The Hierarchy of Health
Humans are resilient evolutionary adaptations to a problematic world. Yes, livers were meant to detoxify the body from some random toxin while foraging the Serengeti. However, they were not intended to detoxify large doses of drugs, alcohol, preservatives, and pesticides. Yes, our musculoskeletal system was designed to recover from injury—to keep us alive long enough to ambulate, hunt, and procreate. It was not intended to keep us pain-free from years of abuse at the gym, on the track, skydiving, free diving, skateboarding, and on and on. Yes, we were meant to create, love, and nurture. No, we were not designed to hate, judge, and lie. STOP IT!
Do not expect medical science to save you. Technology will be able to keep you alive longer, that is for sure. However, the quality of your life in those later years solely depends on the unresolved trauma you have taken on during your life. Whether physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual, EVERY trauma you have experienced will contribute to your later years’ morbidity.
“Place your oxygen mask over your mouth and nose BEFORE helping anyone else.”
— Flight Attendant
Many of us feel the need to help this world that is in such turmoil. Our capacity to help is defined by the degree of OUR well-being on all levels—not just physical stamina but emotional stability, mental clarity, and spiritual connection as well. To alleviate world suffering, we must first alleviate our own. Understanding the Hierarchy of Health will help.
The Hierarchy of Health puts into perspective those aspects of our lives that will most support our health and evolution. This hierarchy has seven tiers. The higher the tier, the greater its overall influence on your health.
Hierarchy of Health—Introduction
Relationship to Spirit
Tap to explore
Relationship to Spirit
Your relationship with Spirit is the most important aspect of your health — being connected to something greater than yourself: omniscient, compassionate, and unconditionally loving.
→ Understanding Relationship to Spirit
Relationship to Self
Tap to explore
Relationship to Self
If your relationship with yourself is antagonistic, your health will suffer. Compassion, acceptance, and love of all aspects of yourself — the best to the worst.
Intimacy
Relationship to Others
Tap to explore
Intimacy — Relationship to Others
Creation brings the perfect partners into our lives at precisely the right time. Your partner becomes a mirror for the lessons you need to learn.
→ Don’t Take Your Partner for Granted
Work
Tap to explore
Your Work in the World
The most important aspect of work as it relates to your health is that it aligns with your spirit. It is not what you do — it is whether you need to be there. Fortunately, when our work aligns with spirit, regardless of its intensity or stress, the very knowing that we are exactly where we need gives us the strength and clarity to do our best and stay healthy in the process.
Structure and Movement
Tap to explore
Structure and Movement
Movement is life; stillness is death. Watch a newborn breathe, how every breath moves the entire body. Now observe the unhappy, the elderly, those near death. The breath does not move. When we free the body in movement, all parts of our being are nourished — not only the physical but on all levels. Our body is precious — it is our vehicle for awakening.
Structure is power. When aligned with gravity, we feel connected to something greater. We are supported by all of earth in our evolution towards our best self.
Diet
Tap to explore
Diet
Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are. When aligned with spirit, the only food you choose will be that which serves your evolution.
The Outside Help
Tap to explore
The Outside Help
Exogenous interventions — from psychic surgeons to real surgeons, from pharmaceuticals to supplements. Sometimes essential, always in service to you.
This hierarchy is a generalization and reflects the priorities for evolving into our best, healthy selves. However, at times, these priorities shift.
If you are near death with pneumonia, you are not able to work on the higher levels of your life. At that time, we drop to a lower tier, take the antibiotics we need to get better, and then refocus on the true causes of the pneumonia — which will always be found in the higher tiers of the hierarchy.