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Join me tomorrow on my NEW weekly Pod cast where I get the opportunity to talk about all things of the Mind, Body, and Spirit.

Tomorrow’s show is titled: Faith, what is it, what does it mean?

Bob and Greg tackle the topics of the idea of faith, what faith is, what it means to have faith, and how we exercise it in our places of worship and in our day to day lives.

We record live at 10:30am PST / 1:30pm EST.

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The relationship between the material (our bodies), the mind (our brains) and the spirit (our souls) is intertwined. Some of us are very focused on the material world and on our own personal physical world – our bodies.  Others are focused on the psychological world which is limited to the grey matter in our skulls – the brain.  Finally, some of us are fascinated with the search for God that is found in the spirit that resides within each of us.  It’s not like we have to pick one and ignore the others. We are at our best when we are aware of all three and consciously nurture and develop each one.

If you only got to choose one of the three which would you choose?

I’ve come to believe that those are the levels of maturation that we can pass through almost like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.  At the foundation of this 3 layered pyramid is care for our physical bodies. The ideal goal would be perfect health. The middle layer would consist of care and attention to our thoughts that are contained in the mind.  When we control our thoughts through positive self-talk, the body responds accordingly through improved health and performance. The goal at this level would be 100% positive self-talk (the thoughts that we think inside our heads about ourselves and others).  At the top of this pyramid is our spiritual development. This layer would consist of our thoughts about our spiritual selves (the divinity within us) and our thoughts about and relationship with God and other humans.

The top level might actually be our self-actualization where we realize our relationship to God and the development of what we’ve come to know as spiritual traits and characteristics – unconditional love, desire for peace within ourselves and for all beings and compassion for all.  Our relationship with God allows us to develop the traits in ourselves that we believe God possesses naturally.  We have this potential.

I am convinced that part of the maturation process for us in each of these areas is related to the education that we receive in each of the areas.  I believe that it’s an awareness issue.

For example, I was brought-up in a home that was aware of the relationship between calories consumed (how much we take-in) and exercise (how many calories we burn). I was given this knowledge when I was about 12 because I was much fatter than my parents or doctor thought that I should be.  After going through tests for glandular problems, my doctor and Dad gave me strong medical advice, “you’ve got to put out more than you take-in”.

Although my Dad didn’t have me counting calories or have my body fat measured, he knew at a very basic level that I needed to eat less and exercise more.  I was given that gift by my parents and I’ve been able to maintain a very healthy body throughout my entire adult life.  They gave me the gift of awareness as it related to my control over the health of my body.

What would’ve happened to me if my parents and doctor hadn’t taken the time to assist me with eating food in moderation and the habit of regular exercise? Would my weight have gotten so out of control that I’d be among the morbidly obese? Would I have given up hope or resigned myself to the fact that I was born big-boned and I was supposed to be overweight?  It’s very possible had I not received the gift of education while my problem was still easily manageable.

I didn’t receive much education at home or school related to how our minds work. It was not until I was about 38 years hold that I became thoroughly educated on the relationship between our self talk and the results that we receive in our lives. Once I was educated on how our self-esteem is created, and the value of maintaining 100% positive self-talk, I was able to change every aspect of my life in which I had more potential to develop.  That included every area!

What would have happened had I received that information in grammar school?  Would my life have been different if I had known in my teens that the thoughts that we’re thinking today will end-up producing what we realize and receive in the future? YES. Do I blame my parents?  No. They had never received this type of knowledge so they could not pass it on to me. Now that I have this knowledge I’ve passed it on to my wife and two children.  They now get to choose whether or not to use the knowledge.

Because I was brought up Catholic and because Christianity was a part of our lives at every meal (prayer), at bed-time (prayer) and on every Saturday or Sunday (church), I was exposed to the belief that God exists and He’s here to love me and help me with every aspect of my life whenever I choose to involve Him. I knew at a very young age that I was never alone.  I knew with all my being that there was a piece of divinity – the Holy Spirit – that dwelled inside of me. My spiritual spark was lit at a very early age and I’ve chosen to pursue God and a strong relationship with Him.

Because of the religious/spiritual education (including 8 years of Catholic grammar school), I was very open to the idea that God exists and that I can have any type of relationship that I choose with Him.  It’s up to me.  That gift resulted in spiritual knowledge that has given me unwavering faith.

What would’ve happened had I not received the gift of Faith and belief in God when I was young?  I don’t know.  Would I be walking around wondering what the whole point of life is?  Would I not see each person on the planet as a spiritual brother and sister?  Would I not know that the reason that I crave silence so much in my life is because God is found in silence? Would I not know that it’s within my potential to live a Christ-like life or even know what that is?  I was given an unfair spiritual advantage by my parents.

If you or anyone you know did not receive the gift of education in any of these areas, please believe me when I tell you that progress in each of these areas can happen very quickly. I know that significant improvement to our bodies, minds and spirits can be instantaneous.  As soon as our minds lock-on to our new idea, the creative process begins and tremendous energy is created.

I was with a friend at dinner last night who six weeks ago decided that at 50 years old, it was time to improve his health.  He lost 25 pounds in six weeks without any exercise.  He modified his eating habits.

I train people every month in the science of controlling the thoughts that go on in our minds – self-talk. Many of them call me or send me e-mails thanking me for helping them to understand how to turn their lives around and start seeing themselves, their families and the world as positive.  The changes begin happening overnight – literally.

From a spiritual perspective, I know that God is always waiting for you to say “hello” and He’s always ready to listen to you.  God is waiting for us to invite Him into our lives. He will not make us wait.  There are numerous books to assist you in the process of pursuit of God and the development of the spirit that resides inside of you. If you used to attend worship services, why not attend one in the near future. Your faith community will be very happy to have you with them.

Ask and you will receive.  Knock and the door shall be opened.