Dayspa

APR 2014

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YOUR WELLNESS SPA Mind-Body Health 74 DAYSPA | APRIL 2014 be for another. "I may use Native Ameri- can traditions like smudging and a wis- dom deck of cards, or Tibetan sound bowls, but the point is helping people fi nd a way to slow down and return to them- selves. When they can soothe and relax their bodies, they move back into a natu- ral state of health. Their cells respond." Furst believes that when someone is engaged in a state of prayer or medita- tion or transcendence, there is harmony between the inner and the outer person, and therefore, confl ict dissipates. "When we're identifying with our spirit, our body doesn't relate to illness," she says. Finding a connection to a force we per- ceive as greater than ourselves may enable us to experience a healing "surrender" from lives we feel we must constantly control. "I often do a three-minute heart meditation just to surrender," says Dr. Judith Orloff (drjudithorloff.com), assistant clinical pro- fessor at UCLA and author of The Ecstasy of Surrender: 12 Surprising Ways Letting Go Can Empower Your Life (Harmony Books, 2014). "It might be in an airport bathroom or wherever I happen to be. I breathe, I get centered and I tune in to my higher power. When I do that, I know my day will be much more productive." Orloff explains that, in general, learning to know when to move forward and when to let things go leads to spiritual health. "It's hard for Westerners to understand the relaxation and bliss that surrender brings," she says. Is spirituality best realized alone or in a group? There's no right or wrong answer. It's true that people have gathered at churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, meditation rooms and mountaintops for centuries; coming together as a commu- nity is intrinsic to many faiths. People nat- urally do this because the collective energy of a group is palpable and comforting. (As Orloff says, "Get enough positive people together and you can change the world.") But a spiritual practice is as distinct as a thumbprint. Each individual must fi nd what works for him or her. "It isn't always easy to tap into one's spirituality while in the midst of everyday life," acknowledges Furst, "but we can help ourselves by connecting with nature or using prayer and books and music." She says that someone seeking to tap into their inherent spiritual nature has to discipline their mind to do so. "It's so easy to slip into fear and separation," she says. "I recommend that people do develop a personal practice and that they strive to remain conscious all day long." Andrea Renskoff is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles. dayspamagazine.com/freeinfo • Use FreeInfo #34 Y o u r W e l l n e s s S p a 4 1 4 . i n d d 7 4 Your Wellness Spa 414.indd 74 3 / 7 / 1 4 9 : 5 9 A M 3/7/14 9:59 AM

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