01. Nine dimensions of Health
Upon waking up, we use our eyesight to connect us to where we are. Sometimes it’s the sounds around that wake us, or a feeling from within that wakes us; ultimately it’s our eyes that connect us to the environment around us to orient our mind with where we are in space and time. This can be in-context to waking up for the day, or having a spiritual “awakening.” A lot of us experienced this as adults as we maneuvered through COVID-19 in 2020 and saw the social constructs that have curated this climate, or after having done psychedelic mushrooms in the forest for the first time and really got to know the biomes of the surrounding flora.
The longer we stare at something, the more that it becomes. When we look at our life, for the extent that we’ve lived, and have the capacity to dream of where we want to go, our life becomes bigger; expansive to the infinity degree. Anything is possible— within the structures that prove to be supportive and positive, it is okay to be free.
Opposingly, we can look at something through it’s many layers of systems and find it can all come down to one thing. It’s mind altering to me, that we can say our physical body is made of organs, which are made of cells, and those cells have structures with roles and systems to carry out those roles as well. It’s in those cells where order and disorder can affect a body system like our heart, or brain. AND to bring this back out into context, when our heart and head are well, so are we, and our families.. if the cells are unwell, any communal, positive effort flowing forward is diverted to redirect the system back into working order.
There will be many moments in our life that we “wake up” to new information about our life that shatters it as we know it. Before stepping forward and acting, it’s best to get our grounding, and have something to firmly stand on. When we are supported by a system of healthful activities, we can change the pace at which we were meandering through life. Ultimately, we have power.
Once we have woken up and can shine honest light on who we are, we find we have rights to help protect us in our awakening, to be who we are freely. We also have responsibilities. (R&R).
Rights~ Human rights are with regard to how we treat and interact with other humans on this planet. Rights are a call to safety. If we can recognize ex/: clean water, safe housing, sanitation and healthful foods, dignity, access to education, justice, and health care.
Not to be or stretched into the category of desires.. i do need to the largest pack of pouring paints because i want to start a new hobby..
Responsibilities- It takes actual hands to move items, and it’s our personal responsibility to use our hands safely, to serve ourself and others. Responsibilities are actions that support ways of being and growing. We hold responsibility with dignity because it feels good to do good. It’s pleasant; it’s peaceful.
This ebb-and-flow of “I have needs, and I have gifts” says also “you have needs, but I take care of mine first.” It shows “it’s my responsibility,” especially at rock bottom, to pick myself up and choose to be better, to change the patterns, and to get out of the clouds that kept us dark. AND that can still be a very hard thing to do.
Often times we “run out of energy” because we were unaware of what was pulling us down- A self-destructive path can continue without acknowledging what is to be learned when we’re down. We must attend to a journey of learning, thinking, doing, and then learning from the doing. It begins with thinking about what we’re thinking about- Metacognition In a strategized system: we notice and learn, re-align ourself to a better path to regain energy, and then we can grow.
The idea of setting goals, being healthier, and “being a better version,” can all be buzz word that can seem condescending and stressful for most people, especially if it’s not intrinsically motivated. AND when we can make a little effort each moment to override small actions, it can help everything seem less challenging, and more targeted. Much like a hike, sure the mountain seems tall, but each little actual step is initiated by a small group of muscles, just doing their job of flexion and extension, and we’re not even thinking about engaging that system, we just have to convince our mind that we can make it there.
What’s overwhelming is knowing where to go, we have a body, so let’s take it there. When we settle in 9 dimensions of health, we can see how everything we do is connected, and working to improve one area of health can influence other areas, thus improving your overall health.
“healing begins the moment hope becomes stronger than fear.”
Sometimes we choose to grow because the new path seems more interesting, sometimes we choose to grow because the last path was not working, and sometimes we’re “forced” to grow because it’s inevitably our next step. Our “rock bottom” is just a moment to pause and re-align ourself to a different path.
HEALTH IS… a group of categories we can measure how well we can move into the next moment with. When these categories are well stocked with tools, energy, and aligned to a common goal, we are well enough to bounce back faster when we hit rock bottom. When our systems, or “habits” failed us, we have to look deeper into the what the problem was. This is where expansion into 9 dimensions of health is important because if it’s our physical health that is in “disorder,” maybe it’s actually something within our environment that is causing it. Below you can see how we can go deeper into actually resolving a problem or disorder we have.
HEALTH IS US. IT’S LIFE. IT’S SELF. it’s the cumulation of gauges that tell us how we’re doing, and the tools on how to get somewhere next.
Pardon the spelling error on *intellectual. it seemed too ceremonial to go back and fix.
Healing is the process of caring for our health. It’s our right, and our responsibility. Healing happens in the little choices at a time. Habits form when we repeat actions with intention for at least 3 weeks, everyday, the same choices in the littlest of moments. Here are some ideas of healthful activities to grow or let go of in keeping with our theme of the newsletter~ decomposition. Next weeks topic will reside in finding balance between all of these. The goal is not to do all of this, but to visualize yourself doing them, and practicing the ones that bring you joy.
Intellectual: Making and accessing mind-maps of thinking patterns to navigate through space/time.
Grow: Meditation- an opportunity to not be distracted by a thought. Practice staying focused by setting a timer and actually doing the whole task, rather than half-doing many.
Let go: Being afraid of our thoughts, and looking in. We are not our thoughts, they just arrive, and you can cancel them anytime they don’t align with who you want to be.
Academic: What we know, and the topics we spend time experiencing and reflecting on.
Grow: After learning a fact, concept, or connection between something. Tell someone about it!
Let go: Watching tiktok thinking your doing research, and then doing nothing with it.
Financial: Investments, access to resources, cost of responsibilities.
Grow: into a process oriented way of thinking about work. It’s not to get to Friday, the paycheck, or the bonus. It’s the experience of being there that is the gift.
Let go: saying things like “is it Friday yet?” Say “what good can come today?”
Physical: Body Systems and how efficiently they work together. Supported by foods and the activities we do.
Grow: intentionally find moments to take an additional sip of air when inhaling. Our lungs, specifically our diaphragm need expansion to stay healthy.
Let go: allow a sigh to happen in your exhale and feel how it influences your veins.
Environmental: Organization and use of the resources around us. Rooms, neighborhoods, climate, air, & biomes.
Grow: get into your yard, nature, a garden, or your house plant, and view how a particular plant is growing. Look at the leaves, stalk, pedals, and decrepitation. Observe the cycle.
Let go: being grossed out by touching dirt/grass/worms. Notice your thoughts around nature.
Emotional: Regulating systems within us to help guide our mindsets from one moment to the next, supporting action and in-action.
Grow: recognize how anger can rise in your veins, or how guilt punches your stomach. Notice the sensations or the emotion.
Let go: using anger to react. Anger is an alert, return to calm to respond.
Spiritual: Hope, faith, wonder, & awe.
Grow: Find the moon this week in the sky. Sit and watch it, no moon? Watch the clouds.
Let go: fear around an infinite universe. You matter, and can truly make a difference.
Creative: Share our process with others. Expression, enjoyment, freedom.
Grow: dance to the beats in your head. Let your hips mooooove.
Let go: feeling like people are judging your dance moves.
Social: How we interact with others & our connection to them.
Grow: hold a hug with someone. Don’t let go. Feel how long it can last, and the effects of that on your demeanor and connection with that person.
Let go: awkward moments that happened in the past. Leave them there.
Next week, we can look forward to what finding balance in all of this can look like, but for now try on what seems doable for you.
