In the dead of winter about 10 years ago I went through a number of emotionally trying situations all taking place within a relatively short period of time.  My wife tried unsuccessfully to console me.  It was a difficult time.  We just had a number of things happen in our church that were emotionally painful.  Even though logically I could analyze what had happened yet emotions tend to override all logic.  These incidents resulted in about two months of illness including high fever, swollen tonsils, sinusitis, and abdominal issues culminating into Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

The spirit, mind, body connection is so evident to me as I live my life but it was not so evident back in those days.  When we face emotional stress such as dealing with a difficult person, being fired, losing a job, or an environment of constant conflict this eventually results in different forms of illnesses.  Some of these illnesses are acute and some are chronic, possibly not showing up until months or years later.

Is there a solution?  Is there hope?  Absolutely yes!  I remember one time talking with my holistic health care provider and asking him if there was hope for me.  He smiled reassuringly and told me that I was going to be healthy and not to concern myself over it.  There is hope for you!

Immune System

The immune system is quite complex and to fully explain it here would be impossible.  However, I will attempt to give you some key components so that you can understand some of its basics.

The immune system works from the bone marrow all the way to the outer layer of the skin.  Even though the following organs and tissues have other purposes, yet the immune system is supported and operates from these:

Thymus

The Thymus is located under the breastbone and is at its peak during adolescence.

Bone Marrow

Produces lymphocytes—T-cells and B-cells and sends them through the lymphatic system to secondary organs.

Lymphatic System

The lymphatic system runs throughout the entire body and consists of nodes.  Many of these are in the chest, neck and head.  They are connected to our organs, in particular the spleen, tonsils and thymus.

Intestines

Here is where many white blood cells reside and are tagged for “specific service”.  When our intestines do not function well our immune system loses its potency. Intestines are particularly vulnerable to disturbing emotions.

Spleen

The spleen is found in the left upper quadrant of our abdomen. Its function primarily is to remove old red blood cells and to hold a reserve of blood in case of hemorrhagic shock. The spleen also synthesizes antibodies and removes certain kinds of bacteria through blood and lymph node circulation.

Tonsils

We have two tonsils, one located on each side of the back of the throat.  Tonsils are part of the Lymphatic system and are said to tag white blood cells for certain tasks.  Tonsils are the first line of defence.

Liver

The liver is located mostly on the right side of the body and primarily sits under the ribs though it does extrudes beyond that.  The liver a multi-functioned organ which directly and indirectly effects our immune system.  The liver is a mediator of systemic and local innate immune regulation.

Appendix

What was once considered a useless appendage in our body now is showing its value in helping to maintain a healthy immune system.  Some new research indicates that the appendix harbors and protects bacteria (probiotics) that are beneficial in the function of the colon.

Emotional Stress and Illness

Unfortunately mainline medicine (allopathy) treats primarily the symptoms that arise in our bodies.  But, there are many physicians who are now asserting that between 80-95% of all ailments reported by patients are the result of unresolved emotional issues, grudges, and emotional stressors.  Natural health care practitioners are trained to treat the cause rather than the symptom.

In an earlier blog I wrote about how the spirit affects the mind and body, the mind effects the spirit and the body.  In the end the body is affected and will eventually “kick back”!  According to biblical teaching all physical illness is the result of spiritual ailment(s).  When we are spiritually, mentally, emotionally ill we eventually become physically ill.  In acute cases we may suddenly get a virus, or some infection due to an emotional shock or overload of some kind.  In chronic disease cases this is due to long held unresolved emotional issues.

In the beginning of this article I wanted to point out that emotional stress could cause sickness in our body because our emotions either support healthy immune function or they shut it down.  If we are in a constant state of hyper vigilance (fight or flight) we will unconsciously be constantly suppressing our immune functions and after awhile this will develop into serious illness(es).

Wisdom Factors

I could give you a list of things to do, but there are hundreds of such lists on the Internet and in books.  Instead I have a few thoughts to share with you.

It is also important to consider other things such as environmental stressors on our immune system of which we need to be aware so that we can support our body’s health.  Such things as wearing suitable clothing when it’s too hot or too cold, drinking clean water, eating properly, exercising, taking proper supplements, etc.

A big mistake I used to make was that I could figure it all out myself, or I could do it all myself and save the money!  But, I have discovered that being your own mentor, coach, therapist, physician, or spiritual leader is a disaster in the making!  By relying on other qualified people’s help I have saved money, aggravation, time and as a result have gotten light years ahead in self-improvement and empowerment.  Investing in yourself should be top priority.  Besides, if you won’t nobody will do it for you!  Remember, “Love your neighbour as yourself.”  Loving and supporting yourself will put you in a healthier position to love others more appropriately.

For a quick questionnaire online to help determine your level of emotional stress go to:  http://www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk/questionnaire.html

For consultation or therapeutic help you can contact me at (905) 633-7410.

Written by James Miklos, MCC, R.P.

Resources:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/expert-answers/fish-oil-supplements/faq-20058143

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/11/30/depression-part-nine.aspx

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19499625

In 1890 Pavlov, a Russian physician and , accidentally discovered, through investigating the dog’s gastric function, the response that he called Classical Conditioning.  Classical Conditioning can be defined as, “conditioning in which the conditioned stimulus (as the sound of a bell) is paired with and precedes the unconditioned stimulus (as the sight of food) until the conditioned stimulus alone is sufficient to illicit the response (as salivation in a dog)… “[1] In plain words classical conditioning is when something happens often enough the subject begins to elicit a response be it physiological, emotional and/or intellectual.  So if something happens to us or doesn’t happen to us often enough we develop an automatic response or should I say reaction.  We all too often react instead of respond and that is because we have been conditioned to do so.

So when someone shuts down and gets quiet as an individual or when someone starts flipping out (screaming, yelling, profanity, etc.) these are conditioned responses, they are reactions!  We are all conditioned whether or not we like the thought of it or not.  The good news is that we can alter the conditioning we have received.

To alter our conditioning is to alter body function as well.  As in my last article I discussed in some length how the spirit, mind, and body affect the body.  A simple test can be done with a conscious thought.  The next time you are lifting a weight think of a sad face and notice the strength that you have, then in turn think of a happy face and do the same thing and again notice the strength you have.  I think you will be surprised to see how thinking of a happy face can give you more physical strength.  I often use this kinesiological method to demonstrate this point more affectively.  The point being is that the conscious mind can and does affect the body’s strength, how about the unconscious mind’s ability to affect the body?  The unconscious mind’s ability is so powerful it can cause a person to faint at the sight of blood, to jump when startled, to determine the quality of sleep, the depth of breathing, raise and lower blood pressure, influence digestive processes, and much more.  If the unconscious mind is able to do this on a relatively short timeline what about days, weeks, months, years, or decades later?  Can chronic illnesses have a root cause of unresolved unconscious issues?  The answer is yes.  Both acute and chronic illnesses manifest in the body due to unresolved emotional issues often deeply buried in the unconscious mind.  I realize that pathogens can be the culprit but why do some contract the illness while others do not?  The answer lies in the deep-seated beliefs of the unconscious mind and body.

It is a sensitive matter to discuss the possibility that illness has a direct link to the way we have been conditioned to live our lives.  When discussing this connection between spirit, mind to the body either our society dismisses this as foolishness or becomes upset as though they are being blamed.  Dr. Gabor Mate, M.D.’s book, “When the Body Says No”, speaks of a fifty two year old university professor that vocalized her anger at him for writing about how the mind affects the body, she told him, “Why are you writing this book?… I got cancer because of my genes, not because of anything I did.”[2] I feel sad for those that are suffering physically and mentally, but what causes me even more sadness is when the message is misunderstood and the hope for positive change is lost.  It is unfortunate that people can misinterpret this message as being a form of blaming the victim as though their illness or death is a personal failure.  Blame and failure isn’t the issue rather the focus is on finding the cause and affect and working towards restoration of health and wellbeing.  All too often there is confusion between blame and responsibility.  Dr. Mate said, “While all of us dread being blamed, we all would wish to be more responsible – that is, to have the ability to respond with awareness to the circumstances of our lives rather than just reacting.”[3]

The first step is to become aware of the truth that the spirit, mind and body are all intricately connected and what happens in the spirit/mind affects our body. Plato quoting Socrates said, “This is the reason why the cure of so many dieseases [sic] is unknown to the physicians of Hellas; they are ignorant of the whole. For this is the great error of our day in the treatment of the human body, that physicians separate the mind from the body.”[4] Without awareness we cannot take on true responsibility facilitating the change we are truly needing.  This connection needs so desperately to be understood and embraced otherwise so many more will needlessly suffer and die.  Becoming responsible is becoming aware, having the courage to take steps towards professional help, owning your own emotional reactions, and having them processed through to the point of healing.  This process involves the healing of spirit, mind, and the body and leaving out any one of these is not wise.

If we understand that the universal order is always spirit first physical third then we can begin to embrace this ancient understanding of why our bodies are the way they are.  Here’s a biblical quote that is worth considering, “…the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible…”[5] Freedom comes when we gain understanding with hope of a better tomorrow!

[1] Classical Conditioning, http://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/classical conditioning

[2] Gabor, Mate, M.D., When the Body Says No: the cost of hidden stress (Toronto: Vintage Canada, a division of Random House, 2003), 8.

[3] IBID, 8,9.

[4] Secrets Of Freedom From Headache, “Not tonight honey, I have a headache” http://www.singhneurology.com/headache-center.php

[5] Hebrews 11:3a, New King James Version, (Nashville, TN., Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1982).

In western thinking we tend to separate and segregate things into compartments.  This can be detrimental to us.  Oriental or Eastern orientations, including the Bible, focus on the synergy of a person, taking into account the connectedness between the spirit, the mind and the body.  All too often in the West we dissociate our bodies from our spirits or minds from the rest of our being.  We treat different parts of us as though it does not affect the others.  We like parts.  We like separation.  It often gives the illusion of control and/or a false feeling that we aren’t responsible for what is happening in our lives.  When we take personal responsibility, we are able to respond and this gives us the power of choice and the power for positive change.  To affect change that brings health and wholeness, we need to look at ourselves as a unity in which each part affects the other parts.

In a study conducted involving individual heart cells in a Petri dish, it was discovered that when separated these cells each had a beating rhythm out of sync with the others.  When they were brought into close proximity of each other they began to all beat together, in sync.[1] That biological example reveals to us quite clearly how important it is to understand that though we may have separate parts to our being yet each are affected by the other; first with the spirit (unconscious mind), then with the mind (soul), then the body.

Here are 12 easy steps that we can take to support each area of our being:

1. Allow God (Creator) to be in your life; giving the Creator the control so that you can rest – it’s called trust.
2. Join a fellowship of believers and become involved.
3. Meditate, read scripture and pray daily.
4. Take note of your emotions on a daily basis consciously (with mindfulness) embracing them – accepting all of you.
5. Daily do some personal work emotionally through spiritual practice and meridian point tapping like EFT.
6. Make regular visits to a psychotherapist/counsellor or Life Coach.
7. Listen to your body; don’t ignore what it is trying to tell you about your health.
8. Exercise daily for at least 30 minutes with elevated breath rate – where you can talk but not sing.
9. Get holistic nutritional guidance and therapy that is best suited for you.
10. With a qualified practitioner detoxify on a regular basis.
11. Develop healthy relationships.
12. Obtain personal financial training and skills.

Health begins from the inside out.  Taking care of yourself is the wisest thing you can do in life.  Remember if you are healthy then life will be full of rich rewards!

[1] Source: Servan-Schreiber, David, M.D. Ph.D., The Instinct to Heal: Curing Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Without Drugs and Without Talk Therapy. Rodale Books; First Edition, (February 21, 2004).

Recently I underwent a liver and gallbladder detox and flush, actually it was the second one this year and the third one I have ever done.  I found that my digestion improved, my mind became clearer, I felt calmer, and more optimistic.  I did this because of my discovery of how the liver holds the key to your mental and physical health in many ways – at least according to traditional Chinese medicine.

According to traditional Chinese medicine each particular organ in our body holds and evokes specific emotions.  Here’s a brief run down of what that looks like:

• Liver – anger, resentment, frustration, irritability, rage, bitterness
• Lungs – sadness and grief and detached
• Kidneys – fear, poor willpower, insecurity, aloof and isolated
• Spleen – worry, obsessive thinking (over thinking)
• Heart – excitement, shock

The mind affects and effects the body and the body the mind, without healthy interventions the spiral is in a downward motion and we don’t want that.  To support both body and mind is essentially important to our emotional wellbeing, which in turn fosters a life full of vitality that’s worth living.

Here’s another questions worth exploring.  How does each organ effect the brain according to traditional Chinese medicine?

Kidneys

Preservation of the brain from defects and deterioration (Alzheimer’s, etc.) is the job of the kidneys.  Therefore, deterioration and defects of the brain may be halted and possibly reversed if the kidneys are supported and go through a cleansing along with biotherapeutic drainage.

Heart

According to traditional Chinese medicine the heart is said to regulate the cognitive functions of the brain.  The heart regulates the brain’s activities, where the kidneys provide the substance.

Lungs

Lungs have to do with clarity of thought and being emotionally in the present moment, if you will, … connected to the here and now.  Without proper oxygen flow brain function can be slowed and/or impaired, amongst other things.  Oxygen is a key component to a healthy brain.

Spleen

The spleen is said to regulate blood flow and support tonality.  It plays an important role in digestion and phlegm regulation.  An unhealthy spleen will cause phlegm to be excessive and blood flow to be poor thus inhibiting the brain’s ability to function normally.

Liver

The liver is a 4 lobed organ, which performs 1,000’s of different operations and functions daily.  It aids in digestion, including bile flow, detoxification, purification, excretion of nutrients, conjugates hormones (emotional connection), amongst many other detailed operations and functions.  When the liver is burdened with toxins it will create an imbalance resulting in brain imbalance, primarily in various forms of depression.

Where should I start?

Generally speaking the liver should be addressed first, unless of course there are other pressing issues that need attention.  The reason the liver is the first place to start is because of its multifunctionality as an organ.  Detoxifying the liver will inevitably effect and affect all other organs of the body including the brain.  Detoxifying the liver and flushing the gallbladder is essential to all other organ health.  Remember the primary route of excretion out of our body is the liver via the intestines.

The liver needs detoxification not cleansing.  This process can involve months or years.  In our civilized society each person contains around 250 toxic substances in their liver, which can include heavy metals.  Detoxification takes time and patience.  We don’t want to hear this in an instant gratification, microwave, fast-food world!

Detoxifying the liver and flushing the gallbladder takes time.  It is recommended that detoxifying and flushing should be done quarterly in the first year and then in each subsequent year in the fall and spring of each year to maintain liver and gallbladder health.

Here’s the general process:

1. A diet rich in vegetables (mainly raw)
2. A rich protein diet
3. Eliminate sugars – products containing: sugar, flour, and white rice
4. Exercise regularly about 4-5 times per week to the point where you perspire
5. Sleep before midnight (where possible)
6. Regularly practice relaxation (prayer, meditation, practices of gratitude, etc)
7. Forgive and let go of resentments
8. Begin or continue eliminating toxic emotions preferably with a qualified mental health practitioner using bottom up processing methods such as EMDR, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and Emotional Freedom Techniques
9. Begin biotherapeutic drainage of the liver (qualified natural health practitioner will administer this)
10. Chinese herbal medicines (for those that are able to take them)
11. After approximately 7 weeks a 3 day flush can be performed and then the procedure can be repeated 1-2 months later if needed

Through my personal journey I can assure you this is one of the key things that we can do for our own spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.  An increase in faith, peace, cognitive abilities, digestive function improvements, more energy, etc can be the result of a liver detox and gallbladder flush.

Usually one detox isn’t enough, especially if you are older than 10 years of age!  In our modernized world a child can have an overburdened toxic liver by the age of 10 or even earlier.

Below is a quick questionnaire that can help you determine how toxic your liver may be:

1. Is there any stiffness, tightness, soreness in your right shoulder?
2. Are you irritable or stressed?
3. Do you have fuzzy or foggy vision?
4. Any headaches?
5. Do you have poor concentration or focus?
6. Are your eyes itchy, irritated, red, or dry?
7. Is your sleep restless and/or have insomnia?
8. Are you irritated by people, lack patience, and/or fed up with them?
9. Do you have any hot flashes?
10. Do you drink alcohol, eat processed food, or sweets?
11. Do you have itchiness or a constant itch?
12. Mixed up, confused, unclear thinking?
13. Do you have any overwhelming moods or feelings?
14. Are you ready to explode or wound up?
15. Do you have any gallbladder pain or issues?
16. Do you regularly get congested in your chest, nose, runny nose, or sinus issues?
17. Do you have acne, boils, rashes, or other skin breakouts?
18. Do you have dry, burning, irritated, cracked, flaky, or itchy skin issues?
19. Did you feel bothered by any of these questions?

Count the number of times you answered yes to the above questions.

0-1  doing well

2-6 professional help is recommended

7-19 you have serious problems and need to see a professional

Much more can be said about this subject but this should get you started in your journey towards happiness and wholeness.

For consultation or therapeutic help you can contact me at (905) 633-7410.

The first time I can remember being aware of the spirit, mind, body connection was when I was 15 years of age.  My parents would be in constant conflict, my school experience was no less with being bullied by teacher and students alike.  At 15 everything came to a climax, my mother was seeking a way out of her marriage, I was entertaining suicidal thoughts and I had developed a condition in my body called oesophagitis, or also known as an inflammation of the gullet.  My family physician told me that I had developed this condition because of the stress that was in my life, so he prescribed some antacid and sent me home.  First thing in the morning the pressure in my chest was so strong that when I took a deep breath I felt like my chest was caving in and I would usually pass out momentarily.  This would be something that I carried in my body throughout the day…taking a deep breath would cause me excruciating pain.  It wasn’t until my encounter with Jesus Christ that this condition disappeared.

This life’s experience, though it had a happy ending, revealed to me the close connection that we have between spirit (unconscious), mind (conscious), and body.  Our body is a great indicator when things aren’t right in our lives.  Our body can tell us when we are off in mind or spirit, it can also tell us when we need to stop and take care of it before we develop an illness.  The body is an amazing thing and has a voice that we need to listen to.  Now saying that, it is important for me to qualify my last statement.  The body’s voice is different than what I call appetite.  Appetite is belief and emotional based, its strong voice can mislead us to believe it is the voice of our body.  When we understand that appetite activates various bodily functions then we can begin to distinguish the differences between the voice of appetite and voice of the body.

The voice of the body is most visible when we have had personal coaching in this field.  The body’s voice often involves the following (though not necessarily limited to): when you’ve worked and the day is done the body will tell you it is tired and wants you to rest, it can tell you when it is hungry, when something is toxic or something is healthy, your body can tell you when you are overworking it, when you need to give it exercise, nutritional interventions, and when it is ill.

Often the body voices what the spirit and the soul are trying to tell you.  The body is always speaking to us whether we are awake or asleep.  At times it speaks for itself, but more often than not it speaks on behalf of the soul and spirit.

When we experience neglect or abuse our body most always takes in these experiences as well as the happy healthy safe ones.  This directly affects our body and in some people it may later develop into an ailment or disease in the body.  The body is sacred and should be regarded as such.  Too often people neglect, abuse the body.  The ancient Gnostics believed the body to be inherently evil and restrictive so some would take punitive action against it while others would simply give into all of the appetites they had.[1]

Most people simply regard the body as a machine.  Atheistic thought is that the person is nothing more than a mechanical physiological function.  I for one understand the body to be a spiritual temple, a container that carries within it an eternal being.

Too often our society regards the body as an isolated entity.  That is why we even talk as though we are not responsible for our body’s illnesses, sleeplessness, or tiredness.  We not only need to own our emotions but we need to take responsibility for our body.  Don Colbert, M.D. in one of his television broadcasts once stated that about 95% of all illnesses are due to spiritual and emotional issues that have not been resolved.  There are many other physicians that make similar claims.  Too often do people say, “I just need a pill, a surgery or some other medical procedure to cure me.”  I do believe in modern medicine but not at the expense of truth.  All physical problems have their origin in the spirit which trickles through the soul and eventually lands in the body as an illness be it acute or chronic.  Medical intervention is great because it can save lives but it doesn’t fix lives!

In 1892 William Osler, a Canadian physician, stated that rheumatoid arthritis was a stress related disorder.  In spite of his published findings this information was discarded and ignored.  Noel B. Hershfield, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Calgary, stated: ‘”The new discipline of psychoneuroimmunology has now matured to the point where there is compelling evidence, advanced by scientists from many fields, that an intimate relationship exists between the brain and the immune system… An individual’s emotional makeup, and the response to continued stress, may indeed be causative in the many diseases that medicine treats but whose [origin] is not yet known – diseases such as scleroderma, and the vast majority of rheumatic disorders, the inflammatory bowel disorders, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and legions of other conditions which are represented in each medical subspecialty…”’[2] Psychoneuroimmunology is the science of relating to the interactions of the mind and body.

The connection of the threesome is what makes us who we are and this interconnectivity is really quite mind boggling, but that’s ok because to try and figure out the synergy, intricacies of our very composition probably will take all eternity.  Suffice it to understand this basic principle: the spirit, mind, and body is very much intertwined and each depends on each other for energy, support, protection, nutrition and a host of other necessities.  So, we need to do ourselves a favour and learn to distinguish the different voices within and in particular the voice of the body because it will tell you what you need to know.  Listen to it, what is it telling you?

In my practice I use a therapy that very quickly reveals the body’s strong voice and connectivity to the rest of our being.  This therapy is called Sensorimotor Psychotherapy which was developed by Pat Ogden, Ph.D., .  Sensorimotor Psychotherapy or SP for short is a breakthrough therapy in the field of psychology that addresses the body’s voice through the minutest of sensations uncovering and discovering the voice of the body and processing through the unresolved issues of developmental origin, neglect and trauma.  I have found this therapy to be a revelation of truly understanding oneself and therefore have begun to honour my body as the temple of God in a much deeper way.  My prayer is that you too discover the voice of your body and begin to discover yourself in a new healthy way.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnosticism

[2] Mate, Gabor M.D., When The Body Says No: the cost of hidden stress (Toronto: Random House of Canada Ltd. 2003) 5.

Last time I began with explaining the spirit and its connection to the spirit, mind, body continuum.  Today, I would like to look at the mind’s role in this threesome.

In my own spiritual journey I very quickly came up against the struggles of my mind. The great Apostle Paul once wrote, “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.”[1] In essence we have two minds.  The mind that reacts and wants to do things that are unhealthy and irrational and the other mind that wants to do the just things, the compassionate things, the truthful things.  Think back to the time when you were a child and your mother told you not to touch the cookies before supper and when she wasn’t looking, or so you thought, you sneaked one.  This childhood behaviour is in every human being even if you are 100 years of age!

The more I sought to follow spiritual principles and sought to practice spiritual disciplines I found that there was a part of me that rejoiced and experienced the abundant life but there was another part that at times wanted to throw it away!  The rebel versus the saint!  Now some are just rebels and some are saints that have a rebel inside of them that is looking for some unhealthy action!

Though the words of Paul can be discussed in great depth, but suffice it for now to look at the mental/emotional struggles that is inherent in all human beings.  We want to do right, make the right choices – at least those that are self-aware do.

I found in my journey through life that I have repeatedly from time to time done what I hate, that I do!  In 1999 I decided, after a few years of soul searching, to go back to school to better myself.  While in my Master’s year I changed my course of studies to psychology.  I was not so conscious that I myself needed some help as I was conscious that my counselling abilities as a pastor was not very successful.  All I knew is that I wanted to be in a better position to help people.  Through the course of these studies I discovered that I needed some help myself – to better myself.  My wife once told me that studying psychology really helped me to be a more understanding person.

The two minds, unconscious (subconscious) and the conscious, involve spiritual and elements to them.  On a level the two minds, involve the two hemispheres of the brain.  The right hemisphere of the brain is the emotional side and the left hemisphere of the brain is the logical side.  Often when new clients come in they tell me about how they don’t understand why they are having their particular struggles and they believe they should be over it, or shouldn’t be thinking or feeling a particular way.  I tell them “It’s simple.  The right brain stores emotional information which is the part that feels, acts, and thinks in ways that our left brain says isn’t right.”

Our emotional brain functions so fast that it can and often does over-ride the logical, rational brain.  The emotional brain usually responds in about a ½ a millisecond, where the logical rational brain takes about 2 seconds to respond.  That is an eternity when you think about the differences in time response.  This is the natural process of brain function.  For example a war veteran, particularly the Vietnam War veterans have been known to be particularly resistant to traditional talk therapy approaches.  These war veterans may hear a car backfire and within a second they hit the deck!  This is dangerous especially if you are driving a car on a highway.  Now, you don’t need to be a war veteran to have unwanted reactions all it takes is some incidences in your life, some even that you may not be able to remember.  For example, if you were an infant in a crib with a messy diaper crying for 20 minutes before someone came to assist and comfort you this could create PTSD in the brain.  Through Dr. Ruth Lanius’ research, out of Western University in London, Ontario, Canada, she and her colleagues have been able to substantiate such findings through modern tools like neuroimaging, in particular fMRI brain scans.  As in the above mentioned example, brain scans have shown the child to develop PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

When in life we have consciously or unconsciously experienced trauma and/or neglect of which some can go back as far as prior to ovulation, according to cellular biologist Dr. Bruce Lipton[2], we end up developing a warped perception of the world around us in which we live.  This perception he refers to as the perception of belief. These beliefs are based on our perception of our environment – life’s experiences.  No human has gone untouched; we all have some kind of issues to work through.  Some people are successful to some degree in repressing the past while others notice their inner struggles more readily.

In my own journey I further discovered that mere talk therapies only have limited effect.  Even in my own life, I discovered that knowing something does not equate to solving the problem.  Much like when a person goes to their family physician and discovers that they have some disease, the discovery doesn’t equate to the answer it simply unmasks the problem so that an intervention can take place, so it is with our mental/emotional struggles.  As I have personally received therapy, I have learned that I can only do so much for myself; I need other qualified people to help me.  I believe that is true spiritually, mentally, and physically for everyone.

In my last article I spoke of the spirit as being the unconscious mind and the soul the conscious mind.  The connection is so intertwined that to be able to totally separate and distinguish the intricate differences between the two is much like trying to unravel the neural networks of the brain, or the encoding of our DNA, it is a much too complicated thing to do.  It is best to simply understand that we are a unity of parts that make up the whole – the “us”.

Don’t worry about being normal or crazy; just remember that normal is a setting on your wash machine.  Only God is normal the rest of us need to be working on it with divine aid and through qualified human agency.  We owe it to ourselves to transform, to heal, and to better ourselves.

[1] Romans 7:15, New King James Version, Thomas Nelson Inc., 1982.

[2] Lipton, Bruce; DVD & Video : Nature, Nurture, & the Power of Love: The Biology of Conscious Parenting, Spirit 2000 Inc., 2002.