 Deep Healing Question & Answer by Dr. Emmett Miller
Q: What part do feelings and emotions play in Body/Mind medicine? A: Emotions are that part of us that can cross over the bridge between mind and body. This bridge-work (or channel) must be developed and constantly maintained. Like a pipe, it may become clogged at times and must be cleaned out. Not only can emotions flowing from the mind serve to empower the body, they also serve to keep the gears greased, so to speak. If this pathway becomes clogged, it will have an almost immediate effect on both the mind and body, whether you know it or not. You cycle through many different states of consciousness daily, some of which you may think of as moods or frames of mind. When in a frightened state of consciousness, you may find that being able to create beautiful poetry or make love is completely impossible. On the other hand, the emotions of intense love or anger create a state of mind which allows you to do things you would not be capable of in other states of mind. In addition, there are states of heightened consciousness, often markedly different from our everyday experience, available through meditation and hypnosis. These states serve as windows into the mystery of the body/mind connection. Medically speaking, when the mind is deeply relaxed, the body is relaxed as well, and the system automatically enters a stress reducing and healing mode. The more deeply relaxed, the more rapid and thorough the stress reduction becomes. When you can shift from one state of consciousness to another at will, you can choose the state most appropriate for a given activity. Certain states, for example, allow for rapid learning and penetrating perception. Still other specific states can bring forth great energy and intense commitment. In some states of consciousness you will feel an aching loneliness when you are by yourself, while in others you experience that aloneness as a precious jewel. Why not cultivate the ability to choose? As useful as it is to be able to vary our mental state, few of us have actually learned to actualize our inborn potential to intentionally shift from one state of consciousness to another. On the other hand, since we probably don't have the right tools or self-discipline for which state of consciousness to place ourselves in, perhaps this is a good thing! A most important first step is to know where you're going. The Healing State One of the most valuable of all states to aim for is what I call the healing state. This teaching usually involves guided imagery. By exposing yourself to a certain set of words and images you gradually shed physical tension, unwanted thoughts, concerns, cares, questions, nagging memories and future concerns. As all these false selves fall away, the true Healing Self is revealed. Steps to utilizing the healing state:
Michelangelo described how he could look at a block of granite and see the angel imprisoned in it. The true work of the sculptor, he said, was simply to free that angel. This is the finest part of the physician's work as well; a truly artistic part. As I get to know my patients, I get to appreciate even more clearly the very special angel, spirit or being that is within each person. The essence of body/mind healing is to awaken the patient to his/her true nature, to the angel within. This is the Deeper Self, the I Am, the divine child, the healing child, the inner healer. This part may be thought of as being a pure spirit, partially spirit, or a part of the Self that is nearest to the spiritual level. There are certain general suggestions that help nearly everybody evoke this deeper Self. Emotions, as described above, stand between body and mind, either as a wall or a doorway. Learning to find the fulcrum, or balance point, in each of our emotional dimensions enables us to develop feelings and images which empower healing at the physical level in accordance with what we visualize at the mental level. Just as every sword cuts both ways, emotions can create very positive effects, or be very destructive, depending on how they move (or don't move) within the system, and when. In Body/Mind medicine, we use emotions to heal. Whereas most people spend their life avoiding strong feelings, it is wise and healthy to cultivate strong feelings, but at the same time develop the ability to choose which will serve us best for the task at hand. Sometimes, such as when running from an enraged bull, it is useful to feel the extra adrenaline produced by fear, but more often it can keep us up all night, make us sick or destroy a fine performance. Likewise, the feelings of anger, sadness, joy, etc., all have particular values at certain times. Learn which emotions are most appropriate to your current higher goals, and then develop the way to maximize your effectiveness by accessing these emotions at those specific times. Just as when learning a new physical skill like typing or playing the flute, we retain much more usable information if we practice every day. Fortunately, the guided imagery experience of deep relaxation can be recorded on tape and used at home. People I work with are prescribed specific tapes to use at home, such as "Letting Go of Stress" or "Ten Minute Stress Manager" from Source Cassettes. Plus, there are other commercially available tapes which seem generally useful to a large number of people. In any case, find a tape that guides you through that set of emotional changes you need to maximize your healing. Work with it one to three times a day, and keep track of the results. It's sure to be more effective than "Take an aspirin and call me in the morning." Dr. Emmett Miller is the author of Deep Healing: The Essence of Mind/Body Medicine Obtain the tape Letting Go of Stress by calling Source Cassette Learning Systems at 1-800-52TAPES. |
