All our diseases are ultimately a result of chemical imbalances in the body triggered by emotions which are created by our thoughts. Whether occurring in an area that is genetically predisposed to imbalance or as a result of nutritional or environmental factors, the disease is activated by the mind.
When we understand this we also understand the reverse – the healing process. Like everything in nature our bodies are always attempting to move into balance. Negative thoughts of fear, anger, resentment or lingering grief, disrupt this process and empower the disease. Large and constant discharges of cortisol, the stress hormone, depress the immune system and make it difficult for the body to come back into wholeness.
Positive thoughts, on the other hand, and the resulting emotions that come with that, enhance the process. Feel good hormones like serotonin and endorphins flood the body empowering our healing.
When we embrace this power we also embrace ourselves. It becomes easier to stop and give attention to our issues, stimulating the healing mode and helping to bring us back into balance. It is a combination of intention and focused action. There are many tools we can use to speed up the process – essential oils, sounds, touch or different therapies – but in the end it is freedom from the conditioned mind that does the trick.
I recently spoke with a friend who was marveling at the healing process of her husband’s ankle. He had adopted this knowledge fully to make himself well and was reaping the benefits of the trust leaving his doctors incredulous.
In Healing Yoga we work with sensations, the physical manifestations of the mind and emotions, to target these areas of imbalance. By bringing focus into a spot of discomfort, what we call an edge in a pose, and observing that sensation without assigning any qualities, expectations or anticipations to it, we begin to dissolve the energy that is creating that energetic block. These releases sometimes happen instantaneously. A feeling, a thought, an image or a simple bodily sensation can signal a discharge of unprocessed emotions. But at other times the energy is so dense that it barely begins to stir.
It might be the tip of the iceberg. What was dormant flares up and sets off a chain reaction. At that point it can either launch us into a rapidly descending and self reinforcing spiral of fear and denial or we can perceive it for what it is, energy moving through and out. It is important to have that awareness when setting an intention for healing. An attitude of gratitude for every improvement, and an impassioned contemplation of the process with a sense of trust and understanding will result in healing.
It is never too late to heal. The instant that you shift your attention to create good feelings in your body, is the moment you reverse the downward spiral and move towards wholeness. So take the time to quiet your mind.
Be kind to yourself…
