This means that there are multiple factors that affect our health, and they are all linked to each other and all of them need to be addressed and maintained for robust wellbeing. The factors include Food, Movement, Sleep, Nature, Community, Spirituality, Financial Stability (needs), and Purpose. The triangle on the top of the logo symbolizes Mental, Physical, and Spiritual wellness and those come from attending to the factors in the Circle.
So, let’s unpack this a bit more in an overview with deeper dives coming in later posts.
The low-hanging fruit on the list is Food. Fixing our Food intake has a massive impact on other areas of our health and makes the biggest difference when we are talking about chronic illness or inflammation. You simply cannot outrun a “bad” diet. No amount of exercise or herbs (or pharmaceuticals) will counter the damage from poor quality or fake food. You literally are made of what you eat. Food builds your cellular base and helps you to have energy and to repair and heal.
Movement means just that. I’m not advocating for hours of cardio training or that we all need to take up kickboxing or something, but we need to Move. Humans are not designed to sit for hours in front of screens and especially not indoors. Take a morning walk, park further away from the store, join a yoga class, or do something gentle to start adding more Movement to your day. There are significant benefits to resistance training and mobility work, and we will talk about those in another post.
No, we aren’t going to Sleep when we’re dead. Well, maybe, but that’s not the point. We are going to start prioritizing this right now and Sleep is a non-negotiable factor. You must give yourself permission to rest and Sleep because that’s when healing and repair happens and when memories form. Adults typically Sleep about 7-9 hours a night and if you aren’t, then let’s figure out why. It can be from complex reasons (including trauma), and this is one area where we might use herbs or supplements for symptomatic relief until we can get to the root cause.
Remembering our connection to Nature is vital and exposure can have substantial influence on our wellbeing. Simply being outdoors for about 20 minutes can lower blood pressure and cause the stress hormone cortisol to drop measurably. When outside, the sound of birdsong calms our nervous system because our body remembers that if birds are singing then we are unlikely to be in any danger. Until recent history, humans spent most of their day in a direct relationship with Nature and relying on the information and resources like sunlight, food, and water that she provides, and our bodies and nervous systems are still adapted to that connection. Being in touch with Nature also motivates us to protect her and care for our environment.
In our Circle, you also find Community, and this refers to having a trusted support group of friends and family (chosen or biological) and to having larger communities as well. No one heals alone. Humans are social animals, and we thrive in safe groups. Widespread trauma combined with modern US cultural influences have left many of us isolated and alone and this compounds the struggle to find wellness. This is a multifaceted topic and one that I’m very passionate about and we will talk extensively about Community.
Spirituality is a personal experience and incredibly impactful on our health. For this section, whether you believe in something from an organized religion, have indigenous beliefs, or have independent ideas of what your spiritual connection means, that is the path that’s perfect for you and that’s what matters. At the very least, an openness to Spirituality and spiritual practices is required.
Our next component addresses Financial Stability (needs), and this is not the most critical factor, but it does play a supporting role. We don’t need to be dripping in gold and diamonds, but we do need a certain level of access to services, safety, and security that comes from Financial Stability. It’s difficult to get healthcare needs met or have an adequate diet if we are flat broke. Additionally, financial stress takes a huge toll on our nervous system and while a mild amount is manageable, this is a target for mitigation and a very common struggle.
Which leads us right into Purpose! When we are able to be our authentic selves, which I will call “Self”, our Purpose exposes itself and we can follow the trailhead. In many cases, this leads us to Financial Stability as a secondary benefit. I was taught that everyone is given a gift when they are born and that our Purpose is to find our gift and give it back to the people. What does the “real you” truly feel and desire? What does that inner voice say? What is that secret dream that you know you can do but have been afraid to try? What was the thing that you loved doing as a child? The path to Purpose comes from healing and being able to be authentically our Self. And yes, we are going to talk about this more too because I know this is a tricky one.
So, there you have it. Don’t be overwhelmed by the pieces and please understand that we are always in motion around our Circle (even if we are in a freeze state towards some segments) and that as one area becomes more optimized, it flows to other parts too. We travel this circuit daily and we have lots of opportunities for change. Most of us eat 3-4 times a day and each one of our meals or snacks is a chance to make a choice. None of us are perfect, not me, not you, and it’s continually a process, but there are ways to make it easier and that’s why we are here.
We are going to heal together.
Janice Penberth 