This is flu and cold season. Lately I have observed how individuals respond when they are asked how they are feeling.
Neuro-scientific research supports the theory that our thoughts (mentally and verbally) are a form of energy transmitting messages to our brain. Once the messages are received, the brain transmits that energy to the body. What the mind does, the body does. Therefore, every time we think or say we are feeling badly we are reinforcing that message or neural connection within the brain and then, the body responds accordingly.
When we send positive or healing thoughts to others, we are forwarding our own healing energy to others. So why not utilize the power of our minds to heal ourselves? Here are three Mindfulness tips (Visualization, belief, and thoughts and words ) that may aid you in your healing process.
First, there are the thoughts and words we use when feeling out of sorts. After acknowledging our illness, we often choose to see a doctor or self-medicate, Then we can choose the message we send to our brain. We can re-affirm how badly we feel or we can choose thoughts and words that contribute to recovery. When asked by someone how you are feeling, you can choose to say, “I am feeling terrible” which transmits that message from your mind to your body (and you will likely to continue to feel terrible) or you may respond with, “ I am feeling better” or “ I am improving” sending a positive healing message to your brain and body. We can choose to suffer or we can choose to feel better using our thoughts and words to awaken our mind’s healing energy.
A second method of healing ourselves is using our mind to visualize ourselves “healed and in perfect health.” Imagine your healing energy filling your entire body from head to toe. You may wish to identify that energy with a color. Research healing colors online. “Color is simply energy, energy made visible. Colors stimulate or inhibit the functioning of different parts of our body. Treatment with the appropriate color can restore balance and normal functioning.”― Laurie Buchanan, PhD Many guided healing visualization meditations are on U-tube.
You may also choose to heal a particular part of your body. Consult an anatomy book to get a clear image of a particular body part in its’ healthy state. Then use that image to visualize that change to your problem area. When we visualize an action your brain chemistry changes as though the experience is real and new neural networks are created.
The third tip is “belief’. Perhaps the most important suggestion of all is to sincerely want the healing to take place and believe that it will occur. Dr. Herbert Benson of the Harvard Medical School says, "We know that belief can lead to healing or at least improvement in 50 percent to 90 percent of diseases. Belief is one of the most powerful healing tools we have in our therapeutic arsenal."
The medicine cabinet in your head is your personal therapeutic tool. It’s the power your mind can utilize in your healing process.
Your body has the capacity of self-healing. . What you have to do is allow it, to authorize it to heal. -Thich Nhat Hanh