Mental Health, Cognitive Science, and Theological Perspectives
Definition of Mental Health
Mental health is a critical part of health, which is defined by the WHO as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease." Things we need to consider when talking about mental health are as follows: adversity, coping skills, resilience, self, family, community, society, the role of religion, therapy, and models of mental health. For example, self-understanding is important when one deals with everyday life.
What is Wellbeing?
What is a good life? Study the purpose of life. Live it fully. Live today. Thank God for today. Today I give thanks! Thanks for today. All times are connected to today. No tomorrow without today. No past exists separately apart from today. Today I love things and people I love. I live today with the hope of tomorrow. Pray without ceasing. Repeat your mantra. Act it out. Be satisfied with who you are and what you have, your family, your community, and what you enjoy today. Start off with meditating on the grace of God. Then rejoice. See the positive side of life even if negative things surround you. I do not mean we should ignore the dark side of life. We can face it with a positive attitude. We should not allow negative energy to overwhelm us, seeing shining hope amid despair, visualizing the moment that the stormy clouds will part soon, and recognizing the sun already shining above them. At a time of distress or turmoil, seek God and the Spirit. Listen to your body and attend to each breathing. Thank God for each inhale and exhale. Life is a gift. If there is night, there also comes day.
Mystery of life
Every morning is a miracle. There is no guarantee that I would wake up in the morning after conscious or unconscious journeys of my soul or mind during the night sleep. Back to my conscious mind, I must thank God for saving me and giving me another day. Slowly, I put myself in the bosom of God, feeling his love and soft touch on my soul. I am like a child again and dependent on the limitless love of God.
Be active
I am filled with an active mind, imbued with positive thinking, curiosity, and creativity. I also feel the energy, spirit, and inspiration from my inner soul and the external environment.
Focus on the present moment
I don't focus on yesterday or tomorrow. My time is today, and I live in the present moment. Even though I may be doing many things with a busy mind, I keep focusing on the present moment. I count the blessings I received from God and feel the power of God every moment.
Accept your mind as it is and appreciate its creative power. Love your mind. Pause and ponder on the power of the mind. Thank God for who you are and what you have. You must use the power of God within your mind. Be curious about all things. Be calm and listen to the active mind.
Accept the status of your mind now. Say to yourself "I am normal." Love and nourish your mind like a parent (self-parenting the mind). Don't judge or condemn your mind. Attend to the inner voices of the mind.
Mental Health, Cognitive Science, and Theological Perspectives
Definition of Mental Health
Mental health is a critical part of health, which is defined by the WHO as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease." Things we need to consider when talking about mental health are as follows: adversity, coping skills, resilience, self, family, community, society, the role of religion, therapy, and models of mental health. For example, self-understanding is important when one deals with everyday life.
What is Wellbeing?
What is a good life? Study the purpose of life. Live it fully. Live today. Thank God for today. Today I give thanks! Thanks for today. All times are connected to today. No tomorrow without today. No past exists separately apart from today. Today I love things and people I love. I live today with the hope of tomorrow. Pray without ceasing. Repeat your mantra. Act it out. Be satisfied with who you are and what you have, your family, your community, and what you enjoy today. Start off with meditating on the grace of God. Then rejoice. See the positive side of life even if negative things surround you. I do not mean we should ignore the dark side of life. We can face it with a positive attitude. We should not allow negative energy to overwhelm us, seeing shining hope amid despair, visualizing the moment that the stormy clouds will part soon, and recognizing the sun already shining above them. At a time of distress or turmoil, seek God and the Spirit. Listen to your body and attend to each breathing. Thank God for each inhale and exhale. Life is a gift. If there is night, there also comes day.
Mystery of life
Every morning is a miracle. There is no guarantee that I would wake up in the morning after conscious or unconscious journeys of my soul or mind during the night sleep. Back to my conscious mind, I must thank God for saving me and giving me another day. Slowly, I put myself in the bosom of God, feeling his love and soft touch on my soul. I am like a child again and dependent on the limitless love of God.
In his book, Controlling Mental Chaos: Harnessing the Power of the Creative Mind (Rowman & Littleman, 2023), Pineda proposes that we must recover the "Original Mind" at birth, whose characteristics are in what he calls AAECC impulse (active, adaptable, energetic, curious, and creative). This impulse changes to that of what he calls AFRAID over the years when people are affected by various stressors, including genetic elements. AFRAID: "Avoidant, fearful, resistant, arrogant, inflexible, and distrustful." How to transform it? He suggests two paths: "Self-parenting the mind and present-moment centering through mindfulness."
Eternity and daily living
The great irony is that people want to live forever without knowing what it means to live forever. Eternal life begins now in the present moment. If they live forever without living in the present, their eternal life will be simply hell. The truth is we can live eternal life now.
Be curious and creative!
- I will be curious and creative in all things I process in my daily life. I will embrace both critical thinking and a nonconscious, intuitive mind.
- I will allow a curious and creative mind to enter my body and mind. I will respect my body rhythm and attend to things surrounding me. I will hear my inner voice.
- I will go slow. I will stroll and ponder everything deeply.
CAPACIOUS (self-expanding): roomy mind, spacious, broad, capable of accepting many things, going slow, and not impatient. Like the sky or the earth. Anything is allowed in the sky. Anything is received by the Earth. (여유 있게)
CALM (self-control): quiet, still, placid, unruffled, tranquil, serene, self-possessed. Like a pond or a lake, my mind needs to stay the same or relaxed. See waving trees or flowers. They are still there to take their place. (담담하게)
CONFIDENT (self-determination): sure of oneself, bold, positive, intrepid, self-confident, trusting God and self, and loving others. All things in the world have their place. I am a gift of God. (덤덤하게) About Feelings
It's important to check our feelings because we are emotional beings affecting our decisions. We must value them and draw our actions from them. But it's equally important that we honor our willful thoughts in response to feelings. We should not be controlled by feelings alone, especially when we fall into obsessive thinking or pessimism. Our voluntary, conscious thoughts must govern our will and actions. I am not saying feelings are separate from thoughts or vice versa. They both interact with each other in ways that enhance our well-being. But ultimate decision-making is done by thoughts. While we value what we feel, what is more important is our careful conscious thoughts and actions, which drive us to feel confident. So, I am more than what I feel. I am what I think. I am what I do.
About Self and Others
Don't lower others; see them as they are.
Don't try to make yourself bigger; just be who you are.
Don't care much what others think about you. Declare "I am that I am."
True humility does not mean that you lower yourself. Rather, it means staying who you are without trying to show yourself bigger or showy. That is humility. Likewise, you should not belittle others but see them as they are.
Mental Health and Spirituality Exercise
Make your own rituals. Make your way of focusing on the mind, body, soul, and spirit.
Below is an example of one of my things. Here the focus is Move, shake, and dance.
한국어 코너
자신의 마음의 상태를 받아들이라. 이해하고 용서하라. "나는 정상이다" 라고 자기에게 말하라. 자기의 마음을 사랑하고 양육하라. 쉽게 판단하거나 정죄하지 말고 조용히 깊히 그 마음의 이야기를 들으라. 그리고 평정심을 회복하고 밝고 호기심있는 긍정의 마음으로 전환하라. 바울의 권고에 따라 "항상 기뻐하라. 쉬지 말고 기도하라. 범사에 감사하라." (1 Thess 5:16-18)
그리고 확신의 회로를 돌려라. 나는 할 수 있다, 사회와 공동체를 위하여 뭔가 할 수 있다 라고 끊임없이 외쳐라. 확신은 배울 수가 있고 행해야 한다. 성취감의 경험과 감각이 쌓이면 더 자신감이 생기고 더 성취할 수가 있다. 확신과 성공의 배가법칙이랄까.
내가 느끼는 것이 다가 아니다. 느낌과 직관을 참고하고 존중하되 그것에 너무 의존하지 마라. 사려 깊고 좋은 의지로 행하는 것이 중요하다. 나의 생각과 행동이 나를 결정한다.
*주의사항
1) 확신은 자기 자랑이나 거만한 태도가 아니다. 겸손한 확신이다. 하나님의 사랑을 감사하고 자신의 부족함을 알고 인정하고 자기를 사랑하고 자기의 능력을 믿는 사람이다.
2) 잘 나고 싶은 사람에게 말한다. 자기라는 무거운 짐을 내려 놓아라. 내가 중요하다는 무거운 고통의 짐을 내려 놓아라. 나를 올리면 올릴수록 나는 더욱 스트레스를 받게된다. 예수께서도 말씀하셨다: "수고하고 무거운 짐을 진 자들이여, 다 내게로 오라. 내가 너희를 편히 쉬게 할 것이다." (Matt 11:28). 어떻게? "나의 멍에를 메고 내게 배우라." 여기서 "나의 멍에"는 겸손과 마음의 비움이다. 자아가 너무 강하면 부러진다. 자기 확신은 결코 교만과 동의어가 아니다.
3) 자존감 (self-esteem)이 지나치게 높은 사람은 필요이상의 자존감을 세우지 말고 자기의 부족함을 깨달아야 한다. 하나님의 위대하심에 비추어 겸손해지고 내가 중요하다면 다른 사람도 중요하다는 마음을 늘 새겨야 한다. 반대로 자존감이 낮은 사람은 자기를 사랑하는 법을 배워야 한다. 어떻게? 하나님의 사랑을 확인하고 나의 모습을 사랑하고 나의 능력을 믿어야 한다.