As I walk through my healing journey I have found that I never stop learning and discovering. In recent years, much of my learning has been around the idea of a mind-body-spirit connection. I am learning that I am mind, body, and spirit (or soul) and each is distinct yet entirely one at the same time. All three aspects of myself can connect and communicate uniquely with each other.
This concept has been more than a little difficult to understand as I am a very logical, mind-based individual. But, as I am opening up to these ideas I find that I am healing on new levels. I also realize that many of you may struggle with accepting these ideas. Honestly, that knowledge has held me back from sharing many of my experiences here. Yet I know how important these recent paths on my healing journey have been for me, so I want to give you an opportunity to hear about them. You may receive them as you choose, but I hope that when the time is right you may also be able to open up and explore a similar path on your own healing journey.
As a sort of preview, I would like to share some thoughts about the mind-body-spirit connection from others who are far more knowledgeable on the subject.
Mind-Body and Body-Spirit
These first two videos are from my friend Mary Ruth Velicki who has experienced her own healing journey through pelvic pain. You may recall my review of her book, Healing Through Chronic Pain, or when she spoke at a local support group about the mind-body-spirit connection.
In The Body-Mind Connection, Mary Ruth shares how she came to her own realization of this truth. For example, she states, “…this same body reflects the state of our nervous system which can respond and react to our beliefs, our thoughts, and our emotions.”
In The Body-Spirit Connection, she continues these thoughts and shares more of her own experiences. “Once I figured out that my body might have something to say, I began to listen and the messages got clearer. When your body knows you’re listening, it will definitely start to talk more. So eventually listening to my body would be the major way I connected to my spirit, or my intuition…”
Mind Over Medicine and When the Body Says No
The next videos were actually shared with me by Lorraine Faehndrich. She also experienced pelvic pain and found healing through a mind-body approach. Her healing transformation was so significant that she is now a Mind/Body Mentor and Pelvic Pain Relief Coach. She recently shared some great resources on her blog that I would like to pass on to you. I also recommend checking out her website, RadiantLifeDesign.com and her upcoming group session of Healing Female Pain. (I have not personally attended her sessions, but I do find her blog posts and resources very insightful.)
“The Shocking Truth About Your Health” is a TEDx talk by Lissa Rankin, MD, author of Mind Over Medicine. Dr. Rankin has also experienced pelvic pain in her life and shares about how “The body speaks to us in whispers, and if we ignore the whispers of the body, the body starts to yell.”
“The Need for Authenticity” is an excerpt from a talk by Gabor Mate, MD, author of When the Body Says No. Dr. Mate discusses how the various systems in our bodies are interwoven. Here is a great thought that he shares: “Although we tend to look upon symptoms and illness as enemies to get rid of…we can look at it totally differently. Yeah, receive whatever medical treatment makes sense to you…but also ask the question, what is my body saying no to that I didn’t say no to.”
I hope some of the thoughts shared in these videos start to open up your awareness to new aspects of healing. Over the next few months, I plan to share some of my own lessons learned and experiences with these mind-body-spirit connections.
