World renowned leader in mind/body/spirit medicine, Dr. Bernie Siegel, was my special guest on Anger 911 today. His knowledge about the connection between our mental, emotional, and physical heal is unsurpassed and documented by scientific evidence.
The mind/body connection can be found even in Scripture. The Bible clearly states that “As a man thinks so he is.” This does not apply simply to how one feels about themselves in terms of self-esteem but also as it applies to our physical health. In an email several years ago, I shared with Bernie my belief about heredity disease. “I don’t believe we inherit medical issues from our families. I believe we inherit our belief systems and in turn our bodies respond.” “You are exactly right,” he avowed. If one believes they are predisposed to a certain medical condition, say heart disease, they put themselves at greater risk for developing it because the mind believes it to be fact and in time will act upon it. It is the mind that controls the body and what occurs mentally impacts the physical.
I think back several decades ago to a medical condition I had which involved surgery. It was the late eighties and I was experiencing a great deal of anger. I was p*ssed off at the world and I reminded myself daily. Within a short period of time, I developed an unusual growth on my bladder which had to be surgically removed. Two months of respite passed quickly only to be followed by a severe recurrence. I knew my anger (my emotional/mental state of mind) had caused my body to react negatively. I also knew that if I healed my emotions, my body would follow suit. It did. Negative emotions – whether they be fear, anger, jealously, hatred – can wreak havoc on the body’s natural immune system. Likewise, positive emotions strengthen it, facilitating a therapeutic effect on our health.
In my book, The Secret Side of Anger, Bernie states, “One’s life and one’s health are inseparable. Genes do not make the decisions. Our internal environment does. You internalize anger and it destroys you. Self-induced healing is not an accident.”
Bernie went on to say that our body stores our memories. Negative memories from childhood are stored in our cells and in time, those memories manifest as maladies. It is imperative to heal our past in order to protect ourselves from disease as we age. Dr. Norman Cousins, best known for his research on the power of laughter to heal, is living proof of the power of positive emotions to heal the body. No challenge is too great for the mind. There have also been documented cases of individuals who receive donated organs only to discover they have knowledge belonging to the donor.
Pay close attention to what feelings you harbor. In order to ensure optimum health, keep a positive heart and mind. Bernie’s recommendation: “Love your life and body if you want to be healthy.” May I add, love one another as well. Here’s to your health!
Visit Bernie at www.BernieSiegelmd.com. Pick up a copy of “Love, Medicine and Miracles”, a classic and Louise Hay’s “Heal Your Body” – two of my all-time favorite books!
The Secret Side of Anger, endorsed by Dr. Bernie Siegel, can be found at http://www.pfeifferpowerseminars.com/pps1-products.html
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