Exercise can make one feel better mentally and physically. It is important to have good health in the mental aspects as well as the physical aspects. Exercise can help aid in creating this wholeness. On that note, I would like to say that I believe that the mind-body connection is one of co-existence. What I mean by that is that, not only does exercise contribute to the well-being of mental and physical aspects, but the process of going through what is right or wrong for one person or another can assist in developing a deeper understanding of where that person is at and connecting that to the person’s future.
For example, say Jane wanted to start an exercise routine. First, she would determine why she wants to do this. Say the first goal here is to lose some body fat. Jane wants to initially shed excess pounds, so she hires a personal trainer. This personal trainer does a thorough consultation with Jane, in which Jane discovers that she is not sure how she feels about herself in this moment. This leads Jane and her personal trainer to connect to a deeper level of thought. Now Jane has to figure out how she feels, what she hopes to accomplish in the near and far future, and how her goals might be achieved. This is the beginning of the mind-body connection. Throughout the process, if Jane is open enough to understanding that her mental and physical aspects relate to one another, Jane becomes more aware of herself and begins to lose that fat. In return, Jane not only gets a physical achievement, but a mental one as well. Her mind and body have connected. One feeds off of the other.
alternefit 
Well said Rachel! The mind body connection goes even far deeper then this. For example: Dr Pribram, a neuroscientist and researcher, was involved in the research of discovering where exactly does the brain hold memory. During his research it was discovered that memory was not only held in the various neurons in the brain but throughout the entire cellular system of the body. Consequentially he discovered his theory, which actually is a theory studied by Taoist scientist for thousands of years, the Holographic Universe. This basically stated is that the body is a microcosmic of the macrocosmic universe.
Back to the mind and body connection. The body and the mind are one, unless we define the mind as a separate reality from the body. This however another topic I will stay focused on the physical nature of the mind/brain body connection. The First priority of any real exercise is? The continuous regeneration of the body. Now that is a big term there for many people. Regeneration is not something spoke of in the exercise world often. Most consider exercise a means of getting fit and losing weight. These are surface values of western minded exercise. So they push heavy weights building muscular bodies, or they run in place and dance piously with aerobic exercise increasing their metabolic response and burning fat. What is failed to be understood and realized by the western methods of exercise is the internal body and its response to the rigorous no pain no gain philosophy that most people maintain. It is very important to realize the mind/body connection in its entirety.
This the case a full spectrum of exercise that both develops the muscles and lean body mass as well as focuses on the internal organs, the nervous system, the endocrine system, etc, or simply the internal alchemy of the body is most important. Most often, for example, weight lifters will work on building muscle and throw in an aerobic work out for cardiovascular, yet leave out other forms complementing the full spectrum consequentially building tremendous heat within the body leaving their internal organs over worked/over stressed. It must be understood that, in the mind/body connection, every cause effecting one part effects all the others. Examples: our endocrine system, the system used in rejuvenation, effects our mind and body by regulation of our chemicals and hormones. The foundation of our body the bones are the beginning point of aging and re-youthing by way of returning yellow bone marrow to youthful red bone marrow. Lest I leave out, meditation is the most beneficial forms of exercise that one can complement their routine with. Only through meditation it has been proven that the mind/brain can find rest. You see even when we are sleeping our brain is working, however when we meditate the brain slows down and the thinking process, in advanced stages, completely stops. With meditation we find true relaxation.
So, point is that the importance of the mind/body connection is that everything that we take in, everything g that we do to our body effects our minds and to edify this, everything we do in our exercise routine will drastically effect our entire lives for the mind effects and creates our realities.
Fantastic, Charlie! I ought to get your help on this blog for those days I can’t get to it…soon, I will though! 1 more week!
I would be honored to assist. Thi8nk IO just re posted this in the wrong place if ya could delete it! 😉 silly me seeing green fairies every where. =)))