power of thPSYCHOSOMATIC: MIND OVER MATTER & BIOLOGY
INSIGHT
Every realization begins with a thought, an idea, before its manifestation. Our minds are the most powerful tool that we harness for all levels of manifestation and success in our lives.
“What you conceive, you can achieve”.
Our thoughts shape who we are, how we think, and who we become. Our physical and emotional well-being is dependent on our state of mind and its processes. The power of the mind is a tool we are still discovering and just beginning to unleash. Therefore, we must endeavor to preserve our mind in the best creative condition by controlling its triggers and our emotions.
Psychosomatic medicine (relating to the interaction between mind and body), is an interdisciplinary medical field exploring the impact of the spiritual, psychological, social, and behavioral factors on bodily processes affecting the quality of life in both humans and animals.
The philosophy of mind over matter is a condition whereby one can use one’s mind to influence and control the impact of a physical condition or a problem. It starts with a coherent perception proceeding with a practical and determined approach. It has been scientifically confirmed that changing the mindset provides many tangible benefits, oftentimes referred to as a paradigm shift. For lay people, this concept may be hard to grasp, but in practical terms it is straightforward. It can also be referred to as Willpower which is known to overcome all obstacles. “When there is a will, there is always a way.” In other words, any challenge can be defeated through determination and discipline. It is the ability to persist despite all odds and difficulties and never give up. “When the going gets tough, only the tough get going”.
At its very core, the essence lies in the mind’s incredible capacity to sway the body and, to some extent our course in the broader world. This capacity is achieved through the practice of self-discipline. A discipline that has recourse to the implementation of constructive habits of self-awareness or mindfulness. The practice of meditation, visualization, vocal affirmations, journaling our thoughts, retaining positive thought processes, and self-talk, all contribute to a stronger and more alert mind. Memory lapses, unnecessary agitation, repetitive tasks, and boring chores become non-existent.
Mind over matter is particularly effective in the domain of psychological and physical healing. The mind can trigger tangible physiological changes, such as diminished pain, accelerated healing, and heightened well-being through meditation and visualization. There is also the contemporary therapy of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), acknowledging that stress is the primary cause of anxiety and a complex array of pathologies through the strains of modern living.
In summary, this is the philosophy of mind over matter.
SCIENCE & HISTORY
TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) is over 5,000 years old. Well before modern medicine and pharmacology, medicine was a wholesome treatment through a natural approach, whether through the administration of a complexity of herbal ayurvedic treatments, or spiritual meditation assisted with mantras sound therapy, incense, and aromatherapy. They believe that spiritual, environmental, and emotional well-being are relevant to achieving wholesomeness and a healthy existence.
In the 10th century at the peak of Arabic civilization, the Persian psychologist-physician Abu Zayd Ahmed Iben Sahl Al-Balkhi (934 AD) emphasized the interaction of the mind and the body through the concept of spiritual health in his “Sustenance for Body and Soul”. Highlighting that a patient’s spirituality, psychology, and physiology are interwoven and influence one another. Al-Balkhi believed that even words have an impact on an individual’s emotions which could upset his entire well-being. He developed various techniques as stimuli to alter emotional reactions. He did not believe that medication regulated the body or remedied mental disorders.
In response to modern-day stress, the science of behavioral therapy has been introduced to analyze, treat, and prevent psychosomatic illnesses. For example, high blood pressure, or severe lower back pain may be the outcome of stressful situations. Psychiatry traditionally distinguishes between psychosomatic disorders in which mental factors play a significant role in the development, expression, and treatment of a physical illness, and somatoform disorders in which mental factors are the sole cause of a physical illness.
When a patient’s problem cannot be attributed to obvious biological factors, a psychosomatic component is often inferred. For example, though Helicobacter Pylori causes 80% of peptic ulcers, most people living with this bacterium in their system, do not develop ulcers. The 20% of patients with the ulcers do not have this bacterium. Consequently, psychological factors play a role in this case. The same applies to a common irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The abnormality is in the behavior of the gut although there are no structural changes in the gut. In such cases, psychosomatic disorders determine their onset response to treatment and resolution. Terminal illnesses such as cancer can potentially be influenced by a person’s ruminating thoughts and persistent depression.
In the US, psychosomatic medicine is a subspecialty of psychiatry and neurology, while in Europe it is a subspecialty of internal medicine. Medical treatment and psychotherapy are used to treat illnesses of a psychosomatic nature.
SHARING A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
You would be surprised by the impact a troubled mind has over one’s body and thought process. October’23 was a trying month for me on all levels: family, finances, social demands, and litigations, whisking up into a peak storm by mid-October. My mind was restless like a flying monkey. In African parlance, “My brains were burning!” leading to an irregular sleep pattern, poor and irregular diet, abandoning my daily exercise, and neglecting my health. To top it all, my dog delivered 10 puppies at the peak of my storm. Nevertheless, they took priority despite the added mess they created at home.
As a result, I progressively woke up every morning with more physical pains than the previous day, in tandem with my accruing worries, until I could hardly move during the day, or at night in bed. By end-October, I could no longer get out of bed in the morning I was so shattered. It was a painful ordeal that became unbearable since I had to attend to my professional responsibilities and meetings with no excuses. I felt pain in every articulation in my body. Simply coughing sent shooting bolts of pain throughout my body. At night, I felt as though I were struck by a lightning bolt as I entered into bed. The base of my spine hurt so badly; that I could not move my neck or my head. Involuntary tears rolled down my face.
I never resort to medication unless I am bedridden. I avoid doctors like a plague for 3 reasons:
-They never listen attentively, or sympathetically.
-They never confirm the reason or cause of the problem affirmatively.
-They resort to prescription after prescription, with an unnecessary battery of tests generating money for their hospitals. Thereby, treating symptoms through a process of elimination of the various pathologies in question.
Eventually, I walk out feeling like a lab mouse!
TCM has always been my resort. This time, there was no practitioner around me. Therefore, I resorted to Pranic Healing Meditation as I was beyond my high pain threshold and tolerance. A productive practice I abandoned recently. My first-morning session lasted indefinitely as it overwhelmed me with calm and a form of escapism. I adopted a deep voice mantra -appropriately attuned to my pain. The vibration alleviated the agony. As I renewed this daily routine, my mind calmed down, I was more focused and creative in solving my problems. Consequently, the pain became tolerable and I did not have to inconvenience my family. Above all, I refused to discuss my pains to avoid empowering them. Otherwise, it will become “Matter over Mind”, rather than the other way round.
As I continued my morning meditations, I regained my strength, energy, and health -free of any medical intervention. My mind was less foggy to take the time to research what I had just gone through. Perhaps there was a remedy I ignored. But above all, I wanted to erase any negative thoughts fretting over whether the symptoms meant something more sinister. After all, one has to be responsible and pragmatic. Thank goodness for our modern-day internet, I landed on loads of valuable information. Struck by the enclosed chart below, all my doubts were cleared. I do hope that this chart will be as relevant a reference to you as it was to me.
Five days later, my pains had diminished by a substantial 75%. For that, I was grateful, and confident that the 100% was closer than I thought. I vowed to share this personal experience if I succeeded, and here it is!
I have been practicing self-mastery for decades, ever since I learned the art of meditation. In addition, I have researched and studied Tai Chi and other self-disciplinary arts. It is most impactful to mix and match that which works best for each individual. After all, we each have a different genetic blueprint and constitution.
I once read that when recovering from a paralyzing physical condition, we involuntarily feel renewed. In a Christian theology book, I read that it is to permit psychological and physical renewal. Both are true. I felt the compulsion for a total revival -in lay terms. I believe the following 7 principles will assist you in a similar situation, and you can develop your methodology forward:
· Challenge yourself in every conceivable way to produce a new self-image.
· Prepare a checklist of the procrastinating, lazy, and lethargic habits you wish to abandon. You are not a creature of habit. You are creative. Abandon old routines.
· Prepare a list of refreshingly new objectives you wish to achieve to upgrade your image and a new set of activities to invigorate your well-being.
· Start by changing your habits. Suggesting that you change your thoughts first, may never propel you forward. But changing your habits, by moving your body first, creates the expected results.
· Relying on yourself and no one else, is the first step in extending your limits and discovering your potential.
· Be conscious of your thought process, your new objectives, your physical posture, your verbal talk, and your breathing routine in whatever you do. Your breathing palpitations signal what you should avoid as negativity or harmful to your well-being. Keep your breathing deep and consistent. If your talk lacks affirmation, use action verbs. Your well-being will match your talk. Your physical posture reveals your state of mind. Catch yourself in time. Your objective is your compass that provides direction. The preceding will certainly improve your thought process.
· Do you use your affirmative “Yes”, and rejection “No”, enough? You will decide how to cut the crap and project yourself forward by using them adequately. Be swift to eliminate negativity and invite positivity into your life. Making mistakes is not shameful. It’s just another valuable lesson in your trajectory.
To conclude, I have adopted the following dictum, “If I don’t mind, then it doesn’t matter”. This assists me in not preoccupying my mind with trivia, but rather focusing on creative solutions and productive content. “If advice is offered at no cost, why not accept it?” is another dictum of mine. After all, it has been tried and tested. Therefore, for those younger than I am at 69, it is certified advice.
Sammy RNAJ
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