Although conventional medicine isn't quite as "up front" about it as alternative healing, both agree that the way you think about health and disease can be critical to the outcome when disease is present. Most, if not all, of the proponents of health reform such as Dr. Andrew Weil who's written some very good books on the politics of medicine and the culture of health reform, agree that individuals need to take responsibility for their health.
I agree with the responsibility aspect and I absolutely believe that the way you think affects your health but I think it's time we "took the gloves off" and stopped "fighting disease", and "beating illness".
I know a lot of people who really "took on an illness" and saw it as enemy to be overcome. I think a lot of cancer patients are encouraged to take on this attitude. I guess it gives people energy and determination to think they are at war with something, but it seems like a very tough route to take.
On the other hand, I know a lot of people who quietly starting taking responsibility for their health. This seems to occur more often for people that don't feel great but don't have an overall diagnosis. In other words- they don't have anything to fight against, but they know they are not at their optimum health. These people adopted an attitude of helping their body feel better. They started eating better, eliminated some stress, and in some cases started an activity they enjoyed. Some of them cut out caffeine or excess sugar. In a couple of cases, they started looking at alternative therapies just to boost their bodies rather than "cure a disease". A die-hard scientific friend of mine started going for acupressure treatments and taking homeopathics just to "feel a bit better". In fact, he's feeling a LOT better.
If you read books like Echkert Tolle and Vadim Zeland this all makes sense. They suggest you "allow" your body to heal and avoid the pendulums of disease and negative thought processes. And thinking you are "fighting disease" is a negative spin that actually puts you at odds with your body- that seems like the very definition of "dis-ease" and a situation that it's going to be hard to get out of.
So instead of fighting and struggling and beating up on yourself or the "invasion"- what if you allowed your body to readjust and helped support the body's natural ability to heal through whatever treatment options feel right for you.
Try this out the next time you have a cold or the flu. Rather than saying you are "fighting a cold" in the initial phase, allow your body to receive the rest it is signaling to you that it needs. Don't think about "killing that germ before it spreads",instead put your feet up and relax allowing your body to adjust. Feed your body some foods that will help boost your internal immune system (like fruit rich in vitamin C that you actually enjoy- Christmas oranges perhaps!), go to bed early if your tired. Instead of "fighting" the key may be "allowing". You are not allowing the disease to take over, nor are you fighting it, you are allowing your body to maintain balance in the presence of a foreign substance.
Both Bach Flower Essences and Perelandra Essences work on this concept of "allowing". They work on helping your internal defense mechanisms restore balance. They don't fight the germs or bugs, or kill the diseases. They allow your body to adjust to another force. When you take Perelandra Immune Essence you take it to help boost your immune system. You take Cardiovascular Perelenadra to help your cardiovascular system function to the best of it's ability.
It's a subtle difference, but the results can be profound. Imagine yourself in the boxing ring. You take off the cape that boxers come out in, and you have your wonderful shinny shorts on, your gloves are the perfect color and fit but they are actually heavy in themselves and feel rather awkward. You face that opponent who also has shiny shorts on and tough looking gloves. You can dance around a bit and throw some punches but chances are some of your opponents punches are going to land on you as well. In the end one of the two of you will be lying on the ground "out for the count". But even the one standing will likely be bloody and bruised and let's face it- a lot of the best boxers have some pretty big head injuries that cause deficits as they age!!
Now imagine you enter the boxing ring the same way. But you get some help from a trainer and get those heavy gloves untied and shake them off. Your hands already feel better. Next the trainer or coach takes the tape off so you can actually feel your fingers and stetch out your hands. You cover up those cold shinny shorts with some fluffy comfortable pajamas and a nice soft sweater- you can keep the cape if you want to! Take off those tightly laced boots and put on a pair of slippers, or a pair of high heeled red shoes if that makes you feel good! Sit back down in the chair and relax or take your opponents arm and start dancing (especially if you have gone the high heels route!). Your opponent has no one to fight. He may dance around for awhile and try to engage you but you have already left the ring- you have something better to do today!!
Let me know how it works out!
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