I recently learned something new about the difference between ‘depression’ and ‘anxiety’. Depression is thinking and dwelling negatively about the past, described in the dictionary as ‘a state of low spirits caused by loss of hope or courage’. However, the keyword here is ‘in the past’.

Anxiety is the fear about what we assume is going to happen in the future, explained as ‘a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome’. Keyword here is ‘the uncertain outcome of a future event’.

The first thing I must remember is that it is my Soul that does the living not my body. My (and your) body is the visible expression of my (and your) Soul, so I need to be grateful for the body I have and treat it with respect and kindness. Fear and Anxiety reflect and leave their imprint as illness and discomfort on the body.

“Fear is like a poison gas pumped into one’s atmosphere. It causes mental, moral and spiritual asphyxiation, and sometimes death - death to energy, to tissue and all growth” says Dr. Murphy in his book ‘Fear and Worry’, and “Fear in all its different phases of expression, such as worry, anxiety, anger, jealousy and timidity, is the greatest enemy of the human race”.

It is vital to remember that our Soul is the unbroken connection to the Almighty Universal Source. The Mind (consciousness and subconsciousness = One Mind) is the conduit of expression, or the active awareness of the “I AM”. I can think (reason) and feel, and I can choose what I think and feel. Therefore, I can think and feel rightly instead of harmfully. It takes practice, that’s for sure, but it can be done.

Step by step, day by day, the shadows of fear and anxiety will lessen and eventually vanish. Faith in the Allness of Good being the pivotal, crucially important, component of healing not only of our physical but also our mental discord.
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“Never fear shadows. They simply mean there is a light shining somewhere nearby.” (Ruth E. Renkel)

Three simple, yet powerful words – Health, Wealth and Happiness.
 
I think we can agree that all of us, knowingly or not, strive to be happy. I know I am, even though it can be challenging at times. When things get though, difficult situations arise, and it seems like the world is falling apart, we tend to lose faith; but as my wise therapist said just this morning: “Things are not falling apart – they are falling into place”. Faith is the answer.
 
True happiness doesn’t come from the outside like things or riches, it comes from an inner knowing of self. A fulfilled sense of being. A sense of gratitude and a sense of bliss. Happiness is finding a true companion, good friends and seeing your children succeed. It is the enjoyment of what ‘is’, rather than always wanting more. Let me say, there is nothing wrong with wanting more, but it’s not the key to contentment.
 
My sense of a paragraph from “Quiet Moments with God”, by Dr. Joseph Murphy is this: ‘Having found my true Everlasting Companions within me, (love, kindness, forgiveness, generosity, etc.) I can never lack for wonderful companions in the without. I am loving, I am kind, I am forgiving, I am grateful. I have wonderful spiritual companions now. As within so without. I have found my Divine companions within, and I now recognize them on the without. God is the fullness of all things.’
 
It stands to reason that one cannot be fully happy without health and some degree of comfortable living. With wellness being the most precious of all, I place health on the top of my list. I am certain that our physical health reflects our mental state of mind and therefore the visible body manifests our invisible mental state. Yes, there is a lot more to talk about on this subject!
 
Dr. Joseph Murphy’s meditation on health: ‘I express perfect health. I am full of joy and happiness. I am full of confidence and faith. My faith is my inner feeling and conviction that I am whole and perfect. My faith is in the Law of Good.’
 
In our society health is seen as the proper functioning of the organs, as well as an overall feeling of well-being.
 
Mental health, however, is generally viewed as a positive attitude, a balanced and sound mind, and emotional well-being. It includes the capacity to live a full and creative life, and foremost the flexibility to deal with life's inevitable challenges. Mental health is necessary to reflect physical health onto your body.
 
Last but not least: Wealth has many meanings. We all see wealth with different eyes and have a different sense of what it means to be wealthy. Of course, seeing it from a material stand point it means money to most people. But there is more to that.
 
To me ‘wealth’ means an abundance of goodness flowing into my life because I have given and contributed to the goodness of all. It means a sense of immense love for myself and every living being, which in turn will bring back all the love I’ll ever need. A feeling of wealth engulfs me when I realize that I am part of the Allness of Good, God.
 
Wishing you Health, Wealth and Happiness! 
​ULRIKE