The Life Coach Series: Mind Medicine

[Guest guest]

Good Morning!

 

This week I will be discussing topics in regards to coping with life,

alternative ways of thinking for better health and the power of our

belief systems in healing!

 

The Life Coach Series: Mind Medicine

 

Mind medicine imparts the healing power on the entire body.

This " trickle-down effect " can be seen repeatedly in many forms of

Eastern medicine. The psychological root-cause of each person's

belief system, which becomes the texture of how we live our lives,

can be expressed in the subtle energies of the body as well as in the

expression of disease.

 

No matter what form of therapy we use, be it herbs, acupuncture,

crystals, color…we are only capable in balancing our lives as we are

by the beliefs we hold in our heart. Formulate a positive belief

system and we lay the basic groundwork for a stronger foundation in

which to build better health.

 

Our belief system is one of our most powerful assets. With the

ability to believe, we can accomplish nearly anything! The more one

believes in them selves, the more one will definitely make

accomplishments. When we face situations that are near physical or

mental impossibilities, then it is our belief system, or belief in

ourselves, that determines IF it is possible. Instilling this

message to a person can create the groundwork for change. The

following is a look at both the Eastern and Western approach to mind

body practice.

 

Oriental Medicine Model

 

Within the traditions of Oriental Medicine, the connection between

the mind, the body and its spiritual components have been the basis

of this holistic health system for centuries. Shamanism and

incantations were the primary beginnings of this system, followed by

well-known philosophers and their ideologies.

 

Traditional Psychology bases the combination of Jing-

Essence, Qi and Shen as the Fundamental Theory. The fundamental

theories include:

 

1. The Integration of Body and Mind: The combination of Jing-Essence,

Qi and Shen.

2. The Heart: Traditional has long looked at the

heart as the dominant organ for mental activity. It is believed that

all information is preserved and processed through the heart.

3. Five Zang Organs and mental activities: The visceral root of our

emotions. Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lungs and Kidneys.

4. Individuality and Temperament: Every life begins with inherent

strengths and weaknesses.

5. The Respect of the Soul: Deeper levels of the emotions affect our

spiritual planes.

 

 

The Balance of Yin and Yang

 

Signs and symptoms of psychiatric disorders can be as evident or as

hidden as possible. Some of the apparent signs and symptoms could

include Shen deficiencies include loss of spirit, disquieted spirit,

clouded spirit or a scattered spirit. Also, palpitations, hiccups,

dizziness, hypochondriac pain, " running piglet Qi " " plum pit Qi " , or

diarrhea can all or in part, be symptoms which express themselves. An

excess of Yang or and excess of Yin can be just as possible as

deficient Yang or Yin. The tongue can have a red tip or the entire

tongue body may be red. There could be a central deep crack or an

indented tip.

 

Extroverted Patterns: Tai Yang and Shao Yang patterns are temporary

disorders and respond quickly to treatment.

Introverted Patterns: Tai Yin and Shao Yin patterns are expressed as

depression and gloom and are more difficult to treat.

 

 

Eastern Minds

 

" Ru Jia " – Confucianism's " Doctrine of the Means " was how one would

create a healthy balanced state between the mind, the body and

spirit. By nurturing the mind, the health of the organs would

follow. The guidelines for achieving this balance would be to live

with good manners, loyalty, honoring one's parents, the proper

conduct, benevolence and love.

 

Taoist guidelines for a healthy mind and body would be to " Live with

content " . Be free in yourself and be close to nature. Lao Tzu, is

regarded as the creator of the foundation of the Taoist philosophy.

In the Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu stated that " people should return to the

original condition of nature…complete personal tranquility " .

 

Buddhism teaches the benefits of deep calming and to be consciously

aware. At the very heart of Buddhism are the Four Noble Truths,

taught by the Buddha to his earliest disciples, in his first sermon.

The first Truth is that life is dukkha -- a word translated as

suffering, dislocation. In other words, because something has gone

wrong in the world, life is not as it should be, and there is pain.

In order to relieve suffering, we must discover its cause. The second

Truth offers the explanation: The cause of dukkha is tanha, or

desire -- specifically, desire for personal gratification. A person

ruled by tanha is one who will ignore the welfare of every other

being to satisfy his own desire. Since in reality all is one,

shutting oneself off from that oneness through selfishness causes

pain. The third Truth identifies what must be done: If suffering is

caused by selfish craving, overcoming that craving will eliminate the

pain. The fourth Truth offers the solution: The Buddha's Eightfold

Path -- follow its instructions, and one will find release.

 

 

The Western Psychiatric Model

 

1. The biopsychosocial model

 

The bio syndromes, which include the syndrome, related to the

anatomical pathology or disordered pathophysiology. This is where

medicine blends with psychology.

 

The psycho syndromes, which include the mental and emotional

processes of the mind. This is the personality behind the medical

illness.

 

The social syndrome, which intimately involves the person's family,

environment, financial and educational backgrounds. This expresses

how no psychiatric patient exists in a vacuum.

 

2. The perspective model

 

Every psychiatric patient's disorder is viewed as being influenced by

disease, behavior, personality and life story.

 

 

Western Minds

 

Sigmund Freud remains one of the most influential figures of the 20th

century. Freud's basic insight that our minds preserve memories and

emotions which are not always consciously available to us has

transformed the way humanity views itself ever since. The tendency

of people to trace their problems to childhood traumas or other

repressed emotions begins with Freud. One of Freud's more important

discoveries is that emotions buried in the unconscious surface in

disguised form during dreaming, and that the remembered fragments of

dreams can help uncover the buried emotions. Whether the method is

exactly as Freud describes it, many people have consequent insights

into themselves from studying their dreams, and many people consider

dreams emotionally significant, contrasting our ancestors who often

saw them either as divine suggestion or as simply a side-effect of

indigestion.

 

Carl Jung is one of the most respected and recognized psychologists

of all time. Many people know Jung as one of Sigmund Freud's

followers and co-workers. Jung's emphasis in the field in psychology

had to do with dreams. Jung developed many theories about dreams, a

lot of them disagreeing with Freud. Jung was a great psychologist and

psychiatrist that changed the ways of psychology today. Jung thought

that dreams were a tool to help us grow, not just to release extreme

sexual desires. Jung felt that dreams were more than about sex, they

were about life. Jung said that sexual drive doesn't even motivate us

as much as the fear of death. Jung was an inspiration to all in the

psychology field. His theories are instrumental in psychology and

psychiatry fields today.

 

Dr.Wilhelm Reich who discovered the " orgone energy " theory,

emphasized that all diseases could ultimately be best understood as

imbalances in the orgone energy system. Reich became convinced that a

subtle biophysical energy permeates all living things and that the

orgone is mass-free; permeates all of space in different

concentrations; is responsible for all forms of life; is taken into

the body through breathing; is present in all cells, is especially

drawn to water and forms units, both living and nonliving.

 

John Upledger DO. has been recognized as an innovator and leading

proponent in the investigation of new therapies. His development of

CranioSacral Therapy has earned him an international reputation. As

an osteopathic physician, Dr. Upledger did extensive scientific

studies from 1975 to 1983 at Michigan State University, where he

served as a clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics. His

therapy is a subtle, hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the

functioning of a physiological craniosacral system. This system is

comprised of the " inner physician " as well as, membranes and

cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal

cord. By complementing the body's natural healing processes,

CranioSacral Therapy is increasingly used as a preventive health

measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease, and is

effective for a wide range of medical problems associated with pain

and dysfunction.

 

It is through the courageous and unique approaches of such Western

minds as these, that allows for the mind body model to be stretched

and supplemented into new and innovative ways. These men have made

great strides in allowing us to look at connections between the

psyche and the physical flesh the mind inhabits. They bring closer

the bridge between Eastern theories and Western advances in order to

complete the circle of one ideal model.

 

 

The Realm of the Possible

 

In my approach to " Mind Medicine " , I use the power of my energy

therapies I have studied with a look at a particular person's belief

in themselves and their surrounding situation(s). As individual as

the cells that make up our systems, the process of healing each

individual is as unique as this. It is inevitable as human nature

dictates, to want to categorize and organize things. This is an

innate function of the brain system itself.

If you have this... then you do this... and so on.

 

As we learn... a system of healing, be it allopathic medicine or

complementary and alternative modalities such as massage therapy,

ayurvedics, traditional Chinese medicine, color therapy and so on –

there tends to be a set of tried and true rules to observe, follow or

be guided by.

 

As we practice... it is never as cut and dried! We would all like to

see patients come in with classic textbook symptoms. This would make

it so easy for us to treat. Unfortunately, those cases tend to be

more the exception than the rule. That is what makes healing not only

an art, but also a lifetime of discoveries.

 

I feel, nothing in healing, is etched in stone. What method of

treatment may help one individual may not help the next. This is why

it is important to be open to and aware of as many possibilities in

the healing arena as possible. I also do not believe that if someone

has said or has proven that a form of healing MAY NOT work in

general, that this still is not grounds for abandoning the treatment.

What may not work for one may absolutely be appropriate in healing

another.

 

In Western medicine, for example, we tend to only work with and

accept the most recent medications; the most recent findings and the

most current approaches...disregard the rest.

 

In Chinese medicine, no theory or form of healing is ever thrown out

but placed in the " tool belt of knowledge " and maybe able to be

called upon when one path is not as efficient.

 

In any clinical setting where there is an interview, there is an

exchange of energies. Through these energies, we can observe the

ability to relate to one another via intuitions, creative hunches,

the give and take of power, nonverbal and emotional insights and

nonverbal forms of communication that form a valuable source of

knowledge about the patient's personality, and his or her

transference.

 

In the clinical setting, the energies of transference and counter

transference are always present. Trying to balance these energies

that abound in a clinical interview are both challenging to

recognize, as they are to cope with. The process of being aware, as

well as conscious, plays a major role in the recognition as to where

an imbalance manifests. Your " tool belt of knowledge " can also be an

imperative part in the process. These delicate energy levels, when

balanced can maintain a level of good health and strong immunity

within the body. When thrown into disarray, this may give a clue as

to where to start.

 

 

Belief Becomes Substance

 

Our body and minds are stronger and more complexed than most people

think. We are capable of much more. People place too many limits on

what they can do. Learning to believe in yourself and your abilities

is a hard job that never ends. I often stress the point that they

should often challenge themselves. Attempting things that are just

outside their ability. One of the best things about expanding our

limits is that things that used to be impossible can now be apart of

our everyday life! By building the belief in our ability, we can

accomplish anything in life. I want people to understand these

guidelines:

 

* Energy follows thought. Program thought to be positive and our

energy will reflect it!

 

* Our Belief System is one of the major factors that can get us

through situations or can cause our life to crumble around us! I do

believe that there is a lot of innate goodness and balancing that our

minds do subconsciously in order to get us through hard times. The

other portion of this is how we " program " ourselves to deal with any

given situation.

 

* We have a conscious choice. We can choose to be beaten or choose

to win.

 

* Our self-confidence and self-love is often the key to opening and

strengthening this portion of our thoughts, which in turn emanates

from us!

 

* Really appreciating what we DO have as opposed to what we would

like to have sometimes makes a significant difference. This is always

an important element in healing that is often neglected.

 

With this foundation built, practically any healing modality will

have an even better chance of taking root in the positive,

strengthening all that it offers in return.

 

There are many factors in the healing process and you are only part

of the plan, your patient is the other piece of the puzzle. I had a

wonderful teacher who once said to me:

 

" A doctor's job is not to heal a patient, it is to show the patient

who they really are! "

 

This profound statement has stayed with me. It has given me the

insight to offer options of healing to a patient. Steering them in

the right direction in order to heal is to allow them to help them

heal themselves.

 

I am always seeking other options of healing.

 

 

Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac.

Peacefulmind.com

Therapies for healing

mind, body, spirit