Spirituality and Health Promotion Behaviors #7: And this too shall pass

An Eastern monarch once commissioned his wise men to think of a sentence which would be true and appropriate in all times and situations.

The wise men presented the Eastern monarch with the words:

"And this, too, shall pass away."

That is the tale that Abraham Lincoln made famous in his speech to the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society in 1859.


When we encounter setbacks, uttering the words, "And this too shall pass" is a good way to pause and put the moment of unhappiness in perspective. By reminding ourselves that life is constantly changing, we see light in the dark.

Filling an overwhelmed mind with the thought of "And this too shall pass" can also help restore our inner peace. We begin to accept that many things lie in our path but as we pick them up one by one, the path will become clearer.


Conversely, in times of glory, the phrase, "And this too shall pass" is a humbling reminder that success is only a moment of truth-- once, we had passed where a lucky star had shone. Yet having come so far, we can only go further.

Spirituality and Health Promotion Behaviors #6: Grow

Have you ever experienced doing things that make you ask, "Why am I doing this?" The task is probably something that is part of your responsibilities as an adult, but the child in us wishes to play and not work. To restore our spirituality and health at such moments, we simply have to think of one thing: GROW.

When we have to write a report, we are growing a train of thoughts.

When we have to talk to people we dislike, we are growing our patience.

When relationships wither, there will come the right time and conditions for them to blossom again.

We are a part of Nature, and when we think of Nature, the first thing that comes to mind is usually plants. So the purpose of our lives is similar to that of plants, which is simply to grow.

If we can plan our time everday around the thought of growing, we will be constantly promoting our spirituality and health. In considering what to eat or wear, we can think of how we can help our bodies grow healthily and comfortably. In deciding whether to start or end an experience, we can also think of whether it nurtures us or drains us of our energy.

Spirituality and Health Promotion Behaviors #5: Art of drinking water

Our bodies are 70% made up of water. To maintain our spiritual and bodily health, it is therefore necessary to practise the art of drinking water.

In order for the water that we drink to be absorbed properly by our body, try to drink half a glass of water over at least 30 minutes, 4 times a day. A good time to do this is in between meals.

Feel every sip of water as it goes down your throat and swirls in your guts. Be thankful for water and the life that it brings to everything on Earth. When you are angry or frustrated, drinking water in this way can cool you down and keep you in perspective of the larger scheme of things. It is a way of 'pausing', which is mentioned in previous posts.

Drinking water gives your skin a glow and keeps your mind alert as oxygen needs to be dissolved first in water before it can is carried to the brain cells. Periodic drinking of water instead of snacking is also a good way of staying fit.