Physician Healer

Issue 52: Health and Healing: Shifting the Mindset

Health and Healing: Shifting the Mindset

“Energy flows where attention goes.” Read that again. I thought about this quote yesterday when I reflected on this past week’s remarks from clients/patients. The most common desire of everyone was to be in better health this year after experiencing stress the past 2 years. So, I asked them if they were ready to change their “sick” or “stressed” mindset to a “wellness” mindset, even if it is just to encourage them to embody a “wellness is possible” focus.

Wellness happens in the mind first, not the body, which is a surprise to most people. We realize how true this is especially if we remember that about 60,000 to 80,000 thoughts come through the brain each day and unfortunately, 80% of those are negative. It is not exactly our fault. Our minds are wired for negativity as an evolutionary safety mechanism but everyone of us can move through that and achieve a state of true wellness and health, in mind and body. This involves developing a habit of allowing how we feel in the moment to come through and then recording better programming into the mind centering on what we are grateful for in our lives.

Clinical trials from the University of California at Davis suggest that daily practices of gratitude have significant and lasting impact on lowering blood pressure, improving the immune system and improving sleep. Along similar lines, the University of California at San Diego’s School of Medicine discovered that individuals who embodied gratitude had better cardiac health, decreasing inflammation and calibrating healthier heart rhythms.

They reported an improved sense of well-being, higher mood and energy levels and sleep issues began to resolve. A plethora of studies into the subject of gratitude indicates that feeling grateful allows us to feel more connected with ourselves and the world around us. This is the very opposite of what stress does. Stress divides and creates a sense of separation within ourselves, as well as with everything and everyone around us. Coherence of the mind and body is key to allowing us to feel that sense of peace that is an inherent state of being that we all have naturally inside of us.

Setting an intention to have peace of mind in the present moment is an important first step. This ability is accessible no matter who we are or what is going on this very moment. We can always choose to put forth intentions to feel joy, to feel peace, to feel love, regardless of our current situation. Changing the mindset facilitates in a powerful way a natural change in the energy of our body, as well as the current external situation.

Remember that the body is the instrument of the mind. The body believes what the mind tells it. Whatever the mind tells the body, it becomes that. Whatever the body feels, the mind senses it.

One of tools I have folks do in the office whenever the blood pressure is elevated when they first arrive is to have them close their eyes and while visualizing a peaceful place and do several cycles of slow and deep breathing. Many had never heard of breathing slowly and deliberately while following the breath down to the belly and were perplexed to witness the dramatic results of substantially lowering the blood pressure just from this simple technique.

It feels like magic but it isn’t. Simply speaking, when you slow the breathing down, the mind gets alerted that we are in a safe place, not running from an animal or escaping a fire. The mind then shuts down the fight or flight response and pulls back the cortisol stress hormone from the adrenal glands and the muscular layer of the arteries relaxes, resulting in a lower blood pressure. Scientific research has also confirmed that inflammation from inadequately managed stress is the underlying reason why 75 to 90% of people with a variety of symptoms visit the doctor.

Through understanding of how the mind connects with the body, we can prevent many health issues, having to take a drug cabinet of medications, or having to increase dosages or add more of them. In the meantime, it can also help whatever we are taking to work more effectively in our systems. I have witnessed the power of our thought process in determining whether we get or stay sick or thrive as time goes on. In all the years I have done healing work with individuals, they have been the evidence and proof that the mind is extremely powerful.

Those who have turned their lives around and had their health turn around ended up transforming every aspect of their lives. It makes sense if you think about it. If you are feeling better in your body and in your mind, you feel happier, you are able to move around more, accomplish more, perhaps travel more, learn more new things, and then the rest of your life beautifully falls into place. We can think our way into sickness or we can think our way into thriving health. No matter what is going on, if we are not feeling well, we can choose to control our response and exercise some directional choice or react to the circumstances as a victim. But, the point is, we do have a choice.

I find it interesting that when I interview some folks and ask them how they are doing, they immediately jump to some event in the past that puts them in dire straits and go into great detail. They tend to identify themselves as their illnesses from the past, not the healthy versions of themselves that is going on in the present moment and/or they jump forward into the future that hasn’t happened yet in fear of what they think will come using the past as evidence.

Remember that what the mind creates we get more of. Focus on what is good and more good comes to us, even though there is really nothing that is all good or all bad. Things are just how they are. It’s called life. Good and bad are subjective labels we egoically place on things. For any of us who want to live longer and live well, the key is to stay present, in the now and exercise gratitude. If we live only in the past or the future, we completely skip the time that really matters, what we can choose to feel, think and do right now. True magic lies in the present moment and to remember all the things we are grateful for.

Next, we are going to do an impromptu exercise. Grab a pen and take out a piece of paper and write down 10 things for which you are grateful. It can be that you have a family, a home, a job, a good friend, good health, or as simple as you woke up today! Then, take a moment to look deliberately at each one and say it out loud. Focus on each one for about 10 to 15 seconds and really feel it before moving on to the next one on the list. I recommend doing this as soon as you get up in the morning and also before going to bed either before or after your meditation time.

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In the morning, it sets the tone of positivity for the rest of the day and at night, it clears out any gunk you’ve collected during the day. The positive effects can be immediate, though to solidify the process, it is recommended that you give it at least 66 days. And remember, according to personal growth author/speaker Robin Sharma, it takes approximately 66 days for any new habit to be installed as a routine from a study conducted at University College London.

Remember that the majority, if not all, successful people in all facets of life —health, wealth, mind and spirit—practice daily sitting in meditation. Recently, personal development author/speaker Kyle Cease simplified the definition and removed mysticism surrounding the “M” word by just calling the process “listening.” Just spend an hour each morning listening. This gives the mind time to take the trash out and clear that room without your having to lift a finger.

Next time when you catch yourself feeling sad, bored, frustrated, angry or any other negative emotions, look into it and see if you can detect where these feelings are coming from. Follow the feeling into a reason and see if that reason is something unresolved from the past or something you fear will happen in the future. Then, turn your focus inward immediately and ask yourself the following questions:

—Am I breathing?

—Is my heart beating?

—Am I alive?

—Am I grateful for being alive?

—Am I grateful for the ability to feel grateful?

This will serve as a way to temporarily ground you in the here and now and away from the past or the future.

Relaxation and Meditation:

1) Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Take a deep breath in through your nose or pursed lips following the breath down into the belly (5-7 seconds). Then, exhale through pursed lips (5-7 seconds). Repeat 2-3 more times or more.

2) As I have done in recent issues, I am including diagrams below to reference the Meridian points to assist you.

3) Begin by choosing any Meridian point to start applying a gentle repetitive pressure with the finger tips or a tapping motion. Spend 8-10 seconds on each point or longer if desired. You can focus on one, a few or rotate through all the points. While you tap these points remember to speak your intentions of what it is you want while honoring and accepting the things you don’t want to let them through so they can eventually leave.

—Why am I able to honor negativity in my life no matter what’s happening?

—Why is negativity able to move through my life no matter what’s happening?

—Why am I able to create more good in my life no matter what’s happening?

—Why do I have so many things to be grateful for no matter what’s happening?

—Why am I attracting good health in my life no matter what’s happening?

—Why is my life lived with ease no matter what’s happening?

—Why am I able to release expectations no matter what’s happening?

—Why am I able to release judgment no matter what’s happening?

—Why am I so successful in every facet of my life no matter what’s happening?

—Why am I so wealthy in health, mind, heart and spirit no matter what’s happening?

Again, have fun with these intentional statements and compose some of your own personal ones that have meaning for you. Check out previous issues for more examples.

Thank you so much for reading. If you found a section meaningful for you, let me know in the COMMENT section and remember to SHARE, LIKE, and invite others to SUBSCRIBE.

And, remember to check out my new YouTube Channel also called Physician Healer where I share common issues clients and patients have discussed with me and Meridian meditation tutorials. Again, LIKE, SHARE, COMMENT and SUBSCRIBE so I can keep these videos going.

Until next time, sending everyone much to be grateful for each day!

With Love and Gratitude,

Celeste Amaya, MD