It’s my favorite soda.
But no, I’m not going to talk about why I like to drink it.
Fr. Alfonso “Alsed” Sedurifa of the Augustinian Order gave me the acronym PEPSI. I met him last week after hearing the Holy Mass he officiated. Very friendly and down-to-earth, Fr. Alsed shared his life story and reminded me that it takes PEPSI- readiness to be able to hurdle the challenges in life.
P-hysical, E-motional, P-sychological, S-ocial and I-ntellectual – it’s got to be the whole integration of wellness that enables us to live life to the fullest.
I like to add another S though – spiritual – as this is the fuel that mobilizes PEPSI. Without spiritual wellness, all else fails.
So let’s embrace PEPSIS not just PEPSI.
Today’s integrative medicine recognize that health is influenced not only by the physical body but the spiritual, mental, and emotional bodies, too. Our health is dependent on PEPSIS instead of just the physical area. The physical body is affected by our emotions, our thoughts direct how we feel, and our energy level sways our mind and our thoughts. Our connection to all of PEPSI is our spiritual body.
It need not be tied to religion although some think so. Spirituality is defined also by our values, beliefs, principles, and morals. Having compassion, the capacity for love and forgiveness, altruism, joy, and fulfillment help you enjoy spiritual health.
So whichever way you choose to view the source of your energy (whoever you believe is your god), we need to keep our spiritual connection always open. If a blockage occurs, energy and information are unable to flow freely from the spiritual body down through the mental, emotional, and physical bodies. This is why a daily spiritual or religious practice is so important to maintain this open connection.
More than daily meditations and retreats, spirituality is best nurtured in praying. William Carey wrote that “ Prayer – secret, fervent, believing prayer – lies at the root of all personal godliness. It is in connecting ourselves to our God in prayer that we can experience true peace.
Philippians 4:6-7 says, “…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
So, ask God for the wisdom and discernment to teach you how He wants you to pray and for what He wants you to pray for. “Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees”~ Corrie Ten Boom
Here are five other positive responses we can do to strengthen our spirituality.
1. Be grateful for all your gifts (material and nonmaterial)
2. Share your talents and gifts – be a person with and for others.
3. Find people who share your sense of morality.
4. Attend a service or ceremony to enhance your spirituality/faith.
5. Be kind to at least one person every day.
To be in a state of harmony between each of the PEPSIS of our being means real wellness. If you feel good physically, emotionally, socially, intellectually and spiritually, then it is easier to deal with the stress of life.
There was a point in my career that I started to gain weight because of stress (physical). I found myself eating even up to midnight! I became sluggish and irritable (emotional). I made rash decisions and became suspicious of other people’s motives (psychological) which led me to keep to myself (social) and shunned social gatherings. I enrolled in a four-month fitness course but even if I successfully lose the pounds, I still felt heavy in the other aspects of my well being.
When I turned to God, cried out my heart to Him in humble prayer and just told Him to fix my heart and mind, I felt peace that I haven’t felt for a long time. It was at this point that I decided to shift gear, resign from my well-paying job and devoted my time to serve God. It was a hard decision but a clear one after deep prayer and discernment.
Two months I rested from work and fed my spiritual body with a community that helped me solidify my relationship with God. And then I found myself in another job that I really didn’t seek out but just came along that met my time and needs.
That was nine years ago and I’m still in this work today where I am experiencing wellness in PEPSI and more importantly with the major S called spirituality.
So, remember it is how we effectively channel our emotions, let go of a negative past, maximize the use of your God-gifted faculties, and above all a strong faith that can help us attain the wisdom that life demands from us to get through even the most difficult circumstances.
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