by Geoff Gray, a student of Southwest Institute of Healing Arts' Mind/Body Wellness Practitioner program.

How can you achieve a mind/body/spirit lifestyle? It's easy. The key is to use L.I.G.H.T.

Listen, Ignite, Green, Heat, Time

Healthcare has changed over the last several years. The conection to wellness and lifestyle has many of us wondering what it all means. Some may say the 'pop a pill and call me in the morning' approach just isn't enough. The desire for the quick fix has left too many people dissatisfied with costly bills. Mind/body/spirit wellness relies on creating balance. When balance is the focus, wellness is more effective in creating permanent change.

The first and most important factor in this mind/body/spirit approach is to LISTEN. Taking time to focus your enregy and raise the level of awareness allows you to think and feel outside the realm of current circumstances. Thus, a clear image of yourself makes moving forward easier.

Second, there is the need to IGNITE or connect to that which brings life. For some, that may mean connecting to a higher being. While for others, that could be meditation. Whatever it is for you, bodies require fuel! Life is about energy exchange. By igniting and setting free the energy that breathes new life in you, it will invite a new sense of being. Removing, or disconnecting from what steals energy keeps the body from running on empty. A gardener will prune the dead in order to allow new life.

Eating GREEN is third. This is probably one of the most misunderstood concepts. Eating green doesn't mean buying a "healthy" frozen meal that can be popped in the microwave. Eating green is a mindful exercies as well. It's about taking time to be thankful for what you have and eating whole foods free from toxic pesticides. So, eat green everyday!

The fourth key is Heat. Heat means sweat! The body is designed to sweat. Exercising causes several types of release. Release of not only toxins in you body, but also the release of emotions that have built up in your subconscious.

Last, and certainly not least, is Time. Time to sleep. If the body is not resting enough, other areas of operation will begin to shut down and fail. Think of it like this, rest equals healing. Healing takes place at night when the mind and body rests. So, make sure you get plenty of rest for your body to heal.

Creating a mind/body/spirit lifestyle can require change. Changes take place when L.I.G.H.T. exposes the dark. Imagine or pretend if needed what you might look like after raising your awareness. Changing a single thought pattern and realeasing negative self-talk helps to begin this mind/body/spirit tranformation. Living in such a way that creates this kind of balance paves the way for success. It's almost like buliding your own road to life and healing. Each block is one step toward success in every area of your mind, body and spirit!

Geoff Gray is a Mind/Body Wellness Practitioner specializing in Holistic Nutrition. If you would like to contact him, please email Geoff at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it