You have the power to heal yourself!

You have the power to heal yourself

You have the power to heal yourself. Honestly you really do!

Yet we don’t quite believe that. Societal conditioning tells us that we need to have all this other stuff in order to be healthy and well. That we need the latest supplement, medicine or practice in order to find health and well-being. Consumerism 101. If the people are unhappy they will buy things to fill the void – right?

We are conditioned to reach for pain killers to numb our pain. To look outside of ourselves for healing. When all along we have the power within ourselves to heal. Big pharma don’t like that because if we heal ourselves we don’t need their meds right?

Them vs Us? No

Now, I am not advocating sitting meditating and focusing on your inner power when you have had a massive trauma to your physical body. For example you are in a road traffic accident or have a medical emergency going on. Obviously you need help and outside medical help at those times. I mean, I volunteer as emergency ambulance crew so I know that support is vital! Common sense is also needed! It is not a them and us situation – medical tools are wonderful life savers and we need to work with them, not against them.

I am talking about healing from a point of view of acceptance and happiness. Inner peace. Being content. Standing in your own power. Loving yourself and caring for yourself. Filling your cup so you can help others. So you can live the life you want to live, on your terms.

At times we do, of course, need medical intervention. But this where confusion comes in – are we talking about healing or curing – and what exactly is the difference?!

Healing -vs- Curing

The words “healing” and “curing” are used interchangeably, but their definitions could not be more different.

The definition of Curing is as follows: – “A restoration of health, an absence of symptoms, and a remedy of disease.”

The definition of Healing is: – “A restoration of wholeness — not the level of wholeness before the diagnosis, but a restoration of wholeness that is new, different, and comparatively better than before the onset of disease.”

So you can see that healing is not the removal or cessation of symptoms, but rather an integrative process that transcends the physical and includes mental, emotional, and spiritual vitality and wellness.

It is wholeness. It is an internal process that can be done without cure. You may find yourself struck with an incurable illness but you can heal yourself emotionally and psychologically and therefore deal with it rather than allowing it to take you down. Attitude and intention are the keys to successful healing.

The Mind-Body Connection

There is a powerful mind-body connection through which emotional, mental, social, spiritual, and behavioural factors can directly affect our health. Mind-body medicine focuses on treatments that may promote health, including relaxation, hypnosis, visual imagery, meditation, yoga, and Reiki.

The mind body connection is responsible for, amongst other things, the placebo effect in the use of prescribed medication; it has also been attributed to dramatic cases of remission in terminal illnesses, and some cases reported as ‘miracle cures’. The one thing that’s certain is that the mind and body are not separate entities, they are connected and the quality of the thoughts we generate on a regular basis and the beliefs they help create, provide the structure to the life experiences we then must live through.

Using a tool like Reiki

Reiki aims to begin by helping you quiet the mind. This then beings to promote a relaxation response in the body. I know as a Reiki Master that the body is inherently powerful. Able to heal itself given the right set of circumstances and this is where Reiki (and other tools) can work with the mind-body connection.

You have such inner power at your disposal. You are made of life force energy! Star stuff!

Inside you is a powerful force. Your mind can help make you well, or you can allow it to make you sick. We can literally think ourselves sick by focusing on everything that is wrong in the world. Leaning into negativity and worry. Bringing ourselves down with fear, guilt and anxiety.

Inner dialogue awareness

Breaking the cycle of negative inner dialogue is the first step to healing. By noticing the thoughts and remembering that we are in control. We have the power to change our thoughts. This is why Reiki is so helpful.

Because it can be difficult to notice the thoughts. Or to even know where to begin. When Usui taught his self healing practices, he taught us that the mind follows the body. So when we slow our bodies down and slow our breath, our mind will naturally follow. And then as we begin to practice these specific meditation techniques with Reiki, we begin to notice the thoughts.

And we can then use the Reiki principles and philosophy to further develop our healing skillset. This is not an article about Reiki but rather one that helps you see that you have the power within you.

No matter whether you practice Reiki or not, you can still focus on your breath. Slow your body and mind by using practices like Qi Gong, Tai Chi, Yoga etc.

Body Talk

Connecting with our bodies is one of the most powerful things we can do for healing. Our bodies give us signals all day every day. But how often do we listen?

We are often too consumed with the external world to notice. So when the nagging headache comes we reach for the pain killers. But maybe that little headache is telling us we need a screen break and to get out into nature. Perhaps it is letting us know that we are dehydrated from drinking too much coffee. Or it is asking us to take some time to lie down and rest.

When you begin to tune into the inner wisdom of your body, it will tell you what you need to know in order to heal. And as we have outlined above, healing doesn’t mean curing.

So tell me – when did you last listen to your body? And what did it tell you?

Do you believe we have the power to heal ourselves?

For more on this topic I wholeheartedly recommend reading Mind over Medicine by Dr Lissa Rankin.