Anytime you have an illness or injury, it’s always a good idea to take a look at what’s going on in your life, and try to see what your body might be trying to “tell you” when it is suffering in any way. Is your job a “pain in the neck,” or is your boss “making you sick to your stomach”? Are you gasping for breath from panic while in a “suffocating” business or personal relationship? If your system is “stopped up,” where else might you be feeling blocked or facing a build up of clutter in your life?
When you’re ill or injured, if you try searching for the “metaphysical” meaning or lesson behind the accident or illness, you’ll likely find some belief or attitude that needs healing, or discover some other growth-promoting purpose the injury or illness may be serving.
For example, more than once in the past, when I was fearful or uncertain about moving forward in some way, I suffered a fall that injured my feet or legs, forcing me to stop and be still for a while longer. While the lesson from an injury caused by an “accident” may sometimes simply be, “slow down and pay more attention,” the forced down time from injuries or illnesses also provides the opportunity to stop and think more clearly, recognize and release fears, tune into intuition, and then proceed with much greater clarity.
Leading-edge research into the mind-body connection and the nature of energy supports the practice of looking beyond the physical reasons for “disease,” even when the cause seems like an accident or is deemed “genetic.” Validating ancient Eastern wisdom about how the mind and emotions affect us, a wonderful new book, The Genie in Your Genes, by Dawson Church, PhD, contains more than 300 scientific studies showing that many genes are turned on and off daily by your beliefs, feelings, and attitudes, and that you can use your thoughts and feelings to take control of your health and well-being.
Among many ways to discover the lesson behind an illness, an effective technique you can do on your own is a form of “automatic writing.” Simply take a blank piece of paper and write the question, “What is my body (sick stomach, sprained arm, etc.) trying to tell me?” Then, without thinking about it, begin writing, “My stomach is saying …” and see what follows. An answer will usually spring forth from your subconscious mind that provides insight about your thoughts and feelings that may be affecting your physical health.
Understanding the holistic approach to wellness means understanding that the body, mind, and soul are connected. If you are out of touch with your heart’s and soul’s desires and if your mind is blocked by limiting beliefs—such as not feeling deserving, or believing there’s not “enough” for you to have what you want—that blockage may be reflected in the body in the form of illness.
So, “listening to your body” when you aren’t feeling well may not only provide the clarity you need in order to get to the root of your discomfort, but may also increase your awareness about what you really want. And when you have a crystal clear vision of what you want, you can make new choices that will accelerate your path to wellness—and success.
Food for Thought: The next time you’re experiencing any physical “disease” at all, try to consider what’s going on in your life, emotionally and mentally. Do you need some down time in order to get clearer about how to move forward? Are you exhausted, or do you want a way out of an unsatisfying situation? What changes might your “disease” be telling you that you need to make?
To your good health—and success!
