How Whole-Body, Whole-Spirit Wellness Changes Lives

Whole-body, whole-spirit wellbeing is at the heart of what we do at Banyan. But what is it, and why is it so transformative?

What is whole-body whole-spirit as a concept?

From a holistic perspective, whole-body whole-spirit advocates for “whole person wellness” where our spiritual state, soul and physical body are one. 

At Banyan, our core philosophy is built around movement and nutrition, making up the physical side.

Then we have the lifestyle and spiritual choices making up what feeds our soul and spirit.

Nurturing our bodies but not our minds and souls and vice versa can ultimately lead to unbalanced wellness within us.

So, how does whole-body whole-spirit change our lives for the better?

Quality Of Sleep:

Nurturing both the mind, soul and body can have profound effects on how we get to sleep at night. 

How we fuel and move our bodies physically in the day time has a big effect on our sleep cycles, but it’s not the only thing that helps.

Releasing thoughts built up through the day through journalling, or clearing our minds can also change how we switch off for sleep and back on again for the next day. 

Volume Of Anxious Feelings

In a world that, particularly at the moment, can trigger many anxious feelings for us, it’s important to care for both the brain and body.

Habit stacking practices that help alleviate that anxious pressure of “having to do it all”.

• Play your affirmations while you wash your face and brush your teeth.

• Put on sound bath music and frequency playlist while you unload the dishwasher or hang out the laundry. 

Doubling up physical activity with stimulation for the soul not only releases endorphins, it will also subconsciously calm your brain. 

Important Note:

Please don’t listen to anything whilst doing physical activity that requires your full attention. Habit stacking should only be done with low-focus physical activities.

Manageable Stress Levels:

Stress manifests in the body, not just in the mind. 

Clenched jaws, headaches, and everyone feels stress in different areas of the body. 

Using exercise to gently release any stress built up in the body can help us tackle the problem that has been stressing us out mentally.

Without physical nurturing and movement, energy can get stuck, so even when the stressful situation has passed we still feel it in the body. 

Improvement Of Focus And Concentration:

Working at a desk or in one place for hours on end can take its toll. 

Incorporating easy, gentle movement before or after work can improve cognitive function and increase our focus. 

Building in time to do what fills your cup up is so important. For some, it’s journaling. For others, it could be knitting, reading, painting or scrapbooking. 

These activities give your brain sharpness and focus while calming your nervous system.

The power of whole-body whole-spirit integration:

Things can feel heavy and overwhelming sometimes, and it can be easy to fall out of balance when caring for ourselves. 

By finding a balance of holistic wellbeing between our body, mind and soul, we can create balance and peace within ourselves. 

At Banyan, we support women with whole-body whole spirit wellness. You can find out more about our events and partnerships here.