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C2V
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20 Jun 2017, 12:28 pm

There is a concept of general health that states to be completely healthy, one must have adequate physical health, psychological / mental health, and spiritual health. Many holistic approaches to healthcare even incorporate this concept - that patients must be supported to fulfill their spiritual needs. It is not viewed as any less essential than physical or mental needs.
It doesn't specifically state religious health, though that is what it means for many people.
I know this is very true of me. Every time my life has proverbially gone down the toilet, spiritual health has either been neglected, or those needs have otherwise gone unmet. Whenever my religious practices are getting a bit lax (like now, due to distance to travel and an annoying bunch of minor illnesses following each other making things difficult) I feel the lack - I lose clarity and perspective, and my mind can start to fall into tunnel vision deluded petty thinking. When I get back on track with my religious life, things clear up. For me, spiritual health is literally essential to survival.
Do you believe this is a viable concept? What does spiritual health mean to you? How do you fulfill those needs? Do you see spiritual health as synonymous with religion, or do you view those needs as fulfilled elsewhere?


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techstepgenr8tion
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22 Jun 2017, 7:01 am

I think there's a couple layers that can be discussed here - esoteric and pragmatic. Since the esoteric is impossible to agree on and the pragmatic is so obvious in its effect it seems like a much better starting point for analysis.

The way I understand it - who you are vs. who you think you need to be for the environment you live in are often two different things. Additionally it can be very difficult to check in with yourself in the sense that there are broad ranges where your own internal non-moving and non-flexible parts actually won't give you the types of warnings that you'd like them to if you've crossed certain particularly dangerous boundaries (for example standing at the edge of a cliff - sure, you're whole nervous system will go into self-preservation, staying at a really bad job or being around people who can't relate to you all day with no concept of discharging what you need to - that's more likely to end up in a graying mood, depression, and neurosis). I think to really get competent at making your internal life work you have to get really good at checking in with yourself and, also, your core 'being', whatever that consists of, will also ask for impossible things - its not always reasonable either. Solving that also takes some very artful moves and endeavors.

I think all of that needs very skillful and organized play to synchronize. Looking at the attitudes our culture has taken, both historically and now it seems pretty clear that not managing this correctly yields bizarre public results. Being as sane and self-integrated as I can for the people around me, let alone for myself, is a bit like showering every day. To that end spiritual health and its nexus with mental health are, to me at least, a private and public health endeavor but one that ultimately has to be grass-roots. It can take some external suggestion, like meditation and the like, but it's ultimately up to the person to figure out their own nervous system, how it ticks, and what it needs.


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14 Jul 2017, 6:06 am

The concept is love and serving to other



Campin_Cat
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14 Jul 2017, 1:22 pm

Do you believe this is a viable concept? Yes.

What does spiritual health mean to you? Same as what it says in the OP.

How do you fulfill those needs? Study the Bible / pray.

Do you see spiritual health as synonymous with religion, or do you view those needs as fulfilled elsewhere?
BOTH!! For instance, to me, being in nature, is very spiritual----taking a walk in the woods, being on the water, camping, seeing wild animals at play / in their natural habitat (ie, deer), or even just the view of majestic mountains.




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0_equals_true
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14 Jul 2017, 1:33 pm

Spiritual health is an ambiguous concept.

However the feeling described can be explained differently.

Some people obtain mental stimulation through activities traditionally associated with spirituality. This can be due to esoteric or more practical needs such as love, acceptance, empathy, etc.

Any form of positive mental stimulation can potential improve mental health so it is not really a case of requiring it to be one form or another.

Some activities like mindful/one point meditation have been studied and found to be capable in control of mental state.

However these form of meditation are the least spiritual. In fact they are they are the antithesis of contemplative meditation. The whole point of them is you are thinking as little as possible, and focusing on the feeling of the body and breathing. Form of meditation that involve doctrine or esoteric spirituality have the potential to be neurotic.



RetroGamer87
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14 Jul 2017, 7:11 pm

Is spiritual health similar to mental health?


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