Transitioning to Holistic Wellness?

What is holistic wellness?

Holistic wellness considers the whole person when taking preventative measures to maintain health as well as process healing. The physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions are the three building blocks of holistic health as they are the checks and balances that color our health.

Devan Oschmman of the AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Studies describes what holistic wellness is by noting that "we are highly sentient beings living in diverse and complex social structures. Taking a holistic approach to healing means we will consider all realms of existence, not just the physical body."

For instance, when we are not in touch with who we are spiritually it can take a toll on our physical health in the form of headaches, eczema, and other acute conditions.

Just eating healthy and/or exercising does not ensure a healthy mind, body, and soul. It is about making space for ourselves and collaborating with these building blocks to create an easeful existence which can be started by doing things as simple as beginning a night time ritual by lighting candles before bed.

Why is it important?

It is important to approach wellness in a holistic way because ultimately we resolve the source of the issue rather than the symptoms like how OTC cold medicine makes us feel better but does not actually resolve the illness your body is still actively fighting. Trauma whether it be physical or emotional can impact our relationships to our own body, food, money etc.

For example, think about one who grows up with food scarcity and tends to overeat in a adulthood because they operate from a space of 'lack' which in turn poorly impacts their physical health leading to feelings of insecurity. Now, they may have high blood pressure and a doctor prescribes them a pill which causes unintended side effects further altering their emotional and spiritual state to an unhealthy place.

Now, consider an alternative to that route of problem-solving by going to therapy and unpacking why they were overheating and the origins of this compulsion.

Following these personal paradigm shifts, they are more empowered to engage the knowledge learned from the doctor and therapist in a sustainable way through easing into lifestyle changes such as mindful eating that ultimately lower their blood pressure and allow room for emotional and spiritual growth.

"If we all we engaged in mindful eating more regularly (cue a “slow dowwwwn” echo), our brains and bodies would most certainly thank us later,' says Juliana R. Collins, a licensed social worker practicing in Philadelphia which speaks to the ecosystem of wellness and how its not just a single factor that affects our health.

Who can benefit from holistics wellness?

Anyone who is committed to the process can truly benefit from holistic wellness. We should not expect immediate results after the inception of this lifestyle change. Our body is conditioned to move through space and interact with the world a certain way and deviating from that norm will take patience and time. Holistic wellness is about sustainability in our bodies, minds, and spirits through measured and intentional practice.

Engaging this approach makes our lives more intention based and focused giving us the wherewithal to move towards the things, experiences, people, energy, and feelings we do want and shed what no longer serves us. Alexandra Baker of Medium.com notes that"holistic wellness plays a pivotal role in your overall well-being and life satisfaction," and it requires an openness and courage to withstand all that will surface as we engage with ourself and the world around us in a vastly new way. Taking moments of gratitude over tea for instance are vital as they allow us to hold space for ourselves and be still as we evolve.

What are the benefits?

The benefits of holistic wellness are limitless and depend on what we are willing to do to reach our highest selves.

The holistic resolution contrasts against modern western medicine and ideology in that it takes into consideration many other factors in addition to the physical body and seeks to care for us 'sentient beings' in a way that we are wholly healed beyond the site of apparent illness.

Using this method we arrive at an easeful existence that approaches conflict, joy, illness and so on in a way where the external environment does not disturb our inner peace.

Holistic wellness does not distance us from our complex humanity but rather it caters to and collaborates with our nature to nurture us.

How can I begin a holistic approach to wellness?

It's quite easy to begin the process of ascending to our best self through holistic wellness! Meditation is a great start; we can steady our mind body and spirit on a meditation mat or even when we are in the zone working on our favorite projects. Meditation is about being present and grounded while not being burdened by outside forces. Need help meditating, check out the BLK + GRN Podcast, we have a guided meditation featured in the middle of each episode.

Clearing energy that does not serve our highest good is another inexpensive and simple way to adjust our environment via 'smudging' the space with white sage. Burning White Sage is "a 2,000 year old Indigenous American practice. The shamans used dried sage plants on their fires as a ritual of calling upon ancestral spirits. Any conflict, anger, illness or evil was absorbed by the sage smoke to be released or cleansed from the energy field of a person," notes Tiffany Maloney of MindBodyGreen.com.

Being present and mindful is an ongoing practice in holistic wellness. We must be aware of our intentions, how we enter spaces, and what we are consuming so that we can take the necessary steps to lead enriching lives and let go of what is not in alignment with us.

How did you get into holistic wellness? What has this apporach brought into your life? We'd love to hear from you! Be sure to share you comments via our social media @BLKandGRN everywhere!