronger than your thoughts
and emotions requires daily inner work. Inner practices are techniques done
while you are by yourself. Examples of these techniques include meditation,
yoga, prayer, etc.

2. Applied Inner Work; Through your inner work, you will learn how to neutrally
assess and soothe your inner state of being. Naturally you will want to feel this
wellbeing as you go through your day to day routine, not just in your down time.
You will do your best to maintain the inward focus as you go about your day. This
will help you notice non-loving aspects of your life much quicker, because you
will see things about yourself that you could never have when you moved
through your day mentally absorbed and outwardly distracted. You may
immediately discover outer work that you can engage in to improve your life. In
doing so, you gain control of your life and become a source of positivity for all.
Examples of applied inner practices include afirmations, mindfulness, emotional
awareness techniques, meditative nature walks, etc.

3. Outer Work; Prove your inner loving attitude through real life changes and
eforts, so that in your darkest moments you have something real to remind
yourself that you are truly loving. Examples include making both large and
small changes in your lifestyle. You may review your job, your relationships,
your hobbies and where you choose to live, all with an open mind. A spiritually
oriented job devoted to helping others in need is a crucial element of outer work.
Basic Practices
Inner Work

Meditation:

Plan on performing twice daily for 15 minutes each session. Consistency is crucial. If
you wish a plant to thrive and fower, it needs sun everyday.

Find a time where you can have silence. Limit any distractions. Make sure others who
live with you know this is important quiet time or choose a time when you are alone. If
it helps you feel safe, lock your door. Unplug or turn of the phone, the TV, the radio.
Integrate this into your daily routine. Find a seat. A soft chair with a good back
support will work great. It is not necessary, to sit cross legged on a cushion. You can
even lay fat on your back, as long as you can remain awake. The goal is to relax and
even forget about the body, but be able to stay alert. Make sure your clothing is loose
ftting and comfortable. If needed, use a blanket to stay warm and cozy.

Now get comfortable in your chair. Set your timer or alarm for ffteen minutes or
more. If you don't have a quiet alert, then cover the alarm with a blanket or pillow so
that it is not startling when it goes of. The Insight Timer is an excellent app for those
with smart phones or ipads and is available in a free and $3 version. Start the timer
and then proceed with one of the following exercises:

1. ; Light-Shower also has full instructions at the link provided

(www.kriyayoga.com/openforgod.html).

2. Meditation; For those who have lots mind chatter and need a physical focal
point, start with this simple breathing meditation:

The goal of a meditation is to develop a caring, loving inner attitude, no matter what
you encounter during the session. Try to recall a time in your life when all was well.
Maybe you can recall some moments spent with a friend or a loving partner, in which
you were happy just being there. You may have felt cozy in your skin and were
satisfed by your surroundings and were open to doing just anything. Recollect the
way you felt then try to recreate it during your meditation.

Close your eyes and become aware of what you are feeling. For the duration of the
meditation, do your best to remain completely still and silent. If your mind is
quiet and you are aware of some warmth, energy or buzzing inside your body, focusing
on that while simultaneously allowing God to be with you, is an excellent practice for
your whole meditation. If you fnd your mind is jumping too much or you have limited
awareness of energy within your body, then focus your attention on how it physically
feels to breathe, while mentally embracing whatever comes up.

Start by breathing at whatever rate or depth feels natural to you. Focus on feeling
your breath. Notice the air moving in and out of your nostrils. Notice as it passes
through your throat. Can you feel your chest rise and fall? Feel the breath go deeply
into your abdomen. After settling in and observing your breath, now allow yourself to
gently participate in the inhale. Just as you might blow up a balloon, allow yourself to
gently fll your lungs. Then allow your lungs to empty, just as you would allow a
balloon to defate. Your job for the 15 minutes is to simply participate in the flling and
emptying of air in your lungs. Do your best to keep a steady rhythm without pausing.

At times you may be lost in thought, when you notice this, just kindly and frmly
redirect your attention to your breathing. If you are frequently distracted by mind
chatter, try increasing the tempo of your breathing. Short and quick breaths are okay
as long you are in control of the inhales and the exhales and can stay relaxed.

Applied Inner Work

Self Forgiveness Mirror Exercise:

After a 15 minute meditation, stand in front of a mirror by yourself at a time when you
are alone. Look yourself in the eyes and say "I forgive you" and "I love you". If it is
your wish, you may also say "I am worthy of God's love". Notice how genuine you feel
while saying this. How awkward did you feel? How easy was it to maintain direct eye
contact with yourself? How strong, soft and sure was your voice? What were you
thinking when you said this? Be honest in your self evaluation and periodically come
back to the exercise as a measure of your own level of self-forgiveness and love.

Forgiveness On The Spot:

The "hug test" is the most direct way to determine if you are "holding anything up"
between you and others. Simply ask yourself "could I comfortably hug this person
right now?". You may be surprised to fnd how often its hard to hug people. You might
be even more surprised to fnd that its hard to hug some of your "friends". It is to your
beneft to pause at these moments, notice how you really feel inside and make a strong
intention to soften up and become more huggable. Some times you may be successful
on the spot. Other times it may take hours, days or even multiple attempts over a long
period of time. But once achieved, you will have forgiven at the heart level and
something will have changed inside of both you and your recipient.

If you are really upset, you may beneft from a more methodical practice to stay
focused on forgiveness and prevent yourself from doing something regrettable. Just
remember to Stop, Forgive and Love and Let Go.

1. Stop; Put down your work, walk away from your kids, pull over the car or
turn of the computer! Stop whatever your are doing that triggered the upset.
Shut the door to your room. Remove yourself from the situation before reacting
to it and take control by putting yourself in a place where you feel safe. Go use
the bathroom if that is the only way to have some space alone. Wait until
tomorrow morning to respond if you can. If you cannot remove yourself from the
situation, then come back to this exercise later when you have a break in your day
and do your best to keep your lips zipped.

2. Forgive and Love; Make a mental efort to forgive the person that triggered
the upset, no matter how much they are to blame. If it helps you can forgive their
 soul, that is their true self. In comparison to all the messed up things happening
on this planet, and over all the years of history, does this event really matter?
Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself. It is to choose happiness over fghting.
But ultimately just "letting them of the hook" is not enough, love is needed to
truly heal the heart. Love is the magical ingredient when directed to the trigger
of your upset, that facilitates deep forgiveness. You know you've achieved this
when you can be face to face with that person and are able to give them a gentle
hug. Bowing in privacy or public is a power spiritual practice of forgiveness,
when you fnd yourself really upset.

3. Let Go; Let go. Even if this occurred earlier in the day, it is a past event.
Firmly choose to be positive and work towards a better future for you. Make sure
to draw limits so that you feel safe in your current surroundings. Recognize the
event is over, and any upset you are still experiencing is being created and kept
alive in you, by you, by your mind. Remember to return to your daily inner
practices, such as meditation, yoga and meditative walks in nature. Kindly
focusing your attention inwards, and spending time with your body is how you
soothe your emotions. At some point, you may notice your body relax even though
there is still some inner discomfort present. Once you can relax during meditation,
then you are ready to enact the "hug test" face to face with your adversary. Just
call up that same relaxed feeling you've come to know during your meditation and
open for God. Until this point anything you may say to "fx" the upset will be
polluted by anger that his being held within. After reaching the "hug test" level of
forgiveness you will fnd the right words come to you efortlessly, if anything needs
to be said at all. When you see it is possible to melt an upset inside of you and be
relaxed around an adversary, you may never tolerate holding a grudge again. To
keep a fght alive, even if it is hidden inside of you, is exhausting and limits your
freedom.

Afirmations:

Your thoughts and words set the tone for your state of being. Learn to choose strong,
positive, loving afirmations to remedy any negative beliefs or behaviors in your life.
The combination of feeling the essence of a negative belief, while maintaining a loving
inner attitude is the magic trick. At frst the afirmation will not feel true. But if you
pause and mean it, and persistently use it at the right time and the right place, it will
eventually become true in your heart. You will know this because your mind and body
will start to relax.
When choosing an afirmation, it is important to phrase the statement in a fully positive
manner. For example if you are ill, it would be wrong to use "I am healing from my
illness", because the word "illness" is still in your phrase. There is still a focus on
illness. It would be best to choose something like "I am healthy and well". Here are
some of my favorites:

1. I feel good about myself.

2. I love all beings and all situations.
3. God is love.
4. I feel safe in the heart space.
5. I am a loving soul.
6. I have all the time in the world.
Outer Work
At times, life is painful. But pain and sufering have a purpose. Each time sufering
happens, you get a wake up call. If the feedback is painful enough, you will be
prompted to review how it came about. If both parties had good intentions and the
upset was accidental, then it is a chance to learn how to soothe your inner state of
being. If you can see that you did something wrong, then accept that, quietly change
the way you handle this type of situation in the future and apply your inner practices.
If you were innocent, then you may choose to forgive while simultaneously
communicating that your feelings were hurt. If the problem happens again, then it is
time to draw limits and remove the source of negativity from your life. Continuing to
accept negativity in your life is wrong for both involved. You sell yourself short, and
you provide a venue for the other person to continue their negative ways. You give
negativity strength in both of your lives. If there is no way at this time to change your
situation, then work to be more independent, and in the meantime you may have to
accept that this is your karma.

The harder you work to be a better person, the easier it will be for you to remove
sources of negativity in your life and still feel good about yourself. The more valuable
your services and products are to the community, the less you are dependent on one
source for your happiness. The path of self improvement will take you outside your
comfort zone. As you become more sensitive to what is happening inside you and
continue to be active and loving, you will learn to solve problems in the most
challenging situations. You will learn to succeed while feeling fustered. You may
manifest regular experiences causing you to feel stupid, scared and just plain bad
about yourself. You may at times feel that nothing can make you happy. These are all
tests. They are meant to be temporary experiences, which melt away if faced with
love.

The author has found in his spiritual path, that embracing whatever negativity is felt
inside, while maintaining loving thoughts, words and behaviors creates an internal
"pressure cooker" type experience. He often felt overwhelmed by his day to day
routine, like his inner cup was fully running over. Yet even in that state, if he did his
best to contain what he felt and not act on it and not give it life, he frequently had an
uplifting efect on others. Often the only reason he knew he was loving, was because
those were his intentions. Otherwise at times he just felt like crap, with no room to
breathe inside. If he maintained his integrity, eventually the inner boil would come to a
breaking point. Often this was experienced as a crying inside and there was a direct
realization of how much he longed for God's loving presence. Sometimes tears would
come to his eyes. That state of being has proven itself to be a reliable beacon, a "call
for help from the heart". Each time it has happened, a melting or softening is
experienced inside and sense of wellbeing is enjoyed. Suddenly all is well with the
world again. Over time, this experience has declared itself as an opening of the heart,
and each event takes him deeper. The "breaking point" experience is sometimes even a
pleasurable experience. Through this form of spiritual progress, God's presence in his
life has become more noticeable and consistent.

Learning to open your heart in such way, is to experience true forgiveness. As your
ability to forgive improves and your love for all deepens, your life will begin to make
sense. You may eventually see that everything is happening for a reason. You may see
that beneath all the pain, loss and sufering is God's love. You may see that your entire
life is a school house designed to help you learn to be a source of God's love. You may
come to know a love that is much bigger than you. Although you cannot take
ownership of it, you will know that your participation was required to free its fow. You
will know that it took all your eforts to be a source of divine love, in a world where it is
desperately missing, and therein lies your true value.

Further Reading:

1. Favorite Mind Body Spirit Resources; (http://www.healthy-mind-

body.com/clinic/mind_body_spirit_resources.html)

2. Spiritual Treasures – Final Edition

(www.kriyayoga.com/Spiritual_Treasures.html)

3. Guide to Managing the Spiritual Treasures Compressed Files (http://www.healthy-mind-

body.com/healthy_spirit_blog/2014/07/guide-to-managing-the-spiritual-treasures-
compressed-fles/)