Understanding the interconnection between mind and body is one of the keys to healthy living. Interest in the mind-body connection from a medical perspective can be traced back to the early 20th century. One of the earliest proponents of mind-body connection was an Austrian analyst Wilhelm Reich (1897-1957) who believed that there is a profound connection between the two. What the body does affects the mind and vise versa. In other words what we do to our body affects the mind and the way our mind reacts has an effect on our body. Take physical exercise for an example. The positive affects of exercise are well established in Medical science. Yet many are unaware of the fact that physical exercise increases blood and oxygen flow to the brain which in turn help generate new brain cells, maintaining memory and enhancing the brain’s ability to continue to grow. Exercise also helps increase concentration. Many also believe that physical exercise also affects the way we think.

Stress perfectly illustrates the interactions between mind and body. Human body is said to be equipped to neutralize short term stress. However when stress continues for a prolonged period of time the physiological components of the body’s response to stress have disastrous effects.1 It is commonly acknowledged that long-term stress causes the following:

[I]ncrease vulnerability to diseases such as lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and obesity... Stress has an impact on absenteeism rates and job performance, effectiveness, and satisfaction..” 2

One can only imagine the effects of using narcotics on the human body and mind. We believe that we ultimately hold the key to our physical and emotional wellbeing. Dr. Candace Pert, professor of Biophysics and Physiology at Georgetown University School of Medicine perfectly illustrates our position on the roles we play in our physical and psychological wellbeing:

"We must take responsibility for the way we feel. The notion that others can make us feel good or bad is untrue. Consciously or, more frequently, unconsciously, we choose how we feel at every single moment. The external world is in so many ways a mirror of our beliefs and expectations. Why we feel the way we feel is the result of the symphony and harmony of our own molecules of emotion that affect every aspect of our physiology, producing blissful good health or miserable disease."3

1 Biofeedback Relaxation Training: a Rediscovered Mind-body Tool in Public Health. Kristine S. Calderon, Winifred W. Thompson. American Journal of Health Studies. Volume: 19. Issue: 4. Publication Year: 2004. Page Number: 185+.

2 Mind-Body Medicine and the Art of Self-Care: Teaching Mindfulness to Counseling Students through Yoga, Meditation, and Qigong. Marc B. Schure, John Christopher, Suzanne Christopher. Journal of Counseling and Development. Volume: 86. Issue: 1. Publication Year: 2008. Page Number: 47+.

3 The Mind-Body Connection in Learning. Ruth Palombo Weiss. T&D(Training and Development.) Volume: 55. Issue: 9. Publication Date: September 2001. Page Number: 61.

“Through life’s rush
never forget compassion”