“Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.” - Carl Jung
Are you healthy?
Take a moment to consider how you answer this question. What criteria do you use to frame your response? Most of us consider a variety of factors when we evaluate our health. Our initial consideration may be primarily physical, based on biometrics (weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.) and whether we have a chronic condition. We may also evaluate how our daily habits make us feel and how closely they follow current medical recommendations. Some of us may include qualitative factors, such as the strength and quality of our social connections and overall life satisfaction. There are an endless number of responses to this question, from the person who proudly recites a detailed list of their physical “stats” to one who has no idea, answering only with a shrug. I once had a man tell me that he knows he’s healthy if he wakes up in the morning. For him, it was that simple.
Whether we arm ourselves with objective data or remain blissfully unaware, our deeply held attitudes, assumptions, and expectations about health have a profound influence on our quality of life. It was not so long ago that one of the leading causes of death was infectious disease. The introduction of antibiotics, enhanced sanitation, and improved nutrition dramatically improved our longevity. Nowadays, even though we are living through a pandemic, the leading causes of disability and premature death are still, for most of us, chronic in nature. Unlike acute infections, chronic disease germinates slowly, over a lifetime, and is influenced by the choices we make on a daily basis. Our lifestyle and the decisions we make about what we eat, how we move, and when we rest have a cumulative effect. Whereas we can catch a cold after a single exposure to a virus, we don’t just wake up one day with heart disease, diabetes, or cancer. It takes years of habits that create an environment which allows chronic conditions to develop. Understanding the assumptions and beliefs that underlie our choices is the first step in becoming and staying healthy.
The word “health” derives from an Old English word that means “whole”, referring to a thing that is “complete in itself”. Most global definitions of health describe it as “a state in which one can function well physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually, with the ability to express the full range of one’s potential given the environment in which one lives”. Even the World Health Organization references a sense of wholeness in its definition of health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” These definitions encompass factors that go beyond what is measured in a physician’s office to include social, economic, and environmental influences. They recognize that health is a multidimensional, self-directed process of making choices and practicing behaviors that are based on an awareness of what helps us flourish.
Eastern medicines have a long history of treating health as a state of integration and balance. Some of these traditions believe that harmony and health are created when contrasts are in balance. For example, traditional Vietnamese medicine believes that health is achieved when there is a balance between the contrasts of “hot” and “cold”. The Taoist tradition recognizes that health is not a static process but a dynamic one that requires constant rebalancing and oscillation around one’s middle point. Yoga therapy seeks to establish what is known as “sthira”, or steadiness, and “sukha”, which means “ease”. Through sthira and sukha, we establish a state in which all the layers of our being are working together harmoniously.
How do we find this center, our “whole-ness”, in a Western world that frequently encourages us to ignore our need for balance, pushing us instead toward excess? Research has identified three key capacities that, when developed, strongly support our health and well-being. Studies have shown that the three capacities of self-regulation, adaptability, and resilience can help us navigate our health with greater autonomy and competence. They also provide skills that can be applied to a number of different areas, helping us to find balance in the physical, psychological, and emotional domains of our lives.
Throughout September we will focus on these three key capacities to explore how their development can influence our health and well-being. The ability to self-regulate, to be adaptable, and be resilient in one’s response to life are woven into yoga philosophy and are the cornerstones of “sthira” and “sukha”, steadiness and ease. Self-regulation is the process of purposefully directing our actions, thoughts, and feelings toward a purpose or goal in a way that endures over time. It includes the ability to “pause and plan”, engaging our ability to act thoughtfully rather than impulsively. Adaptability is akin to the physical attribute of flexibility, our ability to adjust to the stresses placed upon us by external forces. It is measured by our capacity to adjust and respond to change appropriately, without unnecessary drama. Resilience relates to steadiness and strength. It is measured by our ability to withstand force without strain or damage and is reflected in how quickly we bounce back when we are thrown off center. We experience resilience as an increased tolerance for discomfort as well as the rekindling of energy when life throws us off course.
I invite you to explore your attitudes and assumptions about health. Keep in mind that what we say to ourselves about our bodies matters as it directs our attention, focuses our energy, and drives our choices, for better or for worse. Do we experience our bodies as a trusted friend, listening carefully to its messages, or do we become exasperated when it doesn’t respond the way we want it to? Do we think of our mind and body as being an integrated unit, or do we feel separated and out of touch with our physical being, lacking an awareness of body sensations? How much influence do you believe you have over your health and well-being? Are you tuned in to your internal wisdom and body rhythms or do you rely on external cues or medical experts for your health decisions? The skills related to self-regulation, adaptability, and resilience are essential to our ability to make autonomous and knowledgeable decisions about our health, to find our center, and to be whole.
What does it mean for you to be healthy? Visit my blog throughout September to explore this question and perhaps gain some of the skills needed to navigate the challenges life throws at us. In each blog you will be introduced to the three capacities that can help us take control of our wellbeing--self-regulation, adaptability, and resilience. Along the way you may learn some skills that will bring you closer to an optimal level of health, encouraging you to become whole. Let’s explore how to meet the challenges of life with equanimity, openness, and strength so that we not only live with more ease, but ultimately grow and flourish.
Comments