Spiritual Health Checklist
By Jeffry R Palmer Ph.D.
Nov 24, 2005, 07:46
Spiritual Health Checklist
Most of us are unaware of the health of our spirit or life energy. We go about our daily business without ever giving a second thought to this very vital part of our lives. For the majority of people, spiritual health is intangible, invisible the notion of the spirit is purely an idea or abstract concept, not a thing that can be monitored and measured easily like blood pressure or insulin levels. Yet our spiritual health is just as real and important as any other measurement of our well being.
Lacking the modern devices and technology used to track physical illness, we must rely upon a routine of self examination and introspection in order to gauge the health level of our spiritual selves.
The following checklist has been designed to help determine whether your spiritual health is in need of attention.
1. You find yourself more in agreement with negative points of view
2. You are easily irritated or agitated, small things annoy you.
3. Beliefs that once seemed impeccable seem to have let you down.
4. You feel drained or tired most of the time.
5. Hobbies and interests seem less enjoyable.
6. You relive past events trying to determine when things went wrong
7. Migraines and other ailments occur more frequently
8. When you should be relaxing, you feel uncomfortable and nervous.
9. There always seems to be a void in your life which must be filled
Any or all of these issues may point to a serious need to address your
spiritual health and well being. Considering the important role which spiritual health plays in our overall sense of happiness and fulfillment as well as the direct connection between spiritual wellness and physical health it is unfortunate that more attention is not paid to this vital area.
When the spiritual self is injured, the mind and body suffer. Take some time to examine your life path, your beliefs and expectations. Consider practicing meditation or other relaxation techniques to reduce stress and anxiety. Make a point of self evaluating the strength of your spirituality and take steps to connect or reconnect with the sense of wonder and mystery of life.
Examine your beliefs. Are your beliefs working for you? Is it possible that the beliefs that you have held for so long are actually damaging your spirit?
Of course it is. We often inherit the beliefs of our ancestors, community and cultures. Many times these beliefs simply are not compatible with we intrinsically know to be true. The resulting inner conflict can result in a sort of spiritual flu, an illness which we carry often for a lifetime and we can never seem to shake. No matter how good things may seem to be going, we always feel a certain kind of emptiness. Examine your beliefs and your entire belief system, do not be afraid to throw out any beliefs which feel at all uncomfortable. Your spirit will thank you.
I don't know where you get this stuff, but I sure am glad you post it.
Hey Hippie! I Hope you had a great New Year Thank you much for stickin around. I knew you wouldnt desert us.
WW~ This is very interesting! I thank you to for posting it. I have to say it was almost painful for me to read because I feel so many of those things. I think it has alot to do with this triangle I had seen before. I'll have to go look it up again but it said the bottom layer was just plain survival mode. Its when we feel our anger and frustration intensley. I know that I have been on the bottom of the triangle for some time now. I am still adjusting to having even the basic necessities such as heat in my life again. I found it has taken a toll on my self esteem and my spirit. I am trying to keep from living a lie. I feel it is hard to stay focused right now. i guess I just need some time to heal. I can at least give myself that.
Love to Everyone,
aea
WW~ This is very interesting! I thank you to for posting it. I have to say it was almost painful for me to read because I feel so many of those things. I think it has alot to do with this triangle I had seen before. I'll have to go look it up again but it said the bottom layer was just plain survival mode. Its when we feel our anger and frustration intensley. I know that I have been on the bottom of the triangle for some time now. I am still adjusting to having even the basic necessities such as heat in my life again. I found it has taken a toll on my self esteem and my spirit. I am trying to keep from living a lie. I feel it is hard to stay focused right now. i guess I just need some time to heal. I can at least give myself that.
Love to Everyone,
aea
hi- me too! my spirit is severly damaged. thank you ww for this post as i have suspected this for a long time, but i don't know what to do. %funny% i thought getting clean would help, it hasn't.....jojo
question: as i am one with little 'faith' i'm wondering if faith and healthy spirit necessarily go together. then i'm doomed to be forever cranky!
question: as i am one with little 'faith' i'm wondering if faith and healthy spirit necessarily go together. then i'm doomed to be forever cranky!
Good question.
Thank goodness my higher power watches out for you, heehee, and your weed dude. oops did i say that out loud, no lets pretend i didnt.
Love ya girl, and so does Jesus. lol, ok you can kill me now.
Could i be anymore crass, oh sure i could. Lets see.... well I will stop there.
Thank goodness my higher power watches out for you, heehee, and your weed dude. oops did i say that out loud, no lets pretend i didnt.
Love ya girl, and so does Jesus. lol, ok you can kill me now.
Could i be anymore crass, oh sure i could. Lets see.... well I will stop there.
jamv-
How nice of you to stop when you did, thank you so much.
jojo-
In my humble opinion, spirit is something individual, inside each of us, and faith is something else, belief in an external power. I don't think you need to believe in an external power to believe that we all have something inside of each of us which is etherial and somewhat undefineable. And which can be both broken and healed.
And you know what I think you need to do to heal that spirit girl!
How nice of you to stop when you did, thank you so much.
jojo-
In my humble opinion, spirit is something individual, inside each of us, and faith is something else, belief in an external power. I don't think you need to believe in an external power to believe that we all have something inside of each of us which is etherial and somewhat undefineable. And which can be both broken and healed.
And you know what I think you need to do to heal that spirit girl!
oh hippi, that is an open invitation to get me on a roll boy... just for you.
our father who art in heaven... come on now let all join in, say if you know it, kumbahya my lord, oh as the saints, go walking in,,,,,
stick a needle in my eye, lalalalalalalalalalalala
our father who art in heaven... come on now let all join in, say if you know it, kumbahya my lord, oh as the saints, go walking in,,,,,
stick a needle in my eye, lalalalalalalalalalalala
jamv, why are you so hung up on what others thing or do? what do you care? don't you have your own program.
jamv - thanks for your thoughts i can accept your higher power..... hmmmm exactly how far do i go?
what did you mean about the w. dude? you've got his back too? is that what you meant?
this spiritual checklist that ww started is so cool. i keep coming back to it. then again when i read it i see that i am truly spritualy damaged. i had thought getting clean would help. so far it hasn't. maybe to come?
thanks ww, hope all is good and your health and all.
it's cold and damp here in nyc. what's it like where you folks are???
-jojo
what did you mean about the w. dude? you've got his back too? is that what you meant?
this spiritual checklist that ww started is so cool. i keep coming back to it. then again when i read it i see that i am truly spritualy damaged. i had thought getting clean would help. so far it hasn't. maybe to come?
thanks ww, hope all is good and your health and all.
it's cold and damp here in nyc. what's it like where you folks are???
-jojo
thanks hippie- i know you know. i know you are right. got to think a little first. good thing it's early in january. dang if i'm spritually damaged too!
oh lol!
-jojo
oh lol!
-jojo
hardcharger, I am not HUNG up on anything it is called a joke.
I enjoy humor, I like keeping it light, luckily jojo and hippin (I hope) get my sense of humor, or at least I thought they did. I could care less what other people think.
Yes Jo that is what i was talking about.
Gosh I wish we could all lighten up again, where did all the humor go. Hippi, didnt mean to offend was just being silly, same to you jojo.
Hardcharger could care less what you think you seem to look for people to pick on, it is my day so pick away, dont know that what i am working is called a "program", but I work on my self daily.
Humility being one.
Laughter being another.
Forgiveness
and looking at my own hang up not those of others.
I enjoy humor, I like keeping it light, luckily jojo and hippin (I hope) get my sense of humor, or at least I thought they did. I could care less what other people think.
Yes Jo that is what i was talking about.
Gosh I wish we could all lighten up again, where did all the humor go. Hippi, didnt mean to offend was just being silly, same to you jojo.
Hardcharger could care less what you think you seem to look for people to pick on, it is my day so pick away, dont know that what i am working is called a "program", but I work on my self daily.
Humility being one.
Laughter being another.
Forgiveness
and looking at my own hang up not those of others.
Humility being one.
Laughter being another.
Forgiveness
and looking at my own hang up not those of others.
Now that's a program I can endorse!
As far as eggin you on------:P!
Laughter being another.
Forgiveness
and looking at my own hang up not those of others.
Now that's a program I can endorse!
As far as eggin you on------:P!
What does :P! mean?
and also correct me if i was wrong hippi, but when you said
>jamv how nice of you to stop when you did< I took that as funnin around
????? was I right or were you being a jack a**.
Just wanted to make sure, I was interpreting things right around here. Hell I just sent Mr. B a web sight on the 13 steps to pagan recovery. lol. and I am the rubber tree plan lady.
Anyway, just feeling kinda crappy from this board lately.
Maybe I should disappear for awhile like August. lol, ok another joke, i guess i am forgetting the %%%%, but people dont always know what that is anyway.
and also correct me if i was wrong hippi, but when you said
>jamv how nice of you to stop when you did< I took that as funnin around
????? was I right or were you being a jack a**.
Just wanted to make sure, I was interpreting things right around here. Hell I just sent Mr. B a web sight on the 13 steps to pagan recovery. lol. and I am the rubber tree plan lady.
Anyway, just feeling kinda crappy from this board lately.
Maybe I should disappear for awhile like August. lol, ok another joke, i guess i am forgetting the %%%%, but people dont always know what that is anyway.
don't you dare disappear girl! plus you are taking a hiatus next week no????
The computer may be the only thing I can do. Thinking about starting my autobiography.
good! or maybe a memoir..... either would be cool, a good read! a perfect time to reflect and write.....
how are you? sorry you are frustrated with this board..... me too but we should hang in. for me it keeps me in-line and online ha. can't trade this for the solo thing again.
yet speaking for myself i am having a hard time getting a hang of this year. maybe it's because i'm so unfocused. maybe cause i still can't think straight. maybe because i'm spritually damaged.
how are you? sorry you are frustrated with this board..... me too but we should hang in. for me it keeps me in-line and online ha. can't trade this for the solo thing again.
yet speaking for myself i am having a hard time getting a hang of this year. maybe it's because i'm so unfocused. maybe cause i still can't think straight. maybe because i'm spritually damaged.
jamv-
:P is an emotocon, like :) ---it means I'm sticking my tounge out at you.
(I mean, you have to look at these things sideways, but that souldn't be so hard for a bunch of former tokers like us)
So hopefully that answers your other question about joking around but just in case 2006 is the year of "not getting it" yes, I was joking around.
all this Jesus stuff reminds me of a story my dad used to tell
Seems there was this country preacher, and one day he was doing a sermon titled "Demon Rum" (not to be confused with daemon run, which is a computer term, but I digress)
on and on he railed about how it caused all manner of problems, agressiveness, forgetfulness, spending the rent money on liquor...
Finally as he wound up he stated emphatically...
"...and if I had my way I would throw all the rum in the county in the river
and all the whiskey too
and all the beer and all the wine too
I would throw every drop of liquor in that river!
Now brothers and sisters, let's all sing...please turn to page 56 in your Hymnals"
And the congregation sang:
"Let's all gather by the river,
the beautyful beautyful river...."
:P is an emotocon, like :) ---it means I'm sticking my tounge out at you.
(I mean, you have to look at these things sideways, but that souldn't be so hard for a bunch of former tokers like us)
So hopefully that answers your other question about joking around but just in case 2006 is the year of "not getting it" yes, I was joking around.
all this Jesus stuff reminds me of a story my dad used to tell
Seems there was this country preacher, and one day he was doing a sermon titled "Demon Rum" (not to be confused with daemon run, which is a computer term, but I digress)
on and on he railed about how it caused all manner of problems, agressiveness, forgetfulness, spending the rent money on liquor...
Finally as he wound up he stated emphatically...
"...and if I had my way I would throw all the rum in the county in the river
and all the whiskey too
and all the beer and all the wine too
I would throw every drop of liquor in that river!
Now brothers and sisters, let's all sing...please turn to page 56 in your Hymnals"
And the congregation sang:
"Let's all gather by the river,
the beautyful beautyful river...."
Funny!
Ok I see it... the tongue, cute, man I could come up with some good ones. So I guess hardcharger is the one without the sense of humor.
Hey hardcharger what program you workin?
In fact HC, I even gave you a compliment the other day in which you quickly informed me I was wrong, you were not doing good, just acting. So either it is pick on Jamv day, no no that cant be it. Never mind
Ok I see it... the tongue, cute, man I could come up with some good ones. So I guess hardcharger is the one without the sense of humor.
Hey hardcharger what program you workin?
In fact HC, I even gave you a compliment the other day in which you quickly informed me I was wrong, you were not doing good, just acting. So either it is pick on Jamv day, no no that cant be it. Never mind
i know you gave me a compliment, but i'm not really looking for compliments, and i may have sounded good, but even though i'm 8 wks out, i really don't feel all that good about my herb. And, I don't really feel the need to "yuck it up" with anyone here, but you 3 are welcome to chug along.
you seem to have a hair trigger about anything this higher power thing, and I really don't read much of it on this forum. I don't see any holy rollers here, or even anyone that is pushing a higher power, but you seem to think there are. as far as I can tell, this forum is full of pagans.
you seem to have a hair trigger about anything this higher power thing, and I really don't read much of it on this forum. I don't see any holy rollers here, or even anyone that is pushing a higher power, but you seem to think there are. as far as I can tell, this forum is full of pagans.
Dang. Seems you make a lot of assumptions.
Maybe you arent looking for compliments but in this world people might just give them to you anyway, a nice response could be thank you, or no response at all.
Funny about the hair trigger comment/pagan, I am a devout catholic and was teasing JoJo and Hippinerd re. the lack of higher power as they can take the joke. I am ok with the higher power talk, and they are ok with me having a higher power.
It seems sad so much animosity on here. I remember the anger and frustration I felt, I still feel it from time to time, like today. I remember when you first started posting I was going thru a fair spell of it.
No need in chumming it up with anyone if you dont feel like it. I will try my best not to be nice to you if that is what you want or make no comment in your general direction at all.
For the record, I am open minded, I dont care if you do or do not have a higher power. I am quiet fond of the one I finally accepted at the age of 35, and converted to catholicsm at the age of 36.
Maybe you arent looking for compliments but in this world people might just give them to you anyway, a nice response could be thank you, or no response at all.
Funny about the hair trigger comment/pagan, I am a devout catholic and was teasing JoJo and Hippinerd re. the lack of higher power as they can take the joke. I am ok with the higher power talk, and they are ok with me having a higher power.
It seems sad so much animosity on here. I remember the anger and frustration I felt, I still feel it from time to time, like today. I remember when you first started posting I was going thru a fair spell of it.
No need in chumming it up with anyone if you dont feel like it. I will try my best not to be nice to you if that is what you want or make no comment in your general direction at all.
For the record, I am open minded, I dont care if you do or do not have a higher power. I am quiet fond of the one I finally accepted at the age of 35, and converted to catholicsm at the age of 36.
