Biology, Emotions and Beliefs...Oh, My!!

*Your beliefs become your thoughts
Your thoughts become your words
Your words become your actions
Your actions become your habits
Your habits become your values
Your values become your destiny*
~Mahatma Gandhi


Recently, I have been reading Bruce Lipton's book, The Biology Of Belief: Unleashing The Power Of Consciousness, Matter And Miracles. In it, this cellular biologist who had taught at both University of Wisconsin's and Stanford University's medical schools, writes about the "new" biology exploring the biochemical effects of our thoughts on the cells of our body.

Revealed within these pages, Dr. Lipton eloquently explains how modern science such as the newer area of study called Epigenetics is continuing to confirm that DNA is not the controlling and deterministic factor in deciding what happens within each cell or the body as a whole. No longer can DNA be thought of as the cellular equivalent to *the brain* or *master control panel*.

Instead, the most important factor in determining outcome for each cell (and the body as a whole) is the environment within which each cell resides.

In other words, DNA doesn't automatically turn on/off a different chain of processes in the body causing conditions or symptoms to occur; instead, DNA is influenced to either turn on/off these various processes based on the signals that each cell is responding to (individually and as a collective) from the cells' environment.

So, what are the environmental signals?

Ultimately, to simplify the biological processes explained in the book, the main environmental signals that each cell responds to are our emotions.

Emotions?

Yes, our emotions are the driving force behind what happens to each one of our cells. So, the logical conclusion would mean that everything that we experience within our body--illness, health, healing and well-being--is influenced by our emotions.

What?! How can that be!

We know that the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of ourselves are inseparable. Each of these are related to and influence each other.

Recall the last time you felt really angry. Where did you feel it? Only in your head?

No, you felt it throughout your whole body.

Sometimes, our emotions are so strong that we feel every area of our body being effected. Did you ever experience physical shaking as a result of being so scared or angry? Any headaches? Stomach aches? Have any other symptoms appear after or during a very powerful emotional charge?

We can all relate to having a physical experience of our emotions.

As a CranioSacral therapist, I have witnessed my clients' lives change as pain, tension, or *dysfunction* disappear once the individual has effectively addressed the *root* issues (usually a combination of physical and emotional holding-pattern or trauma) held within different parts of the body.

The word emotion can be broken down into e-motion (*energy in motion*). We've all experienced the charge of energy from a strong emotion as it moves through us.

However, when this charge is not allowed to flow smoothly through us and instead gets obstructed (blocked) or stuck along the way (or when we are attachment to our emotions), we may experience it as pain, discomfort or any other type of physical symptom. In other words, when we hold onto these emotions not letting them go, they create imbalances.

Recall my previous blog entry *Letting Go Into Wholeness*. In it, I discuss the important process of Letting Go. Well, here again is a time when Letting Go is essential for healing to occur.

Recently, I heard Hale Dwoskin, CEO and author of The Sedona Method, talk about his work and I was excited to hear how simple, yet powerful it is. What Hale does is to teach individuals to become good at Letting Go of emotional attachments. It is in the process of Letting Go that freedom is achieved. With this freedom comes better health, wealth and well-being.

Watch this powerful Introductory Video Segment about *The Sedona Method* (if you can't see it, click here to visit my site and watch the video there):

Check out Hale's latest book The Sedona Method: Your Key to Lasting Happiness, Success, Peace and Emotional Well-Being or go to The Sedona Method website to learn more. One of the things you can get once you visit Hale's website is a free DVD/CD which will help you get started. Check it out.

Additionally, there is another tool that I'm very excited about.

Having heard about this for a while from different people, I decided to check it out myself. The Emotional Freedom Technique is another simple and profound set of techniques I've experienced. It's truly amazing.

Watch this introductory video on The Emotional Freedom Technique before reading on...( if you're unable to view the clip, click here to visit my site where you can watch the video).



Recently, I downloaded a free EFT manual from the Emotional Freedom Techniques website and I learned to do the basic techniques on myself. At first, I was skeptical; however, once I experienced positive results within minutes of use, I was sold on their effectiveness.

I shared this with some other people in my life who also decided to try it out--everyone who did it had varying levels of positive results. This is really amazing to continually witness (through these tools and my other work as a bodyworker) how by clearing emotional issues not only do they go away, but any physical ailments connected to them are released as well.

What I like about both The Sedona Method and the Emotional Freedom Techniques is that they do not require a *guru* or other external *expert* to continue to experience results. Once the tools are learned (which , at first, may require working with someone familiar with the work), a person can be his or her own *expert*. This is very empowering as I believe the greatest work that can ever be done is the work we do on growing ourselves beyond our limits.

The EFT method has its roots in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) where there is an understanding that strong emotions can have an adverse effect on the body (also, these strong emotions can be signs that particular areas of the body are out-of-balance).

In other words, when someone has a strong emotional charge, it can be a sign of an imbalance as well as the means to creating more imbalance.

Specifically, anger can have an adverse effect on the liver/gall bladder meridians, manic or hyperactive states can bring the heart/small intestine & pericardium/triple heater channels out of balance, anxiety or worry can directly impact the spleen/stomach meridians, sadness/grief can hurt the lung/large intestine channels, and fear/shock can impact the kidney/bladder channels.

Each of these strong emotions will ultimately manifest themselves physically throughout the body as different signs and symptoms creating opportunities for dis-ease. A body that is *not in ease*. For anyone practicing various forms of energy work, this is nothing new.

Now, two things to keep in mind, when I speak of TCM, I want to make sure we're on the same page. First, when I talk about the various body organs, I am referring to the energy channels or meridians--not the specific organs that you may be familiar with from Western anatomy. Second, TCM has been around for over 3000 years and has explored the connections and concepts of emotions, illness and health throughout its history.

If you're interested in reading a great book written by a modern, Western psychiatrist exploring emotions, psychology and TCM, read: Dragon Rises, Red Bird Flies: Psychology & Chinese Medicine (Revised Edition)

Finally, I could not complete this discussion without mentioning Candace Pert's work: Molecules Of Emotion: The Science Behind Mind-Body Medicine. Within this work, Candace Pert explores the biochemical connections between the mind (psyche) and every cell in the body. Similar to Bruce Lipton's conclusions, Pert makes a strong case for emotions being a driving force behind the physiological processes in each cell.

So, What Controls the Emotions? Our Sub-conscious Mind.

Ultimately, it is our sub-conscious mind that has been pre-programmed with beliefs that creates the emotional charge we experience producing the results in our bodies.

Going back to what I've written about before:
Thoughts→ Feeling→ Actions→Results.

To assist our mind in being more balanced, visit Holosync for more information on brainwave technology. The brainwave technology works really well with the other methods described within this article. Check them out for yourself. I'd love to hear your experience with them.


Peace and Blessings,
Rich


For your convenience, here is the list of books mentioned in this article: