When you cut your finger, what happens? You bleed for a while, and then the bleeding stops. A scab forms, and in a few days the sides of the wound have knit together and the wound looks smaller. Before too long the wound is all gone and you have forgotten about it. Isn’t that amazing? When we are wounded, our body works to heal the wound. Sometimes, if the wound is great, medical treatment is needed to aid the healing, but medicine works to aid the body’s natural healing mechanism, not to replace it.Our bodies are constantly repairing and renewing themselves. Most of the work is outside our awareness, and it is easy to take it for granted. It is safe to say that most people don’t appreciate the incredible power of their immune systems to fight infection and repair damage. Most of us probably don’t do much to help it do the job either. We can do the obvious things:
1. Eat nutritious foodIn addition, it is possible to aid the body’s ability to heal itself though healing imagery. The young science of psychoneuroimmunology studies how our minds affect our ability to heal. It has found that imagery does aid healing. It can boost the immune system, help control pain, and alter internal conditions, such as pulse and blood pressure. Visualization has been used with reports of success in treating diabetes, heart disease, cancer and other diseases. It is not a replacement for medical treatment, but evidence suggests that it is beneficial.
2. Get enough rest
3. Exercise
4. Reduce stressImagery is a personal matter. The type of imagery you use depends on you. What is most likely to work for you is symbolism that resonates with your imagination. Some people have used warlike images of white blood cells fighting cancer, while others find such images objectionable. Create images that you are comfortable with. Create images of your body healing itself, and images of your body as you would like it to be. Your images of action inside your body need not be anatomically sophisticated. Your mind works in symbols. Your body knows what to do with them.
What follows is a simple meditation to activate your healing resources. Use it as a starting point.
Sit or lie in a comfortable, relaxed position. Let your eyes close and begin to relax. Take several slow, deep breaths into your abdomen. Let the air out of your lungs with a big sigh, and just let the inhalation happen by itself. Notice if your chest rises or if your belly rises when you breathe in. See if you can let the air move your abdomen more than your chest. Relax your chest muscles and relax the muscles in the area of your stomach. Let your breath flow in and out like ocean waves. With each wave of breath, let your body become more relaxed. Let waves of relaxation sweep over you. Let the relaxation flow into every muscle and tendon from the top of your head to the tips of your finger and toes.Imagine that you are surrounded by white light. This is a light of purity and protection. Inside the area of this light there can be no negativity. It is a light of love. Allow this light to shine all around you and through you.
Now change the light to one of shimmering gold. The golden light is flecked with sparkling healing green light. Shine this gold and green light into every cell of your body.
Notice any areas in your body that remain dark. Perhaps this is an area that needs special attention. Draw your consciousness to that area and invite the light to cleanse it of any impurity or dysfunction. Release any tension in that area. Release any negative emotions. Replace it with the light of love.
If this is an area of disease, try to see the disease. What does it look like in your imagination? This is your own personal image. It need not be scientific. It can be symbolic.
Imagine that healing is taking place. The disease is not part of you, it is but a temporary obstacle to full health and functioning. In your mind’s eye, see the dysfunction being removed. Create a picture in your mind of the healer. It might be a person, or group of people or animals, or machines, or forces of nature working on your illness. What are they doing to help you? Get a clear picture. Take as much time as you want to let the process continue. Remember the images you have created so that you can return to them and continue the inner healing later on. Regular practice is more likely to bring the results you seek than sporadic longer sessions. The time just before you go to sleep and right after you awaken are excellent times to practice.
Remember the light, so that you can shine it any time you want. Make it a habit to clear your mind and heart with a loving white light. Surround yourself with it to ward off negativity. Use the gold and green shimmering light to focus your healing power. Fill yourself with light to lighten your inner world. Use it to wash away obstacles and blocked energy.
Visualize your body as whole and healthy. See yourself as your perfect self.
CNN says meditation is good medicine
© 1999-2002 Tom Barrett