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   %DIFFERENT ASPECTS BEING MIND BODY SPIRIT HEALTH 900321

     It is often misleading to regard a person's spirit as
a mysterious and usually invisible physical body patterned
after  familiar  bodies.   Such a view of the nature of  a
person's spirit does not correspond to most people's daily
experiences,  and leads people to dismiss the reality of a
person's spirit as a significant aspect of being human.

     Spirit is one among a variety of different aspects of
being  human.    Which  aspect of being human  is  in  the
forefront  of  any  relationship  depends  upon  how   the
relationship is approached and regarded;  it depends  upon
the  relationship  as  much  as upon the  persons  in  the
relationship,   and  how they and their relationships  are
approached.

     Mind,   body,   spirit,  and affect all point to  the
variety  of  different aspects of  being  human.    It  is
helpful  to  be  aware of the  differences  between  these
aspects  of being human,  and to be aware of the  ways  in
which  the different aspects come to us in combined  ways,
even  though  they often appear to us  to  be  independent
aspects.    It  is not helpful to try to separate out  and
identify  aspects  which are totally  independent  of each
other,  for they  all  tend to be interdependent upon each
other;   as  are humans in healthy personal  and  communal
relationships.

     It  is  clear that one aspect of being human  is  the
physical  body which may become victim of physical injury,
damage,  poisoning by chemicals,  disease through invasion
of bacteria and viruses,  and malfunction of physiological
processes.     These  are  the  concerns  of   traditional
physicians.    The body is perhaps  the most  obvious  and
clearly   present  aspect  of  being  human.    Upon   its
disintegration we do not regard what is left to be a human
being with any coherent aspects of being human.

     The  mind  of  a  person  pertains  to  the  logical,
reasoning, measuring, calculating, technical, manipulative
and  controlling  aspect of the person.    The  mind  uses
knowledge  gained  in the past to  predict,    anticipate,
prepare for,   and attempt to regulate  the future.    The
mind has to do  with  science,  technology, planning, work
and business.   It is the second most  obvious  aspect  of
being human.     The  person  who engages  in  no  logical
thought,       reasoning,      measuring,     calculating,
manipulating,    controlling,   prediction,  anticipation,
preparation,      regulation,       science,   technology,
planning,     work  or business:   is  for  all  practical
purposes dead;   a   dead beat who is beat and not  really
alive.     When the mind is diseased a person  engages  in
illogical,    unreasonable  and  confused thinking.    The
management of  their  daily  living disintegrates  in ways
which are bound to affect the integrity of their body.

     The  spirit of a person is that aspect of the  person
which pertains to the person's attitudes, values,  ideals,
goals,   reason for being,  vocation and the person's most
basic assumptions, convictions and beliefs.  The spirit of
a  person guides the mind and body of the person in  doing
and assessing what is done.   Matters of the spirit do not
have  to  do  with physical matter;  but with  what  gives
direction   to   what  physical  matter  does  under   the
management  of  the  mind.    When a  person's  spirit  is
diseased the person engages in misguided ventures  without
vision or overview of what they are doing,  without regard
for the probable disintegrative consequences.

     The  affect  of a person pertains to the  quality  of
inter-personal  relationships  and how  they  touch  other
persons both literally and symbolically; how people affect
each  other  and  what effects  they  have  through  their
affection or lack thereof.   Affect is related to physical
affection,   intimacy,  emotions,   sexuality,   security,
vulnerability,   trust,   risk,   authenticity,   honesty,
openness in personal relationships.   Healthy people  seek
healthy  relationships.   When the affect of a  person  is
diseased,   the  person  is not participating in  and  not
seeking healthy personal relationships.

     Addiction  and  codependence are collusive  games  of
mutual  self  deception which are diseases of  the  spirit
having disintegrative consequences to mind,  body,  spirit
and  affect.    Attempts to control  the  consequences  of
addiction  and codependence are misguided behaviors  which
are  aspects  of the addictive and codependent  processes.
Attempts   to  control  addiction  and  codependence   are
symptoms of those disease  of  the spirit of the community
which is suffering from the disintegration  of its  spirit
and the disintegration of the spirits of its members.

                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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