Why Being Strong Physically Positively Affects Our Spirituality

Our physical body is part of our experience on this planet. Being in balance requires us to take loving care of our physical form as well as our mind and spirit. If we have issues with weight or illness it is because we haven’t noticed the beacon illuminating our issues along the way. It’s okay. We all have ignored the indicators our body has given us at one time or another.

The stronger we are physically the easier it is to feel happy, positive and good about ourselves. Conversely, when we lead a sedentary lifestyle, the worse our diet is, the weaker our body becomes which causes us pain, inflammation, and suffering that in turn makes it difficult to do spiritual work in the world. No matter what brings you joy having a strong physical form will make it easier to accomplish your goals. When our body is wracked with pains we may become depressed which makes it more difficult to exercise and then we turn towards foods like sweets or high fats to make us feel better.

There are easy ways to begin to move even when our body isn’t as fit as we might like. Here are four easy ways to begin to improve physical strength, conditioning, and health right now without spending a dime. As we begin to incorporate more physical movement into our daily life everything gets better including our ability to concentrate, depression begins to lift and we feel more positive with higher self-esteem.

Stimulate The Vagus Nerve

The Vagus nerve is the largest group of accessory nerves in our body. It begins in the brainstem extending through the tongue, vocal chords, heart into each of our organs, affecting the sinus, gallbladder, liver, stomach, digestive system all the way into the thigh. The Vagus nerve governs the parasympathetic nervous system the one that calms you down. The importance of the Vagus nerve is that it counteracts the sympathetic nervous system better known as the fight, flight or flee mechanism.  Stimulating the Vagal nerve can slow the heartbeat,  relieving stress, depression, and anxiety.

“It’s almost like yin and yang,” says Mladen Golubic, M.D., of the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine. “The vagal response reduces stress. It reduces our heart rate and blood pressure. It changes the function of certain parts of the brain, stimulates digestion, all those things that happen when we are relaxed.”

The medical profession has found new ways to stimulate the vagus nerve mechanically. If you like me, prefer to avoid medical treatments and heal yourself naturally whenever possible the suggestions below are safe, ways to do so.

How To Stimulate The Vagus Nerve

There are many ways to stimulate the Vagus nerve. I’ll be writing more on this subject later in the week.

  1. Breathe slowly filling your lungs all the way to the top and exhale slowly.
  2. Chant or sing.
  3. Do yoga.
  4. Lay or sleep on the right side
  5. Pray the rosary or mala beads
  6. Massage
  7. Fasting intermittently
  8. Eat lots of fiber
  9. Exercise
  10. Gargle
  11. Tongue Depressors
  12. Oxytocin
  13. The SUN especially at sunrise or sunset
  14. Laugh
  15. Social Interactions that are positive
  16. Normal Thyroid Hormone Levels
  17. Take Zinc supplements
  18. Tai Chi
  19. 5HTP or Serotonin
  20. Chew gum
  21. Probiotics
  22. Tensing the stomach muscles (while walking, exercising, having sex, lifting weights)
  23. Taking coffee enemas – this type of enema also cleans out the liver ducts
  24. Cold – cold showers, splashing cold water on your face or being out in the cold
  25. PEMF (magnetic stimulation) on the brain and or gut will stimulate the Vagus Nerve.
  26. You can amplify the affects of the slow, deep breathing (in #1)  by laying down, extending your fingers so that they don’t touch allowing your mouth to fill with saliva and sinking your tongue into that liquid. EW? This is a powerful way to heal the body of inflammation, depression, anxiety, and pain. Slow, deep breathing allows your blood pressure to be reduced, digestion to improve and for you to feel better.
  27. Deep and fast inhalation with a fast powerful exhalation. There are many ways to breathe to heal our bodies. Using a quick inhalation through the nose and expelling the air just as quickly and powerfully through the mouth to the count of thirty, holding your breath while focusing on the third eye for ten or more seconds and repeating the cycle of 30 in breaths twice more for a total of 90 inhalations and powerful exhalations. Not only does this stimulate the vagus nerve, it oxygenates the brain and the blood and helps detoxify your body.

Move and Stretch Your Body

You don’t do yoga as yet? That’s fine. Start simply by stretching your body. Our muscles become tight and shortened when we don’t move around. Begin any physical regimen with simple stretching. If you can’t sit on the floor, stretch from your chair. There are plenty of videos on the Internet to guide you. Start slowly and gently if you haven’t got an exercise program in place. Walking is one of the simplest and best exercises to start with, just be sure to do stretching first and after completion to alleviate sore muscles.

  1. Extend your arms outward from your body holding them outstretched as long as you can.
  2. Gently let your arms down.
  3. Extend your toes as much as you can.
  4. Walk slowly doing lunges to stretch your legs.

Get Out And Garden

Being outdoors is good for everyone. If you notice dogs and cats they are happiest when they are outside. They know what is good for them. Being outside will help you feel better than being stuck indoors all day every day. You will find nature soothes your spirit and mind as you garden. Mowing the lawn with a push mower can provide plenty of physical exercises. Physical work is good for us. Begin slowly and don’t overdo it.

Do housework 

Instead of washing the floor with a mop, get down on your hands and knees and move your body to accomplish your house cleaning tasks. Not only can you do a better job than a mop can do, but your body will benefit as well.

We are mind, body, and spirit. Including our physical exercise to strengthen our body provides balance in our life which helps us in all areas. When our physical form is stronger we feel better about ourselves and our world.

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