October 2015:  Be Aware of Your Spiritual Wellbeing

Wellness through Awareness!

Welcome to the October issue of TotalWellbeing! This month we are going to look at our wellness topic, Spiritual Wellbeing, as it pertains to another important theme for October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Before we get into how spiritual wellbeing plays a part in your life, we want to bring awareness to the fight against Breast Cancer and encourage you to get involved. MINES will be posting resources and tweets all month long on important issues pertaining to BCAM, but you can get involved right away by following the link in the wellbeing resources below to find great local resources and ways that you can help support the fight against Breast Cancer. For a closer look at spiritual wellbeing and how it relates to our topics this month please read The Path, below.

As usual we invite to check out MINESblog. Last month we had 3 very important posts. One of our case managers, Alea Mackley, discussed Suicide Prevention in the Workplace. Next Ryan Lucas, Manager of Engagement and Development, covered 5 important considerations for those suffering from depression in honor of National Suicide Prevention Day. And finally to balance things out with a post on a lighter topic, Nic Mckane, yours truly, looked at The Importance of Family Influence on Healthy Habits.

Continue to watch the MINESblog to see latest discussions about wellbeing topics and tips on staying healthy and stress-free. For even more great resources be sure to explore the links to the left with important resources such as our LinkedIn showcase pages  and Balanced Living Magazine.

To your total wellbeing,

The MINES Team

The Path

Spiritual wellbeing could be defined as our level of peace and harmony tied to our sense of purpose within the world. Now where does Spiritual Wellbeing play a part in all Breast Cancer Awareness Month? In a word, hope. More specifically, maintaining positive spiritual wellness and remaining resilient when you or a loved one are faced with a diagnosis is hard — but crucial. Maintaining a positive state of mind has also been proven to impact treatment outcomes and limits despair during the darkest times in life. Not only does a high level of spiritual wellbeing make you a more resilient person during bad times but studies show that those that have overcome hardships have higher levels of happiness overall. This is due to a higher awareness of the small things in life and appreciation for the happier times in life. So this all just goes to show that good or bad, a positive, balanced mind can make all the difference.

Keep your own spirits up! Find out some of the science behind spiritual wellbeing and its connection to our overall happiness. The University of California has some excellent overviews of spirituality and what it means to each of us as individuals as well as some great resources to help enhance your sense of spiritual satisfaction.

Read the full article here!

The American Cancer Society is a great organization that is no stranger to fighting the good fight. You can support all the great things they are doing by getting involved in local events or donating to the cause.

Get Involved!

 Chakra To Your Senses

Many cultures believe in Chakras (shock-ras) which are, simply put, energy centers in your body that govern various aspects of your physiology. We will stay away from any religious aspects of these, such as their Buddhist symbolism, and instead focus on the general concept behind them to bring you more ways to nurture your body as well as mind. Click here to see a complete list of the 7 chakras and their properties.

Chakras to nurture this month: Crown and Heart

In order to support your spiritual wellbeing it will be important to be aware of, and nurture, your Crown and Heart Chakras. Your Crown Chakra, located in the top of your head, is actually your spiritual energy center as well as intelligence. You can nurture your spiritual center by stimulating your intellect and critical thinking. Read an inspirational book, or engage in some meaningful conversation. Your Heart Chakra, located right where you think it’d be, is your center for love and compassion. Support your heart by spending time with those you care about, or even try some inward reflection such as writing in a journal or writing some poetry or music if you’re feeling creative. Now get out there and have fun and be well!