The Mark Divine BLOG: Three Pillars of Longevity-Integrated Training

The Three Pillars of Longevity: Integrated Training

The three pillars of longevity are fueling, recovery and integrated training. The right knowledge and balanced practice of all three will lead to optimal health and, likely, a longer and more prosperous life. I’ve already discussed the first two pillars at length in previous blog posts. In this post, I will offer a summation of the third pillar, which is also the topic of my book, Unbeatable Mind.

The 5 Domains of the Whole Person

Contrary to how we were taught to think, that we have a body and a brain and a soul which operate as separate systems, the reality is that our body-mind-spirit is an entangled whole. The innate intelligence we come into the world with exists in every cell of our body. The energy that enlivens our body is the same energy that powers our mind.Our spirit, which resides in our spiritual heart center, silently guides and observes our thoughts and actions. One way to look at it is that we have five key aspects of our being – which we can call the five domains. These are:

Physical Domain: The structure, systems, and physiology of our body

Mental Domain: The intellectual and thinking personality, our ego

Emotional Domain: The feeling aspect of our being, including our shadow

Intuitional Domain: The sensing and perceiving of innate wisdom inside us, and a connection to the thoughts and feelings of others and the universe

Kokoro Domain: The mind joined with the spiritual center, which then infuses the remaining domains with our spirit’s wisdom. We can call attainment of this last domain integration or enlightenment.

These five domains are all naturally interwoven, but we are cut off from the experience of integration by distraction and an over-stimulated thinking mind. Fortunately, we have found through training of these five domains at Unbeatable Mind Academy and Kokoro Yoga that they can each be experienced independently and reintegrated through a developmental process that refines each Domain in a progressive manner and unlocks potential in each. This is a form of Integrated Training that I call Five Mountain training.

Five Mountain Training

If we take each domain, and begin to train it with the explicit goal of integrated personal development, then we unlock an accelerating process of growth to and through higher stages of consciousness. A discussion of these stages is found in the training, and if you want a deeper dive I recommend Ken Wilber’s exceptional book, A Theory of Everything. Our aim is to take responsibility to evolve ourselves to an integrated level. All the great wisdom traditions have agreed that there exists a stage of consciousness that is experienced as a unique perspective, a world-centric, peaceful, non-attached, energized, and spiritually aware perspective. Really, who wouldn’t want this?

Well, the answer to that question is, “those who aren’t ready to put forth the effort” don’t really want it! I am trusting that you are not in that category, so let’s take a quick look at some of the training methods for the integration of these five mountains.

Physical Mountain: Functional fitness, Breathing for fuel, Yoga Asana, and Physiological control are training methods for this mountain.

Mental Mountain: The Witness Process, Mindfulness, Concentration Training, Breath Control, Meditation, Contemplation, and Mantra are among the methods for this mountain.

Emotional Mountain: Recapitalization, Visualization, Re-Framing, EMDR, Authentic Communication and the Crucible are methods for training the emotional mountain.

Intuitional Mountain: Breath Awareness, Sensory Deprivation, Nature Immersion, Silent Retreat, Chakra and Nadi clearing and stimulation are methods for this mountain.

Kokoro Mountain: Living with an Ethos and clear purpose, Deep commitment to a cause or mission, Heartfelt service, Surrendering to a higher power, Learning to forgive and to deeply connect to all people are methods of this mountain.

The last mountain seems to be more of a way of life than a training method. In fact, this entire philosophy is a way of life, which has daily, monthly and yearly practice and training routines and rituals. It is a powerful developmental model grounded in ancient tools for unlocking maximum human potential yet built for a modern, busy professional. When combined with the first two pillars of fueling and recovery, it unlocks potential leading to elite level performance and allows one to achieve self-mastery in service to something amazing in this lifetime.

And that is a powerful medicine. I hope to see you in training someday so you can join in the fun. Hooyah!

–Mark Divine