Mind–Body Medicine: Make It So!

This great podcast from ABC Radio National's All In The Mind show covers the idea of Mind-Body medicine, and Shannon Harvey's story about her exposure to it.

The idea of Mind-Body medicine — aka psychoneuroimmunology — is not a new concept. It is the fundamental basis for Chinese Medicine, and these ideas can be found in medical texts dating as far back as the early Han dynasty (2nd Century BCE), and maybe even earlier from the Warring States or Spring/Autumn period (there is still scholarly debate about dating some of the more earlier texts, but we’re considering as far back as the 4th Century BCE).

It is also a key concept that has been going around 'alternative' medicine in the West for quite some time, and always been pooh-poohed by scientific rationalists in modern times.

The crux of it is that having the belief that you will get / stay well plays an important part in your actual physical wellness. The fact that if you take the presupposition that there is no split between mind and body, then your mindset and self-beliefs will affect the cells in your body, as neurological signals are sent through the entire system.

They key here is understanding that a self-belief is not an intellectual concept!

It is not words or affirmations you repeat.

This self-belief is fully embodied, and you will have a complete sensory experience of the belief; that is, you will see, hear, feel, (and maybe smell and taste if they are well-developed senses) as well as think/know it!

The belief needs to be embodied in order to affect the body on a cellular level.

This relates to the concept of the 3 Treasures in Taoist Alchemical Medicine & Martial Arts.

Consciousness (神 Shén) and energy (气 Qì) — both of which are yáng — will transform into the denser material that forms the physical body (yīn); conversely, this denser material (精 Jīng) can be utilised and transformed into the immaterial Qì and Shén. This is a simplification, but you get the idea.

During my time as a clinical practitioner I met many patients who had the belief that there was nothing that would help them get better; I also met many who believed that there was.

This was separate to whether or not they believed that acupuncture worked, or would help. My observations were that if one said they didn't believe in acupuncture, but were willing (on a congruent, unconscious level) to try it, they believe unconsciously that there is something 'out there' that would help them heal.

In each of these instances, it was the clients’ unconscious belief that there was something that could be done to help them, coupled with the trust in their acupuncturist which is what inevitably made the difference.

The other thing to consider is that beliefs can easily change; and relatively easily too. So long as our unconscious mind is happy to make the necessary changes then beliefs will shift. The hardest part in this process is the conscious mind accepting that there is a belief that needs to change (and often that's not hard at all).

Ask yourself the following questions:

* What is your belief around your health?

• What do you get from having that belief that is more important to you than the belief itself?
• What are the consequences of having that belief?
* Do those consequences match what is more important to you than the belief?
  
If there is no match, then that suggests that there is something that needs to change. This kind of reminds me of Dr Phil's provocative question, "is it working for you?"
  
Discovering that there is a change required for you to transform your health and your life is the first step. Making the change is the next step, and everyone always needs help with this — including those of us working in this field.

I am challenged with this constantly, and I am grateful for the amazing guides, coaches, and healers who support me on a weekly basis; be they acupuncturists, herbalists, NLP practitioners, chiropractors, or massage therapists.

Once we begin to make changes, things will start to gain momentum. The differences become noticeable and inspiring (and challenging).

But don't wait for it to happen. Embody the change you want to happen, and the belief that you are happy and healthy... but also don’t forget to actually make those changes!

In the words of Captain Jean-Luc Picard:

Make it so!