When your mind can know peace, your body can know healing. ~ Nicole Cody

(image by Evgeni Dinev)

Many of my friends are healers. They come from widely different schools and philosophies of healing – general medical practitioners, environmental medicine specialists, acupuncturists, naturopaths, herbalists, body workers, nutritionalists and all manner of other modalities. Over the past twenty years all of them have observed one thing; the number of people suffering long-term chronic illness, digestive issues, stress-related health issues and fatigue has soared.  Not only that, many of the simple treatments that once worked so well for bringing people back into balance no longer are as effective.

Why?

There are many external factors – more exposure to pollutants and chemicals, little exercise, poorer diet, less sunshine.

But even when these things are addressed many people are slow to heal. I, and many of my learned practitioner friends, believe at least part of this is to do with the state of mind we are in.

There have been numerous studies done which show that when a person is relaxed the surface tension of their skin changes.  Their blood pressure lowers, their heart slows, the chemicals responsible for sleep, blood sugar and hormonal balance rise and stabilise. In a place of relaxation people become more creative, more connected, happier, more adept at innovative thinking and problem solving. In a place of relaxation our bodies find it far easier to heal.  It is impossible to think a negative thought when you are in a deeply relaxed state.

What does negative thinking have to do with my health?

Go ahead.  Think of something that really makes you mad.  Or powerless.  Feel the changes take place in your body.  You will feel heavier, there will be a sense of tension in your face and body. You may have a surge of adrenalin or a sudden draining away of energy. Your heart speeds up, you may feel clammy and hot, agitated or ill.  This is not your imagination – this is your body’s autonomic response to your thoughts.  This is a natural reaction to perceived stress within your body. Worry, stress, fear, panic, over-thinking; this is what is stopping you from healing.

Over time, this sort of thinking has a destructive impact on the body.  It exhausts our adrenals.  It puts pressure on our thyroid and other parts of our endocrine system.  Our liver becomes stressed and congested and can’t function as well as it used to as it deals with the flood of naturally occurring chemicals WE have created in our body through the stress response.

In this place of adrenal depletion we can become addicted to caffeine, energy drinks, sugar and carbs to keep us  functioning.

The blood is always in our extremities as we ready ourselves to fight or flee (the stress response once again) so our digestion slows and becomes impaired.  Even if we gain weight we may still be massively malnourished, and our body may struggle to absorb supplements, herbs and better food.

We may resort to anti-depressants or sleeping pills.  We may self-medicate with drugs or alcohol.  Or we may just go through life exhausted, sick and not coping but needing to get up and get on with it each day.

Our sleep becomes affected, and that avenue of healing becomes further reduced.  No matter who we see, or what we try nothing seems to work.  Or it doesn’t work for long.

Sound familiar?

If you are living with stress and anxiety, if there is something or someone in your life, or from your past, that causes you to feel unsafe, inadequate, fearful, anxious, angry,  resentful, or shamed… then it’s going to be an uphill battle to become well and stay well.

Positive emotions impact your health positively.  Negative emotions impact your life negatively.

The longer a negative emotion is the ugly background wallpaper in your life, the more you get accustomed to it, but don’t be fooled.  It will still be affecting you. And not in a good way.

Let me repeat an important point.  It is impossible to experience a negative emotion when you are in a relaxed state.  

What this means for your health is simple.  When you are relaxed, your body can know healing.  When you are relaxed your body can do what it needs to do to put itself back into balance, and to put you back into flow, connection and clarity.

So, by all means find yourself a skilled healer, a physician, or a team to put your body back together.  But remember you also need to do your part.  You need to take care of the housekeeping of your mind.

Do things that relax you.  Practice meditation, yoga or tai chi.  Listen to music.  Go for walks in nature.Take the dog!  Make time for YOU in your life. Do the things that give you peace. Find people, places and activities that nourish, validate and support you.

Let go of what no longer serves you in your life.

And if you need to, seek a counsellor, pyschologist, psychiatrist – someone trained in helping you undo what has bound you up in knots.

I know this to be true:  When your mind can know peace, your body can know healing.

This is a great meditation for relaxing that I recorded a few days ago.

Honour your body, work with your mind, and live from your heart.  Your body has an infinite wisdom, and that wisdom is free to reign when we are in a place of relaxation and ease. Do all you can to find or create that peaceful place within you. Healing can then be a natural flow-on effect of that energy.  Bless ♥ xx