If part of your body is not working properly—a sore back, drop in energy, broken toe, chronic pain, or frozen shoulder—do you want it to be fixed or healed? The attitude that you bring greatly affects the process and outcome. What's the difference?
When I think of fixing something, I remember my dad working on the car, his coveralls oily and knuckles knicked. He returned from the garage triumphant after restoring order to that darn (although I don't think that's the word he used) part.
Healing has a different character. I think of an army medic attending to a wounded soldier, his blood-stained hands administering aid as his gaze and words convey assurance.
The basic difference is compassion, the foundation of any healing process. The very idea of fixing has an adversarial component. Healing is cooperative and supportive.
Furthermore, fixing may restore to the original state, while healing allows for a situation that is better than new. A broken bone heals to be stronger than the original structure. A fixed frozen shoulder makes it possible to resume former activities, while a healed frozen shoulder brings a new sense of relationship between the arm, shoulder and spine and even greater awareness and range of motion than enjoyed before.
When part of your body is "broken" consider carefully how you approach the situation. That part is actually You and will probably respond to compassion and healing more satisfactorily than a challenge.
Options for natural pain relief with therapeutic exercises to address back pain and improve spine health. Please note some articles include affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase through the link.
Showing posts with label healing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healing. Show all posts
Friday, November 21, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Mindfulness and Healing
Where have you spent the last 24 hours? How often was your mind aware of your body? If you’re not in your body, where are you? Probably at home when you’re at work, and at the grocery store when you’re at home, and with your kids, your spouse, your parents, orphans in Africa, soldiers in Iraq, and many other places.
Sometimes pain is a reflection of this fractured consciousness. Although it seems counterintuitive to bring awareness back to what seems to be the source of the pain—the body—actually, it’s a profound learning experience that can dramatically reduce pain.
In Transformation and Healing, Thich Nhat Hanh gives easy-to-follow exercises and identifies several benefits of mindfulness: calming the body and becoming aware of where the body is, what it’s doing, and how the parts interrelate.
Calming the body reduces pain that comes from tension and anxiety. Becoming better aware of body position and action gives the opportunity to prevent the continual microtrauma that we inflict on ourselves everyday. Reflecting on the body parts individually and collectively increases pleasant feelings from the many places in the body that are working well and not hurting.
I first learned how powerful meditation can be from a nurse who discovered this method to relieve her back pain. She credits non-judgmental awareness with developing inner awareness. What could be better for your health? She now offers meditation courses and has an information-packed website. http://www.grow-aware.com
Bringing attention to your breath is powerful. It reflexively brings calm and energy. Meditation doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that.
Sometimes pain is a reflection of this fractured consciousness. Although it seems counterintuitive to bring awareness back to what seems to be the source of the pain—the body—actually, it’s a profound learning experience that can dramatically reduce pain.
In Transformation and Healing, Thich Nhat Hanh gives easy-to-follow exercises and identifies several benefits of mindfulness: calming the body and becoming aware of where the body is, what it’s doing, and how the parts interrelate.
Calming the body reduces pain that comes from tension and anxiety. Becoming better aware of body position and action gives the opportunity to prevent the continual microtrauma that we inflict on ourselves everyday. Reflecting on the body parts individually and collectively increases pleasant feelings from the many places in the body that are working well and not hurting.
I first learned how powerful meditation can be from a nurse who discovered this method to relieve her back pain. She credits non-judgmental awareness with developing inner awareness. What could be better for your health? She now offers meditation courses and has an information-packed website. http://www.grow-aware.com
Bringing attention to your breath is powerful. It reflexively brings calm and energy. Meditation doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Sleep and Health
It’s been two weeks since my last blog post. I figured that I could use the extra time—and sleep—this time of the year, and you could, too. With the days so short and additional tasks required by the holidays, a good night’s sleep has been just what I need to keep up. Adequate sleep is important throughout the year, but long nights beckon and evoke the health benefits of extra zzz’s.
A little research reveals that good slumber has many health benefits. An article from Shape Magazine notes several health problems, including increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and immune system weakness that correspond to lack of sleep. http://women.webmd.com/features/your-new-1-stay-healthy-mission-get-more-sleep
The Washington Post reports that lack of sleep is linked to poor health outcomes in several studies, including increased risk of obesity and cancer. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/08/AR2005100801405.html . One study showed that poor sleep adds to inflammation in the body, which means that a full night’s rest is particularly important when you are healing.
With all the extra germs that seem to surface this time of the year, it helps to pay extra attention to your immune system. This article from WebMD, http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-prevention-top-ways-to-avoid/flu-hygiene-healthy-habits, gives four tips to boost your immune system.
1) Eat vegetables
2) Exercise regularly
3) Get plenty of sleep
4) Reduce stress
Healing of any type requires the body’s resources. When you’re awake, these resources are applied to activity. When you’re asleep, your immune system can devote itself to the healing without interruption.
Make yourself as comfortable as possible with the support of pillows, warmth, and whatever else you need so your rest can be complete. Snuggle up and get a few extra winks, for good health.
A little research reveals that good slumber has many health benefits. An article from Shape Magazine notes several health problems, including increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and immune system weakness that correspond to lack of sleep. http://women.webmd.com/features/your-new-1-stay-healthy-mission-get-more-sleep
The Washington Post reports that lack of sleep is linked to poor health outcomes in several studies, including increased risk of obesity and cancer. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/08/AR2005100801405.html . One study showed that poor sleep adds to inflammation in the body, which means that a full night’s rest is particularly important when you are healing.
With all the extra germs that seem to surface this time of the year, it helps to pay extra attention to your immune system. This article from WebMD, http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-prevention-top-ways-to-avoid/flu-hygiene-healthy-habits, gives four tips to boost your immune system.
1) Eat vegetables
2) Exercise regularly
3) Get plenty of sleep
4) Reduce stress
Healing of any type requires the body’s resources. When you’re awake, these resources are applied to activity. When you’re asleep, your immune system can devote itself to the healing without interruption.
Make yourself as comfortable as possible with the support of pillows, warmth, and whatever else you need so your rest can be complete. Snuggle up and get a few extra winks, for good health.
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