The holistic and indivisible nature of the human being is finding increasingly greater scientific and philosophical support. Yet, it seems clear that there are several dimensions that meet in a person.

1. Physical dimension: Human beings possess the necessary resources to maintain a healthful balance. Our organism is programmed with a number of biological clocks that indicate the beginning of organic processes. For instance, when someone reaches puberty, endocrinal glands initiate the secretion of estrogen in girls and of androgen in boys. This triggers a sequence of physical changes that takes place at the right time for each individual.

The physical dimension is so basic that some end up believing that the human being is only physics and chemistry. This may seem an exaggeration, but it entails a principle that cannot be discarded. Good, healthy habits (physical exercise, adequate rest, balanced diet, contact with nature) are at the heart of a satisfactory life in all its aspects.

2. Mental dimension: This dimension is even more complex than the physical one. It is rather intricate and therefore less known. Partly because of its complexity, partly because of its exclusiveness to the human being, it is the most valued dimension. It was mental life that triggered traditional philosophies to search for the ‘soul’ somewhere external the person’s body.

Today, it is known that the mind (located in the brain) has a physical substrate and controls all behaviors of the person. In fact, the brain is made up of one hundred thousand million neurons or nerve cells that carry information, initiate and maintain mental processes, retrieve memories, process data… Any mental activity of the human organism is associated with the work of these neurons.

The interconnections of this immense network of nerve cells are almost infinite, and the more connections are made possible, the more mental capacity will be obtained. Continuous mental activity to strengthen existing neural connections and to establish new ones is therefore recommended.

3. Social dimension: Paradoxical as it may sound in the overpopulated world in which we live, there are deficiencies in the social dimensions. This is so not only because of the lonely feeling experienced by millions of people in the big cities, but also due to the loss of family identity and to lack of social solidarity.

It is very important to understand that human beings, social by nature, are not really human until they integrate fully in their communities. The other dimensions feed from the social dimension, as it provides a unique source of neural connections, a breeze of continuous ‘oxygen’ to the body and a means to the challenging demands of loving relationships.

4. Spiritual dimension: First, it should be noted that spirituality and religiosity are not synonymous. Spiritual persons may not necessarily be religious, or vice versa.

‘What is thought, that strange being, which lives in the depths of ourselves without consuming a measurable quantity of chemical energy? Is it related to the known forms of energy? Could it be a constituent of our universe, ignored by the physicists, but infinitely more important than light? The mind is hidden within the living matter, completely neglected by physiologists and economists, almost unnoticed by physicians. And yet it is the most colossal power of this world.’ (Alexis Carrel, Physiology and Medicine Nobel Prize winner, Man, The unknown, P.64, New York: Harper & Brothers, 1939).

Although embedded in the mental function, the spiritual dimension deserves separate treatment. Moral, aesthetic, and religious functions can be considered part of spirituality. The spiritual human facet, relative to the discernment between good and evil (moral), beautiful, and ugly (aesthetics), and the relationship with God or transcendence (religion), is an undeniable component that has been present in all civilizations.