Opinion: Body, Mind and Spirit

From Bev Floyd

I want to talk about ‘prayer’ but first I will make a lengthy detour.

What do we need to do to stay healthy in body, mind and spirit?


My one-word answer is ‘awareness’.

Let’s take physical health. People stay healthy if they eat well and exercise to stay fit… if they pay attention to the best available information… have regular ‘checkups’, stay informed
and avoid danger.

It’s much easier in Australia, as we have a good health system, and most Australians can access the medical support they need.
Australia also has a well-educated population and a wealth of available information. All that is required to stay healthy is to keep an eye on
the state of our body and do what
is necessary… to be aware.

Then there’s ‘mind’. Australians have the opportunity for education, and most have completed several years of post-primary education… so there is a fair understanding of science and history etc. However, many Australians put a low priority on developing their minds. Fewer men than women are readers. There are now many new Australians who need to learn English and be able to access suitable resources. Individuals who want to develop their minds need to make an effort… to be aware.

Then there’s ‘spirit’… ‘heart’… ‘confidence’… this is a more difficult quality to define.  Clearly, someone who is confident and happy, with few serious problems, will have a less troubled life. As well, they will be more able to contribute   productively to their community.

Like physical and intellectual well-being, emotional well-being requires attention to basics. Perhaps the first requirement is for people to start learning about themselves… ‘know yourself’ is a famous saying. Another important requirement is to form a view on the meaning of life and be sufficiently aware to live according to that view and modify it as new information comes to hand.

So… that brings us to the matter of PRAYER and what it is… well, at least what I think it is.

It’s quietness. Inner reflection. Awe.
Awareness. Letting go of the ego to notice things that a busy and noisy life sometimes obscures. It’s opening the deepest part of our being to healing and goodness and love. It’s paying attention to truths about our body, our intellect and our spirit.

We need to pray.

Some pray with words. Some pray with dance or music or song. Some pray with poetry. We need to listen to the deep, deep wisdom from within ourselves. Some will call this the voice of Godliness. Some will call it an inner human knowledge.
I don’t mind what it is called. The important thing is that we learn to do it… regularly, happily, satisfactorily. When we do, we’ll find the gift of awareness close at hand. We’ll be able to live better and be an asset to the community in which we live.

oOo

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