Research Paper - Holistic Living

Finding yourself and being able to become “whole again beyond” is among one of the first steps of recover. There are so many things to confuse us from day to day that we often lose sight of history and the need to be cleansed from our clouded knowledge. Hart writes, “We experience moral confusion, but also philosophical, religious, educational, legal, economic, and political confusion, and part of it all – indeed, at its center – is the sense that something is missing, that the whole is somehow less than the sum of its parts, that there is no center, no structure, no anchor, and no core”(1). The quote above goes to show that we are confused throughout many aspects in life. Becoming “whole” is the hardest step towards recovery because there isn’t any sort of structure to it. Like the quote says, there’s no core. Even though we think at times there isn’t an answer to our clouded questions, there is a clear spectrum through modern history and modern thought to answer them. Hart explains, “Yet I wish to propose, frost-like, that there is a clear stream of understanding that can clarify the issues in these multiple confusions and enable us to see our way beyond them”(2). There’s always a way past confusion, the answer just lies in a place you have not looked yet.

Clearing the mind is essential when you’re dealing with the healing process. Theres a website online that covers holistic living and they say, “Having a Healthy Mind is essential to the healing process. And Emotional Healthy living is a core component of achieving a healthy mind. Our brain chemicals run our bodies. They are the messengers and communicators. If these chemicals are out of balance then our bodies are out of balance”(3). In any given day the mind is the strongest asset that you contain. If your mind isn’t able to think clearly on what it is that you want to achieve, you more than likely will have a harder time achieving your goals. One way to help clear the mind would be through meditation. Meditation allows you to simply ease the mind and put yourself in a stress free environment. Michelle Toole in her article about rewiring the brain mentions, “Meditation is a component of many religions, and has been practiced since antiquity." The purpose of meditating can be many different things to many different people but usually those who practice have a common goal: to quiet the mind, to relax and reflect”(4). One of the essential things when recovering starts in the mind. The mind is your power to control and balance everything in your life. An unstable mind equals an unstable way of living. Certain ways, such as meditation, help you rewire the brain to relax and control situations in your life that effect your brain.

When creating a balanced life on your way towards becoming “whole again”, every person you come across can play a role in your life. Connections with other people can drive you to be great and destroy you. Luckily, you get to decide who you value and want to keep in your life. New Holistic Living website says, “ Of course our lives would not be truly balanced without leaving room for the most fulfilling and enriching experiences most of us ever have -- our connections with each other”(5). Having a healthy life with others in it is a good way to balance out your life. It is an essential part of living “whole” and moving towards the state of self satisfaction.

When moving towards recovery the question you want to ask yourself is, “Am I living holistic?” This can be achieved by rewiring your brain to think differently from the way you do already. Meditation is one way to help, but another is through the intertwining of healthy relationships with the ones you love and care about. Becoming “whole again” is the right step towards recovery. You have to become whole within yourself if you want the world around you to start moving on the right track.

Works Cited 

1. Hart, Jeffrey “Acts of Recovery”, University Press of New England, Hanover and London 1989. Page 15
2. Hart, Jeffrey “Acts of Recovery”, University Press of New England, Hanover and London 1989. Page 15
3. Toole, Michelle. "Emotional Healthy Living: Healthy Mind." n.pag. Web. 3 Oct 2013. <http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/Emotional-Healthy-Living.html>.
4. Toole, Michelle. "Rewire Your Brain for Health and Happiness." n.pag. Web. 3 Oct 2013. <http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/brain-health.html>.
5. "Holistic Loving: Improving Relationships Through Understanding." Relationships n.pag. Web. 3 Oct 2013. <http://newholisticliving.com/relationships.html>.