Eastern medicine practices like Chinese medicine, Ayurveda have embraced the concept of mind and body being interlinked, for several centuries. While western medicine treats mind and body as separate units, several scientists and researchers are beginning to acknowledge the mind's role in healing and looking to leverage the effects of a positive state of mind in order to create better health.
Can Beliefs Cause Disease?
If a thought has been thought repeatedly for a long time, it becomes a belief. Dr. Bruce Lipton, an internationally recognized cellular biologist and author of book, The Biology of Belief, believes that, genes are actually manipulated by a person’s belief system. It means that genes don’t themselves cause a condition, except when they are triggered by the environment composed of one’s thoughts, emotions and beliefs.
Dr. Christiane Northrup, a board-certified OB/GYN, in her book, Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom, writes that psychological and emotional factors influence a person’s health greatly because, “our emotions and thoughts are always accompanied by biochemical reactions in our bodies.”
Can the Mind Heal the Body?
If one’s belief system is potent enough to cause a physical condition, can beliefs be modified to heal? Dr. Northrup writes that since beliefs go deeper than the conscious mind, they are difficult to change. Some beliefs are only present at a subconscious level and are not available to be willed away by one’s intellect. Dr. Northrup suggests a three step process to change a non-serving belief. These steps are three of the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Dr.Northrup’s Three Step Program to Healing the Body by Changing Beliefs
The first step to stop obsessing over a disease is to understand that the intellect has no power over a subconscious belief. The person admits that the belief is not healthy and needs to be changed.
The second step is to acknowledge that a greater power has the potential to restore health. The third step is to make a decision to invoke the greater power.
Dr. Northrup writes that cells in our bodies are memory banks that have imprints of events that the conscious mind might be unaware of. To create health, one must decide to be happy and make a conscious effort to uncover the programming of the body. Dr. Lipton writes that we are no longer victims of our genes, but instead, "have the capacity to live a life of unlimited happiness, peace and love."
The mind is a great tool to restore physical health. Some areas of alternative medicine that use mind driven therapies are bio-feedback, hypnosis and relaxation techniques like meditation.
Related Reading
Readers may also be interested in reading Affirmations for Health, Wellness and Healing along with Use Affirmations for Positive Changes in Life and Louise Hay and the Power of Affirmations.
Sources:
The Biology of Belief, Bruce H Lipton, PhD.
Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom, Christiane Northrup, MD.
Subha Ekambaram - I'm fascinated by the self healing processes of the human body and the alternative methods that accelerate it. I like to be present where ...
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