HEALTH: Understanding the Winter Virus

[Guest guest]

Understanding the Winter Virus

by Bela Johnson

 

In this season of holiday cheer and Winter chill, many of us relish the

quiet warmth of hearth and home. Being indoors has its comforts, but

being in close indoor quarters with others has its downside in the form

of colds and infections. We can, of course, attribute these seasonal

illnesses to viruses going around, but on the causal plane, a virus is

more than a physical anomaly. On the causal plane, the energetic source

from which all thoughts and physical symptoms arise, a virus is a

rampant thought, a runaway energy. We humans are not worlds unto

ourselves, we exist within the context of greater worlds, like circles

within circles. Things pass between us, whether we realize it or not.

And in close quarters, this passing of energy can intensify. Further,

it's not just what we say or what we do. What we think and what we feel

have far more power to affect ourselves and others than we might believe.

 

In Mary Carroll Nelson's book BEYOND FEAR, medical doctor and Toltec

healer Miguel Ruiz speaks of the power of emotions. The Toltecs, an

ancient Latin American healing tribe, believe humans are here on Earth

to produce and ultimately to purify emotions. Emotions can vascillate

between the extremes of tremendously nurturing or hideously virulent.

And while our essential human nature is loving, day to day conditions in

a high-stress culture make it quite challenging to maintain this loving

center. Daily prayer and/or meditation can assist us in doing this, but

eventually we must leave our safe harbor and interact with others who

are living their own confused illusion. Whether this is the clerk at the

grocery store, a partner who has had a bad day, or a sports announcer on

television, another's emotional imbalance can knock us off center pretty

quickly. It is at such times that our actual energetic immune system is

compromised. We actually " crack open " to allow another's virulent

emotions to infect our sense of inner harmony. Without knowing what has

just transpired, we just " caught " a virus. Some of us have many such

encounters in a single day. This can have a huge impact on the immune

system, making us greater candidates for physical illness.

 

In our culture, women and men are conditioned differently, especially in

the realm of emotional expression. Men are often afraid of women's need

to communicate their feelings, as they have been taught to repress their

own more vulnerable emotions. Openly expressing anger is more acceptable

for men. Crying is tolerated better from women. Both genders, however,

are challenged to get in touch with their deeper feelings. Until we do,

we tend to bounce them off one another, often in unbalanced ways. In

psychology, this is called PROJECTION. It is almost as if we need a

screen on which to project these strong feelings so we can OBSERVE them

through another's reactions or responses. And though it may seem easier

than confronting these emotions directly, it can be a painful process

for the person being used as the projection screen. It can actually

weaken that person's immune system. Whether illness takes root in the

body or not depends on their response to it.

 

Healthy minds support healthy bodies. If we are in touch with our

feelings, if we feel comfortable in our skin, we are far less likely to

be candidates for viruses or other illnesses. We are also less likely to

" infect " others. Beyond taking supplements or getting flu shots, we can

monitor our thoughts and feelings to support wellness in ourselves and

others. The energetic immune system is like a soft boundary which

cushions us from the shock of another's unbalanced emotions. Learning to

set this boundary means we learn how to accept responsibility for our

own feelings as well as asking others to take responsibility for theirs.

We cannot control another's response to such a request, but we can

maintain our sense of integrity and wholeness by asking. This is a slow

process for most of us, for in order to do this, we must honestly

evaluate ourselves to make sure we are not simply projecting our own

insecurities and confusion back onto the other person's " screen. " There

is, in essence, no blaming, but rather we are respecting ourselves

enough to ask others to respect the tender humanity residing in each of us.

 

We always have the choice to participate in this circle of wholeness

rather than withdrawing. Withdrawal may feel SAFER, for no one likes

confrontation. Yet when we withdraw, by default we accept the emotional

charge another has forced upon us. This is like accepting another's

burden as our own. Each one of us has unique life lessons which are

there to help our souls mature. Taking on the emotional burdens of

others or forcing others to accept our own burdens weakens the immune

system and loosens the fragile ties which compassionately bind us to one

another. Since we all must breathe the same air and viruses are

airborne, we can work to " clear the air " around us in order to purify

the air we must breathe together, especially in these indoor months.

 

Breath is as essential to life as our relationship to one another. May

we strive to create more peace and harmony in our lives together in this

upcoming year.

 

 

(Previously published in The Maine Eagle, January 2002)

 

Bela Johnson complements her gifts of intuition and healing touch with a

background in Psychology. Her work involves helping others to open

themselves to a more gratifying and authentic sense of being.

 

Bela Johnson, Medical Intuitive

P.O. Box 1127

Holden, ME 04429

(207) 843-5414

Email: belaj

Website: http://www.belajohnson.com

 

***

http://www.neholistic.com/articles/0076.htm