Mind, Body, and Spirit: Unlocking the Path to Health and Happiness

Edited by La’Quitia Denson

The 52 Weeks of Health Equity podcast, was recently interviewed about her experiences as a nutrition coach, fitness instructor, and spiritual counselor. She discussed the importance of developing the connection between the mind, body and spirit, the benefits of mindful intention, and the need to set aside time and space for ourselves. The following is an edited and "blogitized" version of that interview.

Rosedale

Hi I am Rosedale Jones and I am a lot of things. But the most important thing about me is I'm a mom with two beautiful daughters, two awesome grandsons and one beautiful great granddaughter. They motivate my life today.

Tahitia

That's wonderful! What brings you here chatting with us?

Rosedale

I think that there's a dire need for everyone to build upon their mind, their bodies, and their spirits. So that they can have regular practices for the mind. Physical exercise and nutritious meals for the body and embrace the idea of creating a higher consciousness in their spirit, which is essential to have a healthy lifestyle. It cultivates our well-being if we do these three things that focus on: the mind, the body, and the spirit.

I got involved in this work three decades ago. I had a horrible series of health issues from uncontrollable blood pressure, sleep apnea and elevated cholesterol. I was on the path to developing CHF. I decided I had to take control of my life. During this time, I came across spiritual awareness through a coach who was working with me. She gave me a bunch of great exercises to do for my mind, spirit and body. Eventually, my inner spirit led me to be more curious about spirituality, science, research, and philosophy.

Tahitia

Would you say you're trying to promote people towards maybe embracing is that there is this mind-body connection, and it is so important?

Rosedale

Yes!

Tahitia

What were you doing, work wise, before you started embracing the mind-body connection?

Rosedale

I was a police officer back in the 80s to around the end of the 90s and then went into insurance.

Tahitia

Those sound like highly stressful jobs. It sounds like the big fix was thinking about this from a holistic view. And that takes time, right? That it takes time and commitment.

Rosedale

Yes, it does. It takes time. And it's like I said, three decades ago, I began this journey. And where I am now is phenomenal. I look back and say I am so glad that the woman I was then became who I am today. And I was skeptical at first - you mean to tell me that all I need to do is relax and meditate and eat properly and exercise and put it to work!? It meant changing what I believed, so I could really realize my good.

Tahitia

You also said you had changed the way you were thinking. The mind really has such a huge impact. And I've heard other guests say this: that the mind is the driver, right? How do people change their thinking now? Because it's not easy. How did you start that journey?

Rosedale

It was a spiritual journey, which meant that meditation was something I had to realize was spiritual not religious. There's a difference between religion and spirituality. Religion is people that rely on

a doctrine that everyone follows and reads certain ways. But spirituality is when we better ourselves in health, finances, everything, even in our work environments that we choose to do. Whatever we need in life spiritually, we can achieve them by doing certain practices. Like I mentioned meditation, but there's also a lot of other things like we write these things called "A

Day in The Life". We did it for 30 days and if you did something attracted in your mind's eye, you will find a way and you will be led. That's spirituality. Someone who believes in a higher power more than doctrines. So that is the difference.

Tahitia

So, I can come from any religion and it doesn't have to replace that or convert them. It's just a sense of awareness. You mentioned earlier how we're constantly running and doing, and we don't take moments to pause. Did meditation and journaling help you reflect?

Rosedale

Without a doubt! I find myself in the last couple of years, before getting out of bed, I sit there and count. A simple thing like counting breaths, and deep breaths can be impactful.

Sometimes people say, like you mentioned, "Oh, I don't want you to convert me." I let people know, you don't have to leave your philosophy to connect your mind, body and spirit and become the best you can be from who you are.

Tahitia

Growing up, I often did not think about holistic health, alternative health as something that could be embraced by people who look like me. That I didn't have time for. There was not really a time to reflect in my mind, body, or spirit or at least not prioritized. And as I've gotten older, like your journey, I've realized that not having a place for other thoughts around health makes a very narrow view of health. So, it was either go the route of medicine or just suck it up. So you just keep doing what you need to do because you don't have time to go get a massage or meditation or have a moment to just pause. Even exercise or yoga is sometimes seen as a privilege. Who has time for that? What do you say to people who say, wow, how do you even have the time to take time for yourself? You must be rich or lucky!

Rosedale

I point people to research a lot and tell them it's proven. It's not just me telling you this. PubMed is where I do all of my research. The research shows that unhealthy lifestyles are dependent and connected with causing diseases like hypertension and diabetes. But if people want to heal from that, they may need to change the way they look at changing their lifestyle. Approach change in 5 or 10 minute intervals, like just do 5-10 minutes before getting out of bed of deep breathes. Just do it for 30 days. Would that take up a lot of your time? You know, things of that nature. It's imperative that I explain it to them, how unhealthy it can be to stay the course of "I don't want to do anything about it because I can't." And so that "I can't" is a detrimental thing for many of us.

Tahitia

I would say everyone has stress, though, right? Post-pandemic, we all felt this sense of fear and stress. Can you just walk through what exactly you do in your practice? And we're not saying people should turn away from medicine because these things complement medicine. Meaning doing the body piece and leaving out the mind and spirit piece might not get you all the impact change can bring.

Rosedale

As a police officer responsible for high schools, I created meditation tapes for students that combined insights from science, philosophy, metaphysics, and spirituality. This helped them connect with something greater than themselves and sparked positive change. Spiritual coaching is so powerful in understanding who we are, and digging deep into things. Spiritual coaching, it really strengthens their belief in their higher self, and it also lays a fabulous, awesome, and powerful foundation to lead them to feel more confident in their lives.

I help them work on spirituality, but also incorporate the physical by encouraging and working with them on strength training, maybe yoga, or maybe eating nutritiously. Yoga is one of the classes that I offer to show people not just how strong and flexible they can be, but how their minds can control their bodies. We live in times where research is right at our fingertips. We can get more information on what's happening, how, why and ways we can do better, than previously That's my whole story about everything. Let's get deeper into what, when, why, and how we can do something better.

Tahitia

It sounds like it's also about taking time, which everybody complains we don't have enough time, right? But is it that we don't have enough time or that we don't make time for ourselves?

Rosedale

Right, we're busy taking care of everyone else instead of ourselves. That makes our lives very

inconsistent because we can't live for them because they have to live their own lives. Even our children, we can't live for them. Everyone is born with that same spirit. Ten minutes a day, thinking and contemplating, who did I leave out of my heart yesterday? How could I have done this better? Just close your eyes for a minute and sit and wait. People who think I only have time off from work and then watch television are saying to themselves, that it's not even worth examining my thoughts about myself when I'm alone at home. It's time to experience some different types of success in our lives. We need to improve on our belief in ourselves and believe that we can have a better life.

Tahitia

I think that's so important because when we talk about health equity issues, it's often about the non-medical pieces, the societal pieces. Part of that is the culture that we're inhabiting, the external, and how we interact. It sounds like you help people to embrace incorporating the internal with the external. What is the driver? Is this really bringing you happiness? And when you said coming home and just watching television, asking if it brings you happiness.

Rosedale

I like television, but it used to be my life until I was in my 30s' when I started exploring this topic more. There's nothing wrong with watching a decent movie, crime story or whatever, but it can't be that alone.

Tahitia

Yes, I like television too.

Rosedale

But we have to be around people and places that build that mind, body, and spirit connection, not tear it down. Sometimes we have to go out of our circle and reach outward and create positive support.

Tahitia

You mentioned positive support, which is so important because when people decide to bring about change, it is wonderful if they can be supported. It's great if you can do it on your

own and you have that driver. But for many of us, the surrounding systems, society, our family, and co-workers, may make comments that make you decide otherwise. How do you kind of address that when people are surrounded by toxic environments?

Rosedale

Instead of being what everybody wants you to be, going along to get along. Reframe your thoughts from the perspective that you are doing this to be more present. You want to invest your time in them and spend time with them. Because right now, you don't take time for yourself anyway, and that does not feel good. So why not try something different. Half the time, they (other people) would love to do something else, but often they work very hard to prevent others from growing. Remember, you don't make anyone look bad for not trying or doing anything; this is your journey of change.

Tahitia

Rosedale, you're spitting a lot of truth here because so many people just go along and get along. You mentioned people who want to keep you where you are so they don't look bad. That sounds like something that comes from a place of fear. A fear of looking around and seeing people changing and they don't know what to do, or they don't want to make a change.

Rosedale is losing weight. She's getting fit; she's exercising; she's got this calmness about her. And you know, you're making me look bad. It has nothing to do with me, right? If I decide to change, that's great. But when I lay my fear on you, that's when maybe not supportive. Obviously, our loved ones and those in our circle are very important to us. How did you, or how do you help clients address that?

Rosedale

I ask people, how would you like to be remembered, on the last day of your life? How would you like to say you spent your time? And I really wait for an answer.

Is that something you'd want for the rest of your time here?

Tahitia

Wow, that's powerful because when people think about their last day, I'm sure nobody wants to be remembered as, that person who always complained about everything or said your coffee was too tart. So, challenging the audience right now, how do you want people to think about you?

I think people want to be remembered for the love and the support that they gave.

Rosedale

Exactly. Because people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. And that is so important because when you mentioned love, I was thinking, yeah, how about that? Somebody had a phrase, “the love you give, in the end, the love you give is the love you take”. So that's what you go back with, that same love. No self-love? Well, how many people will give you that same love back if that wasn't what you gave in life?

Tahitia

We really need to be healthy, and ways that we can kind of gain our own power is to love ourselves and to find the time to say, “Hey, I'm going to love myself, and I'm worth the time” and devote time because we would do it for anyone else, right?

Rosedale

Absolutely.

Tahitia

We cannot be healthy and find our power and address bigger systemic health inequities if we can't love ourselves first. We can't be the activist, the advocate, the mother, who brings joy, the great employee if we are fearful of self-love. We have to find that voice by loving ourselves.

Rosedale

That's big. Big! Instead of giving people advice, use research, use love, use that instead of assuming and giving opinions. This is because opinions could be the worst thing if you can't back them up with real truth. I recommend using PubMed, not Google. It's peer-reviewed research, and that's true research. That is real information to pass on to people, not assumptions and opinions.

Tahitia

That is some fantastic advice because we need more evidence rather than Google something and it brings up information that isn't supported by evidence. It's not based on science. It's not based on research. It's not neutral. It leans a certain way. And this could be on the right or the left here, but you really want to find the neutral opinion out there. How can people reach you or find out more about working with you? Or in your work as a spiritual coach and help people to really actualize their lives?

Rosedale

I would say for the support piece, since I've mentioned the spiritual community I have, every Sunday, I air on Zoom and Facebook. There is also the Center for Spiritual Living, Charlotte and the website is cslcharlotte.org. As far as their mind, body and spirit, this other side of the business is called the Mind, Body, and Spirit Center. I would say people get into the idea of "what do I need to know about yoga for me?" That, plus meditation combined, is by far the biggest healing for most people. People who are really into those three things and then you know the variety of exercises we do to move the body. There are a lot of movements, and the mind-body-spirit center raises your heart, so you get closer to health and fitness.

I also work on the nutrition side as well. I show people the right amount and balance of macronutrients they need to eat at a given time every single day. So how to support that is to tune into MBSC, Mind Body Spirit Center, MBSC.info. To support, to reach out, and to get more information, that would be the website. Share that information with a relative who has been diagnosed by a doctor and isn't feeling too well about it. They just have to be motivated to come and really, really put their all into it. They have to be motivated to change the way they live to make it work. And that's everything, just to be motivated.

Tahitia

Thank you so much, Rosedale. This was such a wonderful discussion. I learned so much and I love that you pointed out the nutrition piece because that's a part of the body too. We didn't touch a lot on that, but it's all interconnected and the motivation piece. And helping people make changes. Health equity issues are often a matter of dealing with larger systems.

Systems, however, are built by people and people that love themselves, then spread that love to the systems. This is because they feel powerful enough to make a change. They start saying to themselves, "You know what? I did this. I feel powerful." And if we all start doing this, like really loving ourselves enough to look outside and say, "hey, I learned to love myself, how can I spread this message"? Our systems will change. And so, thank you for being a guest on the show.

Rosedale

Thank you too.

Our new episode with Rosedale airs May 23rd!

Center For Spiritual Living: Charlotte

Inspiring the Divinity of individuals to cultivate health, wealth and wholeness through the integration of Mind, Body and Spirit.

https://www.cslcharlotte.org/

Mind, Body and Spirit Center

Empowers individuals with the guidance and support to embrace consistency and dedication, making small changes that lead to significant lifestyle transformations in any area of life.

https://www.mbsc.info/

PubMed

PubMed is a free search engine accessing primarily the MEDLINE database of references and abstracts on life sciences and biomedical topics. The United States National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health maintain the database.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

Meditation and Mindfulness

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation-and-mindfulness-what-you-need-to-know

What Is Self-Care, and Why Is It So Important for Your Health?

(Medically reviewed and fact checked article)

https://www.everydayhealth.com/self-care/

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