Can Dis-Ease Cause Disease

CanDis-EaseCauseDisease?IreneS.SwitankowskyIntroductionHealthisamulti-dimensionalexperienceofbody,mindandspirit.Whenwefeeldis-easeinourlives,wetendtobecomeimbalancedandillnessmightquicklysetin.Imbalancecanarisefrommanydifferentsources,suchascontinuousstress,pain,andhardships.Howweeat,workoutconflict,andnavigatethroughlifecannegativelyorpositivelyaffectourhealth.Wewholiveconsciouslyandintentionallyhaveanamazingamountofpoweroverourlivesandhealth.Whywaituntilwehitahealthcrisistochange?Wecantakestepstoalleviatesomediseasesbybeingattentivetoourbodiesandeliminatinganyimbalancesthatmayoccurinourdailylives.Formostofus,ourbodiesareconstantlysendinguspositiveandnegativemessagesabouthowwearecoping.However,somepeoplegothroughlifeonautomaticpilot.Theytripletaskallday,takingnotimeforthemselves.Ifphysicalsymptomsarise,theysuppressthem.Thisishowdiseasesetsin.Whenwethinkofbeingwell,wethinkofbeingdiseaseorillnessfree.Wetendtoconfusewellnesswithanabsenceofsymptoms.Wellnessisastateinvolvingeveryaspectofourbeing–body,mind,andspirit.Tobetrulywell,weshouldpushpastpreviousphysicalandemotionallimitssothatwecouldfeelmorebalancedandhealthy.Whenwearehealthy,wearefilledwithenergyandvitality.Healthypeoplehaveacertainzipinourgaitandawarmfeelingofpeaceintheirheartthatcanbeseenthroughtheirbehaviour.I.CulturalFeaturesofDis-EaseWeliveinatimeofgreatconfusion.People'smindsareinfectedbyspin–acontagionofhalf-truths,fearfulfictions,andblatantdeceit.Sadly,someofthisdeceitisreallyaformofself-deceit.Spinoccurswhenweliveunconsciously,pushedandpulledinsomanydirectionsthattheylooseagripofourinnerandouterrealities.Noprofession,religion,orsocietyseemstobecompletelyimmunefromit.Expertsandcharlatansalikestepuptodazzlethehopeful.Spin-doctoredillusionsshowuponeveryfrontinsocietyandthemedia.Thisvirusoffalsenesshasspreadtoallcornersoftheglobeandisdeeplyimbeddedinourminds.Noone,itseems,istotallysparedfromtheplagueofspin.(1)Wealsoliveinaculturethatvaluesthinkingmorethanfeelingandemphasizesreasonoverintuitiveawarenessandknowing.Afterawhile,ourbodyintelligenceissuppressedorsimplygoesdormantfromalackofuse.Mostofusdealwithatremendousamountofstressonadailybasis,duetoourcomplexandcontinuouslystressfullifestyledemands.Theyworklonghoursandscheduleourtimetothehilt.Itbecomeseasyforustosimplyignoreourbodiesforyearsbecauseofalackofrecreationtime.Wegrabfastfood,eatwhilewedrive,andchatonthecellphonebetweengulps.Theysacrificeourconnectionwithourbodiesanditsall-knowingvoicebyrunningoveritsvitalsignalswithbadhabits.Theseloopscontributetolimiting,self-defeating,andevenself-destructivebehavioursthatunderminesourwell-beingandkeepsthemfromachievingourfullpotential.Likemostingrainedemotional,psychological,andbehaviouralpatterns,spintrapsrepeatandproducethesameoldpatternsoverandoveruntiltheyarerecognized,healed,andchanged.Bydisconnectingfromourbodiesandabandoningthemselvesinthisway,wetendtoloseasenseofournaturalself-confidence.Wegrowmorereluctanttotakerisks.Theyloseourabilitytofeelandacknowledgeourdeepestfeelingsandthecouragetospeakourtruth.Andwecontinuetodenyandrepressourfeelingstoprotectthemselves.Pain,shame,fear,sadness,confusion,andalonenessaretheresult.Fear,denial,anddisconnectionfromourbodiesandfeelingsbecomeanunconscious,self-protectivehabit,akindofdefaultresponsetolife.Theinnermostselfisabandoned.Insteadofplayingfull-out,manywebegintoplayitsafe,orplaynottolose.II.WellnessWellnessisamulti-facetedprocess.Mostoftheissuesthatwefaceinlife,betheyphysicaloremotional,haveourrootsandresolutionindifferentdimensions.Onetinydecisioncanmakeeverythingcometogetherorcomeapart.Wehavetobuildourwellnesstoolboxslowly.Weshouldspendsometimeeverydayreallylisteningtoourbodies,tryingtodeterminewhattheyneedtofeellessdis-ease.Theyhavetopictureourwholestateofbeing.Ournaturalinclinationistoheal.Someofushaverobusthealthandfragileemotions.Othershaverobustemotionsandfragilehealth.Stillothers,haveamixtureofthetwo,dependingonthetimeinourlivesandexperiences.Wemustgettoknowourbodies,understandourminds,andembraceourspiritualpaths.Oncetheyconnectthedots,thenextstepswillbecomemuchclearer.Wellnessbeginsbypayingattentiontothelittlestuff.Wemustexamineourliveshonestlyandthensetclearintentionstochange.Wellnessisnotagoalbutaprocess,ajourney,andawayofreorientingourlives.Wemuststrivetobalanceourmind,body,andspiritbylisteningandtakingcareofourbodies.Weshouldtakethetimetofeelouremotionsandtendtoourspiritaswell.Theyshouldtakesmallsteps–slightstepsinthewaytheyperceiveandresolveconflict.Ittakesalongtimetostrengthenourspirituallife.III.BecomingMoreConsciousandAwareThere'satendencyamonghumanbeingstoliveanautopilotexistence,movingfromactivitytoactivity,withoutgivingitmuchthoughtorreflection.This,overtime,canrepresswhatwearefeeling.Thishabitcanalsocauseamostlyreactionarylife.Weshouldtrytoawakenandevolveinordertolivemoreconsciously.Onewayforustoawakenistoexaminesomeoftheblockagestowellnessinourbodiesthatarekeepingthememotionallyandpsychologicallystuckandinpain.Fromthetimethatwewerechildren,wearetrainedtomaskourdifficultfeelingsandem