Debbie Shapiro. From head to toes. bodymind. From the book "The mind heals the body"

Are you here: Herbalist

The Ecology of Health: This book remains a compelling tale of the intimate relationship between the mind and body of man...

The book remains fresh and moving, a thrilling and gripping tale of the intimate relationship between mind and body. It clearly shows how conflict situations, fears, feelings of melancholy or depression can directly negatively affect your body and cause more or less persistent disorders of its activity, interfere with the normal implementation of the functions of various organs - from the heels to the hair roots.

In virtually all the fine writings on medicine and healing, one basic concept is often omitted, apparently as irrelevant. It is the relationship between mind and body that may have a direct impact on health and our ability to recover.

The fact that these relationships do exist and are very important is only now beginning to be recognized; deeper than their true meaning for man, we have yet to learn and accept.

Only when we study the unusual relationships between all aspects of our personality (our needs, unconscious reactions, repressed emotions, desires and fears) and the functioning of the physiological systems of the body, their ability to self-regulate, only then will we begin to clearly understand how great is the wisdom of our body.

With extremely complex systems and functions, the human body shows boundless intelligence and empathy, constantly giving us the means to further self-knowledge, confront unforeseen situations and go beyond our subjectivity. The unconscious energies underlying our every action manifest in the same way as conscious thoughts and feelings.

To understand this body-mind connection, we must first understand that body and mind are one. Usually we consider our own body as something that we carry with us (often not quite what we would like). This "something" is easily damaged, needs training, regular food and water intake, a certain amount of sleep and periodic checks. When something goes wrong, it gets us into trouble, and we take our body to the doctor, trusting that he or she can "fix" it faster and better. Something has broken - and we fix this "something" motionlessly, as if it were an inanimate object, devoid of reason. If the body functions well, we feel happy, alert and energetic. If not, we become irritable, frustrated, depressed, overwhelmed with self-pity.

This view of the body seems to be annoyingly limited. He denies the complexity of the energies that determine the integrity of our organism - energies that are continuously communicated and flow into each other, depend on our thoughts, feelings and physiological functions of various parts of our being. There is no difference between what goes on in our minds and what goes on in our bodies. Therefore, we cannot exist apart from the body in which our life is contained.

Please note: in English, the word “somebody” is used to refer to someone significant, which means both “someone” and “important person”, while an insignificant person is defined by the word “nobody”, that is, “no one”, or "nothing".

Our bodies are us. Our state of being is the direct result of the interplay of the many aspects of existence. The expression "My hand hurts" is equivalent to the expression "The pain inside me manifests itself in my hand." What expresses pain in the hand is no different from the verbal expression of dysphoria or embarrassment. To say that there is a difference is to ignore an integral part of the whole human being. To treat only the hand means to ignore the source of the pain that manifested itself in the hand. To deny the body-mind connection is to refuse the opportunity that the body gives us: to see, recognize and eliminate inner pain.

The effect of body-mind interaction is easy to demonstrate. It is known that the feeling of anxiety or anxiety for any reason can lead to indigestion, constipation or headache, to accidents. It has been proven that stress can lead to stomach ulcers or heart attacks; that depression and longing make our bodies heavy and lethargic - we have little energy, we lose our appetite or eat too much, we feel back pain or tension in the shoulders. Conversely, the feeling of joy and happiness increases our vitality and energy: we need less sleep and feel alert, we are less prone to colds and other infectious diseases, as our bodies become healthy and therefore better able to resist them.

One can better understand the "mind of the body" if one tries to see all aspects of physical and psychological life. We must learn to understand that everything that happens to our physical body must be controlled by us, that we are not just victims and should not suffer at all until the pain passes. Everything that we know inside the body is an integral part of our integral existence.

The concept of the "mind of the body" is based on the belief in the unity and integrity of every human being. Although the integrity of the individual is due to many different aspects, they cannot be isolated from each other. They are in constant interaction with each other, knowing everything about each other at any moment.

The formula of the "mind of the body" reflects the psychological and somatic harmony: the body is just a gross manifestation of the subtlety of the mind. “The skin is inseparable from emotions, emotions are inseparable from the back, the back is inseparable from the kidneys, the kidneys are inseparable from the will and desires, the will and desires are inseparable from the spleen, and the spleen is inseparable from sexual intimacy,” wrote Diane Connelly in Traditional Acupuncture: The Law of Five elements” (Dianne Connelly “Traditional Acupuncture: The Law of the Five Elements”).

The complete unity of body and mind is reflected in states of health and disease. Each of them is a means by which the "mind of the body" informs us about what is happening under the bodily shell.

For example, an illness or accident often coincides with a major life change: a move to a new apartment, a new marriage, or a job change. Internal conflicts during this period easily unbalance us, resulting in a feeling of uncertainty and fear. We become open and defenseless against any bacteria or viruses. At the same time, illness gives us a respite, the time needed to rebuild and adapt to changing circumstances. Illness tells us to stop doing things: it gives us space in which we can reconnect with the parts of ourselves that we have lost touch with. It also puts into perspective the meaning of our relationships and communication. This is how the wisdom of the mind of the body in action is manifested, the mind and body constantly influence each other and work together.

The transmission of signals from the mind to the body is carried out through a complex system that includes blood circulation, nerves and many hormones that are produced by the endocrine glands. This extremely complex process is regulated by the pituitary and hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is a small area of the brain that controls many bodily functions, including thermoregulation and heart rate, as well as the activity of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Numerous nerve fibers from all over the brain converge at the hypothalamus, linking psychological and emotional activity to bodily functions. For example, the vagal nerve from the hypothalamus goes straight to the stomach - hence the stomach problems caused by stress or anxiety. Other nerves run to the thymus and spleen, organs that produce immune cells and regulate their function.

The immune system has a huge potential for protection, rejecting everything that can be harmful to us, but it is also subordinated to the brain through the nervous system. Therefore, she directly suffers from mental stress. When we are exposed to severe stress of any kind, the adrenal cortex releases hormones that disrupt the brain-immunity communication system, suppressing the immune system and leaving us vulnerable to disease. Stress is not the only factor that can trigger such a reaction. Negative emotions - repressed or prolonged anger, hatred, bitterness or depression, and loneliness or bereavement - can also depress the immune system by stimulating the hypersecretion of these hormones.

In the brain is limbic system, represented by a set of structures, which include the hypothalamus. She performs two main functions:

regulates autonomic activity, for example, maintains the body's water balance, the activity of the gastrointestinal tract and the secretion of hormones,
unites human emotions: sometimes it is even called the “nest of emotions”.

Limbic activity connects our emotional state with the endocrine system, thus playing a leading role in the relationship between body and mind. Limbic activity and the functioning of the hypothalamus are directly regulated by the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for all forms of intellectual activity, including thinking, memory, perception and understanding.

It is the cerebral cortex that begins to “sound the alarm” in case of perception of any life-threatening activity. (Perception does not always correspond to a true threat to life. For example, stress is perceived by the body as a mortal danger, even if we think it is not). The alarm signal affects the structures of the limbic system and the hypothalamus, which, in turn, affect the secretion of hormones, the functioning of the immune and nervous systems. Since all this warns of danger and prepares for a meeting with it, it is not surprising that the body does not have time to rest. All this leads to muscle tension, nervous confusion, spasms of blood vessels, disruption of the functioning of organs and cells.

In order not to fall into a state of anxiety when reading these lines, it should be remembered that such a reaction is not caused by the event itself, but by our attitude towards it. As Shakespeare said: “Things themselves are neither good nor bad, they are only in our imagination”. Stress is our psychological reaction to an event, not the event itself. The alarm system is triggered not by a wave of anger or despair that easily disappears from memory, but by the accumulating action of constant or long-term suppressed negative emotions. The longer an unreacted mental state persists, the more harm it can cause, depleting the resistance of the "mind of the body" and continuously spreading flows of negative information.

However, there is always an opportunity to change this state, because we can always work on ourselves and move from simple reactivity to conscious responsibility, from subjectivity to objectivity. For example, if we are constantly exposed to noise at home or at work, we may respond with increased irritability, headaches, and increased blood pressure; at the same time, we can objectively assess the situation and try to find a positive solution. The message that we convey to our body - irritation or acceptance - is the signal to which it will respond.

The repetition of negative mental patterns and attitudes, such as anxiety, guilt, jealousy, anger, constant criticism, fear, etc., can cause us much more harm than any external situation. Our entire nervous system is under the control of the "central regulating factor," the control center which in man is called the personality. In other words, all situations in our life are neither negative nor positive - they exist in their own right. And only our personal attitude determines their belonging to one category or another.

Our bodies reflect all that has happened and experienced by us, all movements, satisfactions of needs and actions; we contain everything that happened to us. The body really captures everything experienced earlier: events, emotions, stresses and pains are locked inside the body shell. A good therapist who understands the mind of the body can read the entire history of a person's life, looking at his physique and posture, observing his free or constrained movements, noting areas of tension, as well as the features of past injuries and illnesses. Our bodies become a walking autobiography, body features reflecting our experiences, traumas, anxieties, anxieties and relationships.

The characteristic posture - when one stands humbled, the other stands upright, ready for defense - is formed in early youth and is "embedded" in our primordial structure.

Just as the body reflects everything that happens in the mind of a person, so the mind experiences pain and discomfort when the body suffers. The universal law of karma of cause and effect cannot be avoided. Every phenomenon of human life must have its cause. Each manifestation of human physicality must be preceded by a certain way of thinking or emotional status. Paramahansa Yogananda says:

"There is a natural connection between mind and body. Whatever you hold in your mind, everything will be reflected in your physical body. Any hostile feelings or cruelty towards another, strong passion, persistent envy, tormenting anxiety, outbursts of ardor - all this is real destroys the cells of the body and causes the development of diseases of the heart, liver, kidneys, spleen, stomach, etc. Anxiety and stress have led to new deadly diseases, high blood pressure, damage to the heart and nervous system, cancer.Pains that torment the physical body, are secondary diseases. published

From Debbie Shapiro's "The Mind Heals the Body"

Any persistent thought responds in the human body.
Walt Whitman

In virtually all the fine writings on medicine and healing, one basic concept is often omitted, apparently as irrelevant. It's the relationship between mind and body which may have a direct impact on health and our ability to recover.

The fact that these relationships do exist and are very important is only now beginning to be recognized; deeper their true meaning for man is yet to be known and accepted.

Only when we study the unusual relationships between all aspects of our personality (our needs, unconscious reactions, repressed emotions, desires and fears) and the functioning of the physiological systems of the body, their ability to self-regulate, only then will we begin clearly understand how great is the wisdom of our body.

The unconscious energies underlying our every action manifest as well as conscious thoughts and feelings.

To understand this body-mind connection, we must first understand that the body and mind are one. We usually view our own body as something we carry with us. (often not quite what we would like).

This "something" is easily damaged, needs training, regular food and water intake, a certain amount of sleep and periodic checks.

When something goes wrong, it gets us into trouble, and we take our body to the doctor, trusting that he or she can "fix" it faster and better. Something has broken - and we fix this "something" motionlessly, as if it were an inanimate object, devoid of reason.

If the body functions well, we feel happy, alert and energetic. If not, we become irritable, frustrated, depressed, overwhelmed with self-pity.

This view of the body seems to be annoyingly limited. He denies the complexity of the energies that determine the integrity of our organism, - energies that are constantly communicating and flowing into each other, depend on our thoughts, feelings and physiological functions of various parts of our being.

There is no difference between what goes on in our minds and what goes on in our bodies. Therefore, we cannot exist apart from the body in which our life is contained.

Pay attention : in English, the word “somebody” is used to refer to someone significant, which means both “someone” and “important person”, while an insignificant person is defined by the word “nobody”, that is, “no one”, or “ nonentity."

What expresses pain in the hand is no different from the verbal expression of dysphoria or embarrassment. To say that there is a difference is to ignore an integral part of the whole human being.

To treat only the hand means to ignore the source of the pain that manifested itself in the hand. To deny the body-mind connection is to refuse the opportunity that the body gives us: to see, recognize and eliminate inner pain.

The effect of body-mind interaction is easy to demonstrate. It is known that Feeling anxious or anxious about anything can lead to indigestion, constipation or headache, accidents.

It has been proven that stress can lead to stomach ulcers or heart attacks; that depression and longing make our bodies heavy and lethargic - we have little energy, we lose our appetite or eat too much, we feel back pain or tension in the shoulders.

AND on the contrary, the feeling of joy and happiness increases our vitality and energy: We need less sleep and feel alert, are less prone to colds and other infectious diseases as our bodies become healthier and therefore better able to resist them.

One can better understand the "mind of the body" if one tries to see all aspects of physical and psychological life.

We must learn to understand that everything that happens to our physical body must be controlled by us, that we are not just victims and should not suffer at all until the pain passes. Everything that we know inside the body is an integral part of our integral existence.

They are in constant interaction with each other, knowing everything about each other at any moment. The formula of the "mind of the body" reflects the psychological and somatic harmony: the body is just a gross manifestation of the subtlety of the mind.

“The skin is inseparable from emotions, emotions are inseparable from the back, the back is inseparable from the kidneys, the kidneys are inseparable from the will and desires, the will and desires are inseparable from the spleen, and the spleen is inseparable from sexual intimacy,” wrote Diane Connelly in Traditional Acupuncture: The Law of Five elements"

(Dianne Connelly "Traditional Acupuncture: The Law of the Five Elements").

The complete unity of body and mind is reflected in states of health and disease. Each of them is a means by which the "mind of the body" informs us about what is happening under the bodily shell.

For example, an illness or accident often coincides with a major life change: a move to a new apartment, a new marriage, or a job change. Internal conflicts during this period easily unbalance us. resulting in a sense of uncertainty and fear.

We become open and defenseless against any bacteria or viruses.

In the same time sickness gives us a break, the time needed to rebuild and adapt to changing circumstances. Illness tells us to stop doing things: it gives us space in which we can reconnect with the parts of ourselves that we have lost touch with.

In addition, she puts into perspective the meaning of our relationships and communication. This is how the wisdom of the mind of the body in action is manifested, the mind and body constantly influence each other and work together.

The transmission of signals from the mind to the body is carried out through a complex system that includes blood circulation, nerves and many hormones that are produced by the endocrine glands.

This extremely complex process is regulated by the pituitary and hypothalamus.

The hypothalamus is a small area of the brain, which controls many body functions, including thermoregulation and heart rate, as well as the activity of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

Numerous nerve fibers from all over the brain converge at the hypothalamus, linking psychological and emotional activity to bodily functions.

For example, vagal nerve from the hypothalamus goes directly to the stomach- hence the stomach problems caused by stress or anxiety. Other nerves run to the thymus and spleen, organs that produce immune cells and regulate their function.

The immune system has a huge potential for protection, rejecting everything that can be harmful to us, but she, too, subordinated to the brain through the nervous system. Therefore, she directly suffers from mental stress.

When we are subjected to severe stress of any origin, the adrenal cortex releases hormones that destroy the system brain-immunity connections, suppressing the immune system and leaving us vulnerable to disease.

Stress is not the only factor that can trigger such a reaction.

negative emotions- repressed or prolonged anger, hatred, bitterness or depression, as well as loneliness or bereavement - may also suppress the immune system by stimulating the hypersecretion of these hormones.

In the brain is the limbic system, represented by a set of structures, which include the hypothalamus.

It performs two main functions: it regulates autonomic activity, for example, maintains the body's water balance, the activity of the gastrointestinal tract and the secretion of hormones, and in addition, it integrates human emotions: sometimes it is even called the "nest of emotions."

Limbic activity connects our emotional state with the endocrine system, thus playing a leading role in the relationship between body and mind.

Limbic activity and the functioning of the hypothalamus are directly regulated by the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for all forms of intellectual activity, including thinking, memory, perception and understanding.

It is the cerebral cortex that begins to “sound the alarm” in case of perception of any life-threatening activity. (Perception does not always correspond to a true threat to life. For example, stress is perceived by the body as a mortal danger, even if we think it is not).

The alarm signal affects the structures of the limbic system and the hypothalamus, which, in turn, affect the secretion of hormones, the functioning of the immune and nervous systems.

Since all this warns of danger and prepares for a meeting with it, it is not surprising that the body does not have time to rest. All this leads to muscle tension, nervous confusion, spasms of blood vessels, disruption of the functioning of organs and cells.

In order not to fall into a state of anxiety when reading these lines, it should be remembered that such a reaction is not caused by the event itself, but by our attitude towards it.

As Shakespeare said: “Things in themselves are neither good nor bad, they are only in our imagination.”

Stress is our psychological reaction to an event, not the event itself. The alarm system is triggered not by a wave of anger or despair that easily disappears from memory, but by the accumulating action of constant or long-term suppressed negative emotions.

The longer an unreacted mental state persists, the more harm it can cause, depleting the resistance of the "mind of the body" and continuously spreading flows of negative information.

However, there is always an opportunity to change this state, because we can always work on ourselves and move from simple reactivity to conscious responsibility, from subjectivity to objectivity.

For example, if we are constantly exposed to noise at home or at work, we may respond with increased irritability, headaches, and increased blood pressure; at the same time, we can objectively assess the situation and try to find a positive solution.

The message that we convey to our body - irritation or acceptance - is the signal to which it will respond.

Repetition of negative thought patterns and attitudes such as anxiety, guilt, jealousy, anger, constant criticism, fear, etc., can do us much more harm than any external situation.

Our entire nervous system is under the control of the "central regulating factor," the control center which in man is called the personality.

In other words, all situations in our life are neither negative nor positive - they exist in their own right.And only our personal attitude determines their belonging to one category or another.

A good therapist who understands the mind of the body can read the entire history of a person's life, looking at his physique and posture, observing his free or constrained movements, noting areas of tension, as well as the features of past injuries and illnesses.

Our bodies become a walking autobiography, body features reflecting our experiences, traumas, anxieties, anxieties and relationships. The characteristic posture - when one stands humbled, the other stands upright, ready for defense - is formed in early youth and is "embedded" in our primordial structure.

Just as the body reflects everything that happens in the mind of a person, so the mind experiences pain and discomfort when the body suffers. The universal law of karma of cause and effect cannot be avoided.

Every phenomenon of human life must have its cause. Each manifestation of human physicality must be preceded by a certain way of thinking or emotional status.

Paramahansa Yogananda says:

There is a natural connection between mind and body. Whatever you hold in your mind will be reflected in your physical body. Any hostile feelings or cruelty towards another, strong passion, relentless envy, tormenting anxiety, outbursts of ardor - all this really destroys the cells of the body and causes the development of diseases of the heart, liver, kidneys, spleen, stomach, etc.

Anxiety and stress led to new deadly diseases, high blood pressure, damage to the heart and nervous system, and cancer. The pains that torment the physical body are secondary diseases.

FROM THE BOOK "THE MIND HEALS THE BODY"

Human health is the result of a complex complex mutual influence of the spiritual and bodily "parts" of the body. The book tells in detail and intelligibly how their interaction takes place at different levels, what can and should be done in order to maintain or correct it, and therefore ensure a happy longevity without illness and decrepitude.

FROM HEAD TO TOES

Everything that is on earth is mobile and exists in every dimension outside of earthly reality. Form is only one manifestation of the essence of things. The form of the expression changes countless times, which correspond to different realities on all levels. There is no such thing on earth that would not also exist on all other levels of reality.

The head is our communicative center, here is our perception of the world through sight, hearing, taste and smell, and from here the world perceives us through our speech and self-expression. All of our sensory experiences and information pass through this "central control." But the head is not only the center of communication. As seen from intrauterine development, it is also related to the pre-conception stage and to the absolute energy that symbolizes this period of time. Here is represented the energy of the mind descending from infinity to form and again reunited with infinity. Therefore, we can say that all kinds of mental and mental problems appear in the unborn child even before conception, since the incoming energy attracts certain mental states to itself, approaching matter. So there is a strong connection between our mental quirks and conflicts and our spiritual energy.

This confirms the interesting fact that in the head there is a bone - hard tissue (or spiritual energy) surrounding soft tissue and liquid (mental and emotional energy), that is, the skull that protects the outside of the brain. On the other hand, the rest of the bones (skeleton) are inside the body, they are covered with soft tissues and fluids. This shows that the head, representing abstract reality and our connection with the infinite, is primarily related to the spiritual, and mental and emotional energy are under its influence. As the rest of the energy finds its expression through the body, the spiritual energy becomes less visible, more subdued. It goes deep into us, affecting the mental and emotional energy from within. The head is the center of all that is free from matter. This is where our energy enters the physical realm to be expressed through the pineal, pituitary, and central control systems of the body. Thus, the head is also connected with the abstract world. Having taken shape (the neck is the moment of conception), the energy from the inside affects the body, its movement and direction.

If we suffer from a headache, it means that the arteries in the head narrow and the pressure increases. The blood carries our feelings, especially those associated with love and benevolence and their opposites: hatred, anger and hostility. Through arteries and veins we receive and give love. A feeling of constriction in the head usually indicates a lack of ability to express and receive these feelings in return, it is a restraint, if not a complete suppression of self-expression. Allowing ourselves to freely express feelings and accept strong emotions from someone is not easy, because after we have experienced them in our head, we will have to transfer them to the body, which is more tangible and material. in this way, a disunity between the body and consciousness may appear: the body will feel one thing, and the head another, and it will be difficult for us to unite the sensations. Tension and pain in the head are due to the tension and pressure we experience during this process. Read more about headaches in the sixth chapter.

The head is the place where we can hide from the world and reach higher levels of consciousness. Here we communicate with the external, physical world, our inner world and higher spheres. Each part of the head represents a certain aspect of this universal communication, receives our bodily sensations and expresses them outwardly. However, when there is no connection between the head and the body, communication becomes difficult and suppressed.

The face is that part of the body with which we meet the world; judging by the face, the world makes an impression of us, decides how pleasant we are. The face shows how we look not only from the outside, but also from the inside: are we open or closed, are we ready to communicate, are we trustworthy or cunning and insidious, cheerful or full of sadness. It is a mask that we can hide behind, and at the same time an open expression of our essence. One can unmistakably identify the face of an enlightened person: it does not hide anything, but radiates only inner peace. And the face of an exhausted and despondent person will be furrowed with wrinkles, closed, dark, heavy.

The shape of the face corresponds to our character, as well as our opinion about ourselves or about what we want to appear. We smile and frown to express our true feelings or, conversely, to hide them. If we often put on a mask, the muscles of the face will become tense and distorted, and the mask will adhere to us. Remember how in childhood you were told not to make a face, otherwise that face will forever remain with such an expression? If we make an ugly face too often, our muscles will get used to this position and freeze in it. A mask can hide our feelings from the world, but it can just as well hide them from us. We usually hide ourselves from the fact that we don't like something about ourselves.

The face also speaks about our personality, about our "I". When we "blow our face in the dirt," it means that our dignity or position has been struck. If we have enough courage and inner strength, we can "face" the danger, if not, we will fail. Feelings of powerlessness or inadequacy, irritation with ourselves, criticism, dislike of ourselves or others can cause damage to the skin, which will express our internal state of confusion. The skin is a soft tissue (mental energy) and imperfections in it will indicate internal irritation. This can lead to the fact that skin problems also become the cause of our suffering. The skin will invariably clear when our inner confusion and anger has passed. Read also about inflammation of the sebaceous gland in the sixth chapter.

Being the "mirror of the soul", the eyes are the deepest expression of our inner world. With their help, so much can be read, understood, expressed, given away. Here contact is established with another person, and then it becomes difficult to hide what is inside us. If the gaze is empty or distant, then we understand that there is nothing there, except for a feeling of great emptiness. If the look is meaningful and bright, we feel the inner joy emanating from the person. all our emotions are expressed through the eyes, from excitement to distrust and anger. With a glance we accept or reject, caress or hurt. The eyes so fully represent our whole being that even a whole direction in medicine associated with them has appeared - iridology. From the eyes, an iridologist can draw a conclusion about what is happening in various organs and parts of our body.

We not only communicate with the eyes, but also see and, therefore, comprehend the world around us. vision problems are invariably connected with our understanding of the world: we either do not want to admit to ourselves what we really see, and therefore we do not trust our vision and vision. Nearsighted people see only what is ahead of them, their field of vision remains limited. They also find it hard to see themselves from a distance, so they often turn out to be timid or introverted. It was as if the vision had been pushed back, perhaps due to trauma or fear of the future. Far-sighted people have access to distant and beautiful perspectives, but it is difficult for them to deal with what is happening at the moment, with immediate reality. By nature, they are extroverts and adventurers, and therefore often lose touch with their true feelings or are afraid of the present. A blurry picture may appear due to the fact that we do not accept reality as it is, when our inner world does not agree with the outer one. Stress and stress are also of great importance for vision, as they easily distort our vision of reality. Poor eyesight may be due to the fact that we consider ourselves too timid and fearful. To avoid any conflict, we avert our gaze, allow bad vision to develop, and put on glasses. In more detail, problems with vision are discussed in the sixth chapter.

Our ability to accept what we see, or lack of it, is also reflected in eye health. One patient contracted an infection that, as a result of inflammation of the optic nerve, led to blindness in the left eye. The woman realized that when this happened, she did not fully accept the reality surrounding her, since at that time her marriage was breaking up. the left side represents our inner, emotional life. The blindness of her eye showed her that she was blind to her own emotions about the situation: her emotions told her that her marriage was becoming unbearable. She was easily irritated and became embittered. Fully realizing the situation and pouring out her true feelings about her relationship with her husband, she was able to recover from the infection.

Tears help us in many ways to relieve pain, being a liquid, they represent an outpouring of emotions, a release from them. Interestingly, one eye is often less open than the other, or more tears flow from one, while the other remains dry. The left eye represents our inner, emotional, intuitive side, while the right eye is more connected to situations from the outside world, with more aggressive energy.

The eyes are related to the "third eye" chakra and thus signify vision, both physical and metaphysical. We can look at the world or at ourselves, as, for example, in meditation, when we turn to our inner world. Here lies the potential for higher wisdom.

With the help of our ears, we hear, that is, we perceive the sound and form our impression of it. When we don't like what we hear, we withdraw energy from that part of the body or block the function of hearing. If a person is "hard of hearing", often he does it absolutely consciously. When talking to older people, we soon find that they can hear what they want perfectly, but immediately become hard of hearing if they don't like something. I had one patient who could easily hear from across the room that I was offering her chocolate, but when we talked about her daughter, whom she had nothing good to say about, I had to yell at her. Hearing loss or earache can result from being criticized too much, either by ourselves or by someone else. In this case, the daughter got too carried away, criticizing her mother, and, as a result, the mother stopped hearing her. Ear pain can occur if what we hear causes us inner pain or suffering.

The ears are also a means of achieving balance, including self-control and balance. If something is wrong with our ears, this indicates that our life is out of control or out of balance, that the events in it confuse us and we find ourselves at a loss. If we do not recognize what is happening in our lives, our ears will let us know that we need to find a new balance and harmony. If hearing is impaired on only one side, then the qualities inherent in it (left and right sides, see Chapter 2) should be taken into account and applied to what is happening in everyday life.

The main function of the nose is breathing: together with the lungs and nostrils, we inhale the air necessary for life. This is not always a desirable feeling, especially on a subconscious level, when we are not all right and we want it to stop. Consequently, when we feel especially frustrated or exhausted, we may get a runny nose and runny nose, in a subconscious attempt to stop the process of breathing or life. A runny nose represents another aspect - our desire to cry, which we will certainly feel in a state of confusion and hopelessness. After all, many symptoms coincide: both tears and a runny nose are associated with the release of emotions - the release of fluid. Therefore, if we have a cold, we should ask ourselves if there is something in our life that makes us cry? Perhaps some deep grief is tormenting us?

And although a runny nose can be contagious, it is worth noticing who has it and when. we are always surrounded by millions of microbes, but we get sick only at certain moments. A cold often means that we need time to reconnect with our inner world, with the desire to live. It is a way to release pent-up confusion and emotions associated with inner change. In the nose are the sinuses, spaces filled with air and associated with thought, comprehension, knowledge and communication. When they are clogged, it means that we are internally shackling ourselves, unable to communicate or overcome our own limitations.

The nose also provides the sense of smell. Some smells are associated with certain memories, so nasal blockage may be related to repression of memories or a painful situation. Through our sense of smell and breath, we "breathe the scent of life," as when we smell the scent of a beautiful rose, and we are overwhelmed with joy. As our consciousness develops, the sinuses may become more sensitive to the metaphysical "smells" around us.

The mouth is our immediate organ of communication. Here our thoughts and feelings are expressed, food is taken and the digestive process begins. Here we kiss, smile, pout, snap, spit, chew and bite. We accept reality and spit it back out if we don't like it. Here we talk, sing, whisper and shout.

With such a huge number of functions with the mouth, many problems often arise. Difficulties may arise due to the fact that at the moment it is difficult for us to perceive and "swallow" reality, "digest" what is happening, or, perhaps, we do not have enough nourishment in life, and the mouth begins to "starve". in addition, there may be a desire to throw out negative emotions and thoughts that we do not allow ourselves to show and therefore restrain ourselves from saying about them: or we fight the desire to kiss and love someone who really rejects us.

The lips are especially receptive to our feelings. Here is one example. Annie got a cold on her lips on the first two days of her honeymoon. Shortly after she passed, Annie went to the hospital already with tonsillitis! What her body wanted to communicate is quite obvious: the new marriage brought her many problems that she did not want to deal with. Her confusion was expressed in such a way that, by stopping kissing, she could create a physical space around herself. At the same time, it was very difficult for her to endure the fact that she was not ready for the current situation. Especially often hidden irritation is manifested in this way - in relation to oneself or another person. Mouth infections indicate irritation caused by what we eat and how we express ourselves.

Teeth are of particular importance as they represent our deep energy or spiritual aspect of personality, while the tongue and other soft tissues correspond to the mental aspect, and saliva and other fluids represent the energies of the emotions. Teeth are on the border between us and the outside world, they act as a filter that monitors what comes and goes. They are related to first impressions of what we are about to ingest; here our feelings, information and sensations are separated; before remixing. In the process of chewing, we destroy the external reality in order to find out what it is like from the inside. so we can determine. what we want and don't want, spitting out what doesn't suit us. With clenched teeth, we seem to close the entrance to what comes from outside, and hold back what must leave us.

Rotten teeth speak of a lack of ability to distinguish, evaluate and highlight the desired from what comes to us. Such a contradiction can make us quite vulnerable. It also means that what comes to us has an irritating and therefore destructive effect. The moment of eating is painful and undesirable. Rotten teeth in children are often related to problems in the family and what the child receives in food. Parents compensate for their guilt before the child with sweets, chocolates, which contributes to the destruction of teeth. Teeth represent the first step in receiving love and food; the assimilation of what we receive depends on them. When teeth don't do their job, we swallow things that are really hard to digest and absorb.

So, Rosemary had problems with her teeth. She said that she was irritated with her mother because she tried to control her life. From childhood, we associate mother with love, support and food. Therefore, the girl's irritation manifested itself in her mouth, especially affecting her teeth, which provided a barrier to her mother's attempts to reach her. It also indicated the need to open up her feelings and talk to her mother, instead of gritting her teeth and continuing to hope that her mother would leave her behind.

Teeth and jaw are closely related: when we tighten our jaw, we clench our teeth. In this way, we stop the process of absorption and can be held in this position without changing anything. We grind our teeth in anger, and in order to stop expressing these emotions, we stop the movement of the jaw. All this can cause the jaw muscles to stretch and lose their shape.

In the neck there is a transition from incorporeal to physical conception, food and air pass through it, nourishing us and giving us life. The neck is the bridge between body and soul, allowing the incorporeal to incarnate into form and form to become spirit. Through the neck our thoughts, ideas and ideas are manifested in action, and at the same time here we give vent to our inner feelings emanating from the heart. To cross this bridge, our consciousness and the decision to live life to the fullest are necessary; the lack of this determination will result in a loss of connection between body and soul.

Through the throat we "absorb" our reality. Problems in this area may be related to our resistance, unwillingness to accept this reality. Food nourishes us and keeps us alive, it symbolizes all support and is often used in this sense.

Yet how often in childhood were we asked to take back our words, that is, to swallow our feelings? Serge King in his book "Imadgineering for Health" writes: "We tend to associate food with ideas, as can be seen from expressions such as 'food for thought', 'swallow resentment', 'you feed me promises', 'this is not my thing. taste", "he is fed up". The throat and all the glands and organs surrounding it may swell and become inflamed, which is a covert reaction to ideas that are unacceptable to us. Such a reaction may be related to the feelings of other people or to situations that we have to endure, that is, "swallow", but which we "do not like".

Since the throat is a transition site, problems in this area can equally represent conflict in accepting reality as well as our frustration and suppression of feelings that need to be vented, be it love, affection, anger or pain. If we think that for some reason we should not express these feelings, or we are afraid of the consequences of this expression, we will stop them, and this will lead to the accumulation of energy in the throat. This "swallowing" of feelings can cause tremendous tension in the neck and nearby glands. Here the connection of the neck with the fifth chakra, the center of divine communication, is obvious.

The neck allows us to see all sides of this world. If the neck is tense or stiff, our movements and our field of vision become limited. This also indicates the limitations of our views and judgments, when we notice only our own point of view, only what is right in front of us. It also speaks of our pride, callousness and stubbornness. callousness reduces the amount of sensations and information passing between the body and soul. Tension in the neck does not allow us to feel the reaction and desires of our body, to get a complete picture of the world around us.

Since the neck corresponds to conception, it represents our feeling that we have the right to live, that this is our home and this is our place. Lack of this sensation can undermine our sense of security and presence, which can lead to constriction of the larynx. We will find it difficult to swallow, causing the body to lose energy and support, resulting in a "detachment" syndrome caused by feelings of rejection and pain. It can also affect the functioning of the thyroid gland, as it is associated with breathing, which gives us life.

The shoulders represent the deepest aspect of action energy, expressing our thoughts and feelings about what and how we do, whether we do what we want or do something reluctantly, and how others treat us. The shoulders represent the transition from conception to incarnation, that is, action. Here we bear the weight of the world and the responsibility for it, because now we have already acquired our physical form and must face all the features of life. The shoulders are also where the emotional energy of the heart is expressed, which then manifests itself through the arms and hands (hugs and caresses). This is where our desire to create, express ourselves and create develops.

The closer we hold these feelings and conflicts to ourselves, the more tense and stiff our shoulders will become. How many of us do what we want in life? Are we really free to express our love and care? Are we hugging the person we want to hug? Do we want to live a full life, or would we prefer to close and withdraw into ourselves? Are we afraid to be ourselves, to act freely, to do what we want? to justify restraining ourselves, we put even more internal tension on our shoulders, which manifests itself in feelings of guilt and fear. As a result, adapting to these emotions, the muscles are deformed. This can be seen in the stooped shoulders that cannot bear the burden of life's problems or guilt for the actions we have committed in the past. We hold tense shoulders high out of fear or anxiety. If the shoulders are laid back, and the chest protrudes forward, then we want to show ourselves from the outside. The back will be weak and crooked.

Muscles correspond to mental energy, and very often the energy "gets stuck" in the shoulder area, as many of the desires that we hold back are contained here. The tension that prevails on the left side will be related to the feminine in our lives: maybe we do not show ourselves fully enough as a woman, or we are worried about our communication with women. It also reflects our feelings, our ability to express them, and the creative side of our lives. The tension in the right side is more associated with masculine nature, the manifestation of aggression and power. This is the managing and acting party, which takes full responsibility. It will reflect our activities, as well as relationships with men.

Shoulders help express our attitude: we shrug our shoulders if we don’t know what to do, turn away if we don’t want to communicate with someone, shrug our shoulders, often as a sign of an invitation, including sex. A "frozen" shoulder may indicate someone's coldness towards us or our own - emotions "freeze" before they have had time to get expression.

A broken shoulder is indicative of a deeper conflict - a disruption of deep energy where the conflict between what we plan or need to do and what we really want becomes unbearable. Not too long ago, a friend of mine, Simon, was having some very serious communication problems with his wife and decided that the best course of action was to move away from home. it was Valentine's Day, when he was shoveling snow off the porch and suddenly stumbled and fell from a height of five feet. He had a severe contusion of the round joint in his left shoulder. This incident meant a lot. Simon made the decision to leave, but deep down he didn't want to. The contradiction between the energies of the two solutions affected his shoulder. It was just the left side, corresponding to the emotional and inner life, it expresses the conflict of his own feelings and feelings for his wife, and the bone speaks of the depth of this conflict. The physical step Simon took was in line with the step he wanted to take in life, and he knew it would be a step into the void. What he really wanted to do was to pay attention to what was going on in his home, to address his deepest feelings. As a result, he failed to leave. as he became increasingly dependent on his wife, who did almost everything for him. This incident gave both of them the opportunity to remember the mutual support and care in their relationship, which has recently become too negative, and find time for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

As the energy moves down to the arms and hands, it moves away from the inner, personal aspects of the energy of action to more open and actively expressed ones, which manifests itself in a sense of its strength and the successes already achieved. With the help of hands, we caress, hold, hug, give, reach out or vice versa, hit, take, push; close and protect your heart. Thus, hands express our feelings and attitudes. They become a means of communication when we talk, waving our arms to better express what we want to say. Everything that is inside us, in our heart, can be expressed with our hands. With the help of hands, we receive impressions and information about the world around us. Therefore, the gracefulness or clumsiness of our movements can speak of our management of ourselves and our affairs. Lack of confidence can be observed in the right hand, since it is this side that corresponds to the masculine principle. Difficulties in expressing tenderness and love will rather lie in the left hand, associated with female nature.

Traditionally, this place expresses our clumsiness or ability to push through, which is reflected in the expression "knead your way with your elbows." we can nudge someone and just as well feel pushed out, we stick out our elbows to look strong and powerful, as elbows make our arms look like weapons. Elbows can also express doubt about our ability to respond or do a good job. The joints give freedom and fluidity to our movements, in fact they are responsible for the movement itself. The awkward movements of our elbows indicate that we are constrained and clumsy to express ourselves or are completely incapable of this: try hugging someone with your elbows pressed to your body! Elbows also give us the opportunity to apply force to what we are doing ("work with the elbows"). If we have problems with our elbows, we are not able to stand up for our rights in the way we can or should.

forearms

This is the scope: here we roll up our sleeves and get to work. The forearms are further away from the inner and closer to the outer expression of the center of action. The tenderness of the skin on the inside of the forearms indicates our delicacy and the hesitation we experience before finally expressing something. She also points to the moment when the personal is about to become public but is still private, or when we do something in public, but deep down it causes us anxiety.

Wrists

Like the elbows, the wrists are the joints that provide movement, where the final input of energy of action occurs. The wrists give our actions great ease and freedom. When they are inactive, the movements become abrupt and clumsy. Thus, the wrists allow us to easily adapt to any actions, to manage our affairs, to freely express our inner feelings. When the energy flows freely through the wrists, we can easily express ourselves, do what we want. If the energy is held back (for example, with a dislocated joint or arthritis), this indicates a conflict in our actions: we act constrained, something interferes with our activity, or we ourselves resist what should be done.

HANDS

Being the most characteristic means of self-expression for a person, hands are like antennas emanating from us and reporting information. When we extend our hand, we convey a message of friendliness and safety, "friendly handshake" is good not only as an expression in language, because the power of touch is much greater than the rational mind. With our hands we draw, conduct an orchestra, write, drive a car, heal, chop wood, cultivate a garden, and so on. We become almost helpless if our hands are damaged, since it is with their help that we interact with the outside world.

It reflects the entire period of maturation during pregnancy, in particular in the spinal reflex, which runs along the side of the thumb. Even the past, present and future are imprinted in the hands, unique for each person - these are patterns on the finger pads. I remember that when one day I had to do a large and varied job, the skin on the pads of my thumbs became very tender and sensitive. It began to crack and peel, which reminded me of a snake shedding its old skin. It was painful enough. Later, I realized that that moment corresponded to a new stage in my inner development, the formation of a new personality, as I freed myself from old habits and prejudices. Although I never checked to see if my fingerprints had changed!

Julie came to me with severe pain in her left thumb and left ankle. Her mother recently died, and shortly after that, these pains began. The death of a parent makes us realize that we are no longer children and that we are "the last link in the chain". Therefore, subconsciously, we turn to our ability to be adults, to take the place of the one we have lost, because we ourselves now have to be adults. The pain that appeared in Julie's thumb was directly related to the loss of her mother and the entry into adulthood (the left side is female). She said to herself: "Okay, now I'm in charge, now it's my turn. I'm the next generation." The thumb expressed the fact that all responsibility and decisions fell on her.

The pain has spread to the ankle, the area that represents our support. The loss of her mother took away the support Julie had relied on for years. Since the pain was only on the left side, Julie was immediately faced with doubts and fears about her own femininity, because she lost the main example of a woman in her life. Julie had to understand that it was more important for her to find her own, even if it was a completely different place in life, and not to take the place of her mother. This conflict arose as a result of the fact that she always wanted to go her own way, to be independent, but her mother never approved of this desire. Now that her mother was dead, Julie felt doubly guilty about wanting to go her own way in life.

The hands can easily become stiff or deformed due to a disease such as arthritis. One of my patients had very severe arthritis in the fingers of her right hand, they even lost their normal shape. A woman told me that she spent ten years at a job she didn't like, and now her arthritis was so bad she could barely do it. She explained that the arthritis made her feel tense, like she was being pulled from within. That was what her body was telling her. It tried to show her that her resistance to the work had caused these feelings and even made her unable to do it. Being fully aware of what she wanted to do and changing jobs provided an outlet for pent-up energy.

Since fluids are associated with our emotions, poor circulation, which is expressed in cold hands, indicates a withdrawal of emotional energy from what we are doing or participating in. She also indicates a reluctance to reach out to show her love and care. On the contrary, sweaty palms indicate nervousness and anxiety, causing an overabundance of emotions in connection with our activities. The musculature of the hands is related to our ability to maintain control over things. If we feel like we are losing our grip, this can manifest itself in cramps, weakness, and damage to the hands. they can also indicate self-doubt, fear of failure, or inability to do what is required of us. If we reach too far, stretch too far, or rush forward at the wrong time, cuts, bruises, burns, and other injuries to the fingers are inevitable on the hands.

The hands also provide touch and connection with other people. Our touch will say a lot about ourselves: it is a means of deep, wordless communication. Touch is essential for us to feel secure, confident, accepted, and desired. For a healthy and harmonious life, we just need to caress, hold, hug, stroke. Without touch, we begin to feel alienated and insecure, rejected and unwanted. Losing touch, we can face mental disorders. With touch, we can alleviate the pain and suffering of another person. Problems in the hands can indicate that we really want to touch or feel touched, but we are very afraid to show this desire.

The indecision to touch speaks of a deep fear of opening up, of showing who we really are, of allowing the intimacy of a relationship to develop. This may be due to past trauma or our innate tendency to be introverted. But this problem requires attention, otherwise, in a neglected state, it will cause even more harm. Touch makes us open and vulnerable, but also gives us the opportunity to reach out to deep feelings more, and all this happens thanks to the hands. damage to them may mean a desire to avoid conflicts with oneself. They can also indicate that the touch of another person hurts us: they are unacceptable to us and cause pain.

The back is an interesting combination of signs and symbols. On the one hand, it symbolizes everything that we do not want to look at or do not want anyone else to do. This is our "dump" where we store all the feelings and experiences that once caused us pain or confusion, and therefore we hid them. We cannot see our own back, and we become like ostriches, thinking that others cannot see it either. And then we complain about our "sick" back, as if it were to blame for something! But on the other hand, in addition to the fact that the back serves as a "dump", it is also the place where our spine is located, the most important part of the skeleton, the frame for the whole body and the "support" of our existence.

Spine

The spine represents our deepest energy and corresponds to the highest spiritual aspirations. It is the pillar on which the whole body rests, it makes us strong and confident or makes us appear "spineless". It is connected to various aspects of our existence through the skeleton, the central nervous system, and the central circulation from the brain to the rest of the body. Thus, every thought, feeling, event, reaction and impression is reflected in the spine as well as in the corresponding parts of the body. There are a number of medical practices, among them chiropractic, which deals with the spine, or "metamorphic" technique, which specializes in spinal reflexes. According to these healing practices, the spine provides us with access to the whole body and the ability to influence it.

The spine is the first to form after conception, and the rest of the body develops from it. Therefore, it represents our desire to take shape, to come to life. By the spine, one can judge the development of a person before birth, the development of his consciousness. Development occurs from the moment of conception, which corresponds to the neck, to birth, which corresponds to the genitals. In addition, the spine reflects the chakra system and the kundalini energy that starts at its base and moves upward. Therefore, we can say that it represents our entire path: from infinity, which we leave, to human form (the descent of energy), and then to the achievement of higher levels of knowledge, until we again connect with infinity. Thus, the spine contains energies of two levels: the energy of the process of development and maturation and the energy of a potential superman!

Upper back

By upper back we mean the area from the shoulders to the end of the shoulder blades. Since this area represents the period after conception, or the stage of internal, personal development, problems accumulate here mainly related to our feelings and doubts about ourselves. From here the heart chakra and the energy of love can be expressed through our hands. It is in this part of the back that the love and warmth that we feel towards someone are stored, but we cannot express them and therefore we hide, or, on the contrary, the anger and coldness that we do not want to admit to ourselves. These feelings try to find a way out, but we constantly ignore or deny them, and they accumulate, turning into pent-up anger or hidden irritation.

The tight muscles in the upper back that provide us with protection are often "overloaded" with rage, which was first directed at ourselves and then transferred to others. This can be seen in the so-called "widow's hump", a soft tissue mass that appears in the upper back, most often in older women. It represents the accumulation of all the evil and offensive thoughts that have remained unexpressed for many years, and appears closer to old age, when there are fewer reasons for life.

Jim complained of incessant pain in his upper back. He went to numerous chiropractors, but none of them succeeded in alleviating his pain. gradually he told me that, despite the divorce, his ex-wife did not leave him alone, constantly called him and demanded something, she became a natural "thorn in the back." When we had been working with Jim for several weeks, she unexpectedly moved five hundred miles from her husband and began a new life. Shortly thereafter, Jim visited another chiropractor, who immediately managed to cure his back. Then Jim realized that it was because he no longer "needed" the pain, and she was free to leave him, that he held on to his wife as much, if not more, than she did to him.

The upper back is closely related to the shoulders and the energy that is expressed in them, which was described above. Therefore, pain and tension in this part of the back is associated with frustration and irritation about our wrong actions or frustrated plans. This is always due to the fact that we hold back our inner desires and hide them in the back: they may not be acceptable to us or may not correspond to what is expected of us. By releasing hidden anger and frustration, we can also release those long-hidden ambitions and desires. Since this area represents the first stage of development after conception, it represents the embodiment in life, the manifestation of our inner aspirations. This may mean not only choosing a career or life path, but, on a higher level, renouncing the temptations and power of the earthly world and turning to spirituality.

Mid back

This narrow and thin part of the back is the area of the solar plexus, in which the balance is so often disturbed. It represents the period of development of the organism in the womb, when there is a transition from self-awareness to awareness of the outside world. It is like the center point of a pendulum where the inner, private aspects of our lives are balanced with the outer, public ones. When this part is open and functioning properly, we can freely express our inner feelings and fill our lives with meaning. When it is closed or its work is blocked, it means that we experience difficulties in expressing ourselves, holding back the energy that should flow freely down, or afraid to express ourselves. It may be a reluctance to direct our energy to the outside world, because, feeling it inside, we feel safer.

When you consider that moving down corresponds to growing up, then the middle part of the back appears as a natural obstacle that holds back energy. This reflects our internal resistance to aging, a reaction to our duties that we must fulfill, or the inevitability of death. Here we move to the stage of relationships, that is, we are already faced with adult problems. The middle part of the back is also the area of the third chakra, which is associated mainly with power and one's own "I". Therefore, imbalance in this part of the spine or back may indicate conflicts or games with power, often arising in the process of finding oneself and one's place in the world. Spiritual energy tends to strive upward, to experience higher states, but our "I" does everything to prevent this movement! The charms and hidden possibilities of power are extremely seductive; Once we try it, we can't refuse. However, this energy is closely connected with the corruption and manipulation of people. To overcome this temptation is the goal of the spiritual path.

Lower back

It includes the area from the solar plexus to the coccyx and represents the final stage of development before birth. Research has shown that low back pain is most likely to occur at times that remind us that we are getting older: when we are in our sixties or seventies, or when we are celebrating a wedding anniversary, when our children are graduating from university or starting independent lives, or when we retire. Although gardening or heavy lifting is commonly thought to lead to back pain, it is likely that there is already some weakness in this part of the body, which then manifests itself through intense tension. Weakness always means resistance to aging, which affects our social activity and communication. The fight against old age is especially widespread in the West - people want to keep their youth, to live longer. But they think little about how to accept old age with dignity and mature wisdom. Problems in the lower back are also related to the meaning of the pelvis, which will be described below.

This important area connects with the energy of the spine and is in line with our relationships. The fears and conflicts associated with our insecurity, with our loved ones, family or friends, often lie in this part of the back. the pelvis is the center of movement within us, here we can give life not only to our child, but also to ourselves, which is shown by the example of the ascent of the kundalini energy. This "coiled snake" represents our spiritual energy, the beginning of its upward journey. Energy starts moving and needs to express itself. If we are incapable of it or feel fear (because movement can mean change and a more honest relationship), this area can close, leading to stress, tension and pain.

The way up is based on self-preservation, security and sexuality. Therefore, problems with sexual energy and its expression are in the pelvic area, on a par with the survival instinct or the fear of losing a footing in life. down to the soles of the feet, which provide direction and support. It is from here that we are born and from here we encounter the reaction of the world to us.

Jenny was 65 years old when we met. She broke her hip three times, always in the same place and each time due to an accident. The first time she fell off a horse, the second time she was in a car accident, and the third time she fell down the stairs. There was a difference of many years between the accidents. after talking with each other, we found out that the first time the hip fracture occurred two weeks after her fiancé died. Then she was 21 years old. She never remarried, stayed with her parents and took care of them. When she was 45, her mother died. A month later, she had an accident and broke her hip again. Her father died when she was 57 years old. A few weeks later, she fell down the stairs and broke her hip again. Every time she broke her hip, when, when the person on whom she most depended emotionally died, and this undermined her confidence in life. Each time she was given the opportunity to become a new independent person, to learn to stand on her own feet, but she turned out to be unable to do this, and constant tension in her hip, weakening it, led to fractures. Jenny needed to become an independent person, to finally grow up and find the strength in herself to move forward, not depending on others.

The lower back also includes the buttocks, the place where we sit, and therefore we believe that no one sees it. How many times have we had to smile while the gluteal muscles were tense? Since the buttocks are associated with the removal of waste, they are also related to the release of feelings, emotions, sexuality. Tension in the buttocks can indicate difficulties in expressing oneself, an inability to relax. Try to take a breath and relax the muscles of the buttocks - and you will feel the difference! Tension here can cause pain, muscle strain, and hemorrhoids. The anal muscles are directly related to childhood (potty training), and therefore to emotional conflicts and their suppression, as well as to sexual conflicts.

RIB CAGE

The area of the chest, from the neck to the diaphragm, reflects the stage after conception, that is, this is the time of the formation of the personality, the inner man. Therefore, this part of the body corresponds to our inner, personal world (as opposed to the abdominal cavity, which represents relationships with other people). The chest symbolizes our "I", our sense of self as a person. This is evidenced by a simple gesture: we point to our chest or touch it, talking about ourselves, about our feelings and views. Remember how Tarzan beat his chest? It is here that we flaunt ourselves, bursting with pride and self-confidence, although inside we may tremble with fear at this moment. Chest swollen with importance suggests that we want to hold on to power and look courageous, that we can easily show our anger, but it is difficult for us to show tenderness. If we have a narrow and small chest, this may indicate our self-doubt and emotional weakness, indecision in the manifestation of our feelings, the need for support and encouragement from the outside.

It is in the chest that many of our feelings are expressed, especially those that relate to ourselves, including self-esteem or dislike for ourselves, the ability to love ourselves (thanks to which we can love others) and, conversely, feelings of anger and self-disappointment. Tension in this area will create a protective barrier that will protect us from pain and loneliness. Ken Diechwald wrote in Bodymind: "A person who keeps this part of the body in tension tries to protect his heart and the emotions associated with it with a protective wall. It protects us from pain and attack, but at the same time blocks feelings of warmth and support" It is in this part of the body that the deepest feelings are hidden, which then manifest in relationships (physically it is associated with the pelvis and legs or with the hands and voice) Each organ inside the chest corresponds to a certain aspect of this energy.

Being a soft tissue, the heart is part of our mental energy, and its function is to spread emotional energy, that is, blood. The heart symbolizes love, both on an impersonal and personal level. It is also associated with the romance and loneliness that comes with love: depending on the circumstances, our heart can be broken, it can hurt, or we can give it to someone. Serge King writes in the book "Imagineering for health": "If you are compassionate, you have a" soft "heart, if on the contrary, then you" have no heart "or it is" cold "and" callous ". A serious loss can "break your heart", you can express "heartfelt" gratitude to someone who sympathizes with you. From fear, your heart can go astray or mysteriously "jump out". All these feelings have physical correspondences. We express the energy of the heart with the help of the mouth and lips, hands, genitals.

The heart is associated with the heart chakra, and therefore with the highest manifestations of love - compassion and kindness, which go beyond personal problems. Corresponding to the stage after conception, the heart is also related to ourselves. The point is that before we can love others, we must learn to love and accept ourselves. True love does not need reasons, it exists for the sake of love itself, and not in order to receive something in return, it is limitless and always constant. But we cannot reach this state unless we first experience it with ourselves. If we do not love ourselves, then in trying to love others, we will experience pain, anguish, self-loathing, and even self-denial. We will love them in order to receive love from them, in order to think better of ourselves. Our love will depend on what we receive in return, since we cannot give it to ourselves.

The heart is also associated with the thymus gland and the production of immune system T cells. As described in Chapter 2, when we experience love and positive feelings, our immune system becomes stronger and more resistant to infections. If the heart is closed, if it is full of such negative emotions as anger, hatred, disappointment and self-dislike, the thymus gland works worse, and this negatively affects the immune system, its ability to ward off infections.

Because the heart is the center of love and inner wisdom, the blood circulates to carry love throughout the body. Blood leaves the heart and returns to it, it gives and receives. Blood also contains oxygen, which enters it from the lungs, so along with love, it also carries life, which fills every cell of our body with meaning. Blood problems are a direct consequence of our attitude towards it, indicating weakness, confusion or failure, poor management of affairs or reaction. Poor circulation indicates an inability to live a full emotional life. Constricted arteries mean that our emotional movement is limited, and as a result, we show and receive not enough love.

The formation of lungs in a fetus in the womb marks our desire to live, to become an independent organism. Therefore, the lungs may also contain a fear of life or an unwillingness to live. And then we begin to want to be controlled: if we are not sure that we want to be here, it will be much easier for us if someone makes all the decisions for us.

Breathing is life, but we use only a small part of all the possibilities of our breathing. When we learn to breathe fully and deeply, we awaken again the energy and desire to live. Shallow breathing does not allow us to live a full life, deprives us of these feelings, as if protecting us from the surrounding reality. The anxiety and fear that arises when we are in danger can lead to shallow breathing. Deep breathing provides a connection with ourselves, with a support in life, allows us to forget about fear and feel peace. Our lungs expand and contract, thus representing our ability to open up, live life to the fullest, or, conversely, close, close in on ourselves and move away from life.

When we have a cough or an infection in the bronchi, it often becomes an expression of disappointment or annoyance towards ourselves. They may indicate that we want to get rid of something inside ourselves, trying to communicate what is hidden. There may be deeper problems here, but we do not yet have the courage or the means to deal with them. Or it may be that life itself or our experiences cause us irritation, making it difficult to breathe. We do not want to receive or give.

If we suffer from asthma, then we may have a deep fear of independent life, the inability to open up for it. We are most likely dependent on one of the parents or spouse. Asthma shows how difficult it is to feel carefree in this world right now, as if the environment were clean and we didn't have to die. It can also represent our guilt about not living up to someone's expectations, feelings of fear or loneliness because we are not good enough. This suggests that we need to love and accept ourselves to such an extent that we stop needing someone else's approval.

Pam, who had a husband and a small child, had asthma. Her mother came to visit her for a week, and within ten hours of her departure, Pam had already managed to get into the hospital with a serious asthma attack. Returning to her home, which was two thousand miles from her daughter, the mother was forced to turn back and go back to Pam. This time, she spent two weeks with her daughter until Pam was ready to part with her. Pam also had a severe seizure the evening after her wedding and spent most of her gray month in the hospital. Faced with situations in which she had to show independence, Pam could not cope with fear.

The main symbol of femininity, it brings joy, torment, support and comfort. The breast is the most expressive symbol of the entire female body, and society tries to set certain standards for it in terms of size and shape, which are considered fashionable or acceptable. Women are tormented, shy, worried because of their breasts. The left breast represents these feelings on a deep personal level, as the left side corresponds to the feminine nature, inner, emotional aspect. The right breast reflects the problems women face in a male aggressive world and the contradiction between what is expected of them and what they are able or willing to give. It also reflects our own perception of ourselves as women in this world.

The breast provides nourishment and life, both in the form of nourishment and comfort and encouragement. However, if we are confused, unable or unwilling to manifest these life-giving qualities, we can come to deny our breasts and the feminine nature in ourselves. Breast cancer is closely related to how we feel about our femininity, dignity, and ability to fulfill ourselves as a woman. It is also associated with the fear of being rejected by others and with self-denial.

For example, Mary developed breast cancer after giving birth to three children. She could not give birth naturally (all were born by caesarean section) and breastfeed them, although she passionately wanted to. She became pregnant for the fourth time, but there was a miscarriage. Mary experienced intense guilt and emotional pain, believing that she had failed to become a real woman and mother. Since she couldn't breastfeed, her anger and denial was directed at her. Her feelings of hopelessness and failure were exacerbated by her inability to bear a fourth child. Her grief turned against herself, and her breasts became an outlet for emotions, a symbol of her failure as a woman, and as a result, the disease appeared.

To become a complete woman, we do not have to have children, try to be the perfect mother or have perfect breasts. You need to develop deeper feminine qualities in yourself: wisdom, intuition, love and compassion - the qualities of support and care. It means accepting and loving ourselves for who we are, realizing that external behavior is less important than internal qualities.

The ribs protect the most vulnerable and private parts of the body: the heart and lungs. These organs provide the possibility of independent life, and the ribs protect it. When they break, it is a sign that we are defenseless and weak. maybe we have lost our sense of security or control over our lives and therefore become helpless and open, vulnerable at the deepest level.

Diaphragm

This is a large flat muscle that separates the chest and abdomen. It is the boundary between the upper and lower parts of our body. Through this border are those feelings and experiences from the upper half, which we must "swallow" and "assimilate" in the lower half, as well as the needs and desires of the lower half, which must be expressed in the upper half. Problems in this area, such as hiatal hernia, indicate that there is conflict in the two-way flow of energy. It can be caused by allowing reality to seep too deeply into our lives, or by an overconfidence that prevents us from expressing ourselves freely.

The diaphragm is also associated with the period of development in the womb, when the growing fetus begins to discover the outside world. It corresponds to a change in consciousness, an inner liberation that allows one to express oneself, and an outer expression filled with inner meaning. If this area is blocked, inner energy is suppressed and our outer actions become superficial and empty, lacking depth.

The diaphragm is associated with breathing, so the contraction of the muscles here means that we cannot breathe deeply, that is, we do not want to accept life in its entirety. It also has to do with the transition from the third chakra to the fourth, from the lower consciousness to the higher. As we move upward, from the solar plexus to the heart, we move from a general to a more individual level of consciousness and from selfishness to selflessness. The diaphragm must be open for this movement to take place.

ABDOMEN

This is where we move into the realm of relationships. It corresponds to the period before birth, when the fetus is preparing to exchange its seclusion for fellowship. Therefore, all problems in this part of the body will always be related to conflicts and obstacles between us and the world in which we live. They will be expressed in relationships with all the people in our lives. It is also a place where we can give life to new sides of our existence, it shows us how, through relationships and the resolution of conflicts associated with them, awareness of our thoughts and feelings towards the world and people, we can give rise to internal growth and open in new opportunities for yourself. the abdominal cavity is the area where we accept, assimilate and "digest" our reality, choose what we want and neglect what we don't like. Here we hold personal problems or are released from them.

What we have received from the outside world gives us support and energy, and we can return this energy back to the world. This is an ongoing process. However, if what we receive disables us, causes pain or indigestion, we do not get the support we need and our energy is depleted. Then we will be able to return less to the world, and everything that happens in us will be a reflection of inner pain. This applies to food as well as thoughts, feelings, impressions and information. In the abdominal cavity, we process our reality and on its basis create our own, activity as a result with others. If reality is full of pain and cruelty, then most likely our response to it will be the same. If it is full of warmth and love, we will receive good support and will be able to freely express our love and creative energy.

The abdominal cavity is closely connected with our thoughts and feelings, as can be seen in such phrases as “feel in the gut”, “gut is thin to do anything”, “I can’t stomach it” Here is the deepest sense of intuition that helps to make the right choice. The reaction of our stomach often tells us much more about what is happening than our senses. If we have a strong instinctive feeling, we are sure that we are doing the right thing. Ignoring it can lead to poor health, on the inside, and mistakes, on the outside.

Food is associated with mother, love and affection, security, survival and reward. We fill the need for one of these things in food as a means of filling the void within us. Food replaces love for us, especially during times of loss, separation, or someone's death. With the help of food, we also ease the tension associated with material and financial difficulties. Sweet food fills us with the sweetness of the relationship that we need so much, we give it to ourselves, because we feel that we can’t get it from anyone else. Conversely, to show that we need support, we can stop eating, reducing or reducing the need for love to a minimum level. Thus. Obesity and loss of appetite actually give rise to the same state of self-dislike, the need for support and approval from outside, which, however, is not enough to satisfy our requirements. The reaction to this condition simply expresses itself in opposite ways: obesity indicates a loss of control over oneself, and loss of appetite indicates an overly exaggerated attempt to control (more on these conditions in chapter 6).

All this has to do with the stomach. Our aspirations, unfulfilled desires, earthly burdens and external conflicts accumulate here first of all. Therefore, they can cause various disorders: indigestion, ulcers, acidity. How often do we hear from someone that something "bites" him, and then it turns out that he has a stomach ulcer? In the stomach, food is processed and split, it prepares it for its final condition in the intestines. Food can stay in the stomach for a long time, so it is not surprising that our thoughts and feelings can also stay here for a long time, causing nausea and heaviness. Tension in the stomach area may indicate that we do not let go of our problems, hold on to reality, trying to prevent inevitable changes and movement forward.

Intestines

From the stomach, food passes further to the small intestine, and then enters the large intestine, after which it is removed from the body. In the intestines, the assimilation of nutrients occurs, the separation of useful from harmful. Here there is a process of unification and liberation, not only from food, but also from feelings, thoughts and experiences. If the release process is held back (because of fear, insecurity, etc.), there is tension that leads to constipation, intestinal ulcers, spastic colon. If the release occurs too quickly, which reduces the time for the body to assimilate food, diarrhea may occur. The gut represents those problems we are afraid to let go, the merging of external and internal reality, the release of what we do not want to keep in ourselves. Bernie Siegel explains it this way in Love, Medicine and Miracles: "After an emergency operation that removed several feet of dead intestinal tissue, a female Jungian therapist said to me, 'I'm glad you're my surgeon. I tried to analyze what was happening. I could not cope with all the nasty and dirty things that poisoned my life. "A bad doctor would have no association with her feelings, but it was not an accident for us that the intestines became the central point of her illness."

In 1982 I traveled in Egypt. I arrived in Cairo late in the evening and was driven from the airport to the hotel through the city. I felt an emotional blow inside of me. This feeling was even more exciting than during the last visit to Bombay and Delhi. In Egypt in July it was so hot and dry that there were no leaves or water anywhere to be seen, and in India at least there were no trees or flowers. But here more than 12 million people lived in a waterless and dusty city, designed for only 3 million. They lived anywhere, even in cemeteries. In a matter of hours after arriving, my intestines were already weakened by emotions, they were sick. my intestines were literally amazed by what I saw.

Constipation is a retention, tension of the muscles, due to which there can be no release, exit. A person becomes restrained when he controls himself too much and it is difficult for him to behave at ease. This can be caused by the fear of losing control over events, as well as the fear of expressing one's life to reveal itself. But this is not always easy: it is in the very nature of constipation to hold back movements, and this applies not only to the disease, but also to its emotional factors! Every year we spend fortunes on laxatives, because it is human nature to be afraid, especially of loss or insecurity. It is much more likely that we will become constipated during times of financial hardship, relationship conflicts, or when we travel. It is at this time that we will feel unprotected, deprived of support. We want to hold on to everything we can and try to prevent change because we don't know what it will bring us. However, in doing so, we create a lot of tension, as well as pain and irritation. Liberation will mean that we believe in his safety, we believe that life itself will solve problems and we cannot rule the whole world at once. We will have to play and express ourselves more freely, come to terms with what is happening.

There are times when the reality we need to "learn" upsets, overwhelms us, or causes fear, we have no desire to hold on to it, let alone absorb any information from the situation. Then we will have a tendency to diarrhea. In the same way, animals empty their intestines when they find themselves in a life-threatening situation. However, we will be most likely to suffer from repeated diarrhea if we are the type of person who always rushes forward without listening to what they are told. Therefore, we will lack support and stamina, a reserve of strength. Here, on the contrary, one should stop to listen and comprehend the situation before moving on.

This body literally gives us life, supports it. All blood from the stomach and intestines passes through the liver, which provides a complete and correct condition of nutrients. The liver absorbs and stores fats and proteins and helps maintain blood sugar levels. It plays a large role in neutralizing toxins that enter the body through the digestive system, and therefore is important for the immune system. The liver can even regenerate its own tissue.

Since the liver has the function of absorbing nutrients from the blood, we can say that this also applies to emotions. In traditional Chinese acupuncture, the liver is associated with anger, that is, it absorbs this emotion, thus maintaining our emotional balance. If it did not perform this function, we would very quickly experience exhaustion and oppression of emotions. On the other hand, the liver is a storehouse of nutrients, but anger will also accumulate in it, causing harm if we recognize its existence or do not give it an outlet. Self-directed anger can lead to depression, and as depression increases, the liver becomes lethargic. starts to work poorly.

This organ neutralizes poisons in the body, keeping us healthy and cheerful. But it can also become a repository of the harmful aspects of our lives, because we do not always express or let go of resentment and bitter thoughts and feelings. The role of the liver in the immune system highlights how strong negative thoughts and feelings are associated with our health. Along with the accumulation of anger and bitterness in the liver, tension will increase, and it will not be able to work to its full potential. This will also affect the circulatory and immune systems, and thus our ability to fight infections.

The liver is largely responsible for our behavior associated with addictions, such as addiction to food, alcohol and drugs, as it removes toxins from the blood, fights excess fat and monitors the intake of sugar. Here you can feel the emotional tension, which needs to be released through the satisfaction of the habit. This tension can be based on anger and resentment (to the world or to specific people). Often, the toxins that enter the body from bad habits help to hide from anger and frustration, rage, powerlessness and self-dislike, pain, greed and lust for power, which similarly poison us. By receiving toxins from the outside, we may not recognize what is inside of us.

The liver is closely related to the third chakra, which represents our personality and its power. By transforming it, we can rise to higher levels of existence. However, it is just as easy to become a victim of this energy as it is difficult to transform it. The liver reflects the anger and annoyance that we can feel when trying to find ourselves and our purpose.

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Psychosomatics of diseases of the neck: Through the throat we “swallow” reality

To understand the relationship between body and mind, we must first understand that the body and mind are one. Usually we consider our own body as something that we carry with us (often not quite what we would like).

This "something" is easily damaged, needs training, regular food and water intake, a certain amount of sleep and periodic checks. When something goes wrong, it gets us into trouble, and we take our body to the doctor, trusting that he or she can "fix" it faster and better. Something has broken - and we fix this "something" motionlessly, as if it were an inanimate object, devoid of reason. If the body functions well, we feel happy, alert and energetic. If not, we become irritable, frustrated, depressed, overwhelmed with self-pity.

The neck is a "two-way" bridge between body and mind

At the level of the neck we enter from the abstract into physical conception; therefore, here we let in breath and food, which support us and provide physical existence. The neck is a "two-way" bridge between body and mind that allows the abstract to come into form and the form to express itself. Through the neck, thoughts, ideas and concepts can move into action; at the same time, inner feelings, especially those coming from the heart, can be released here. Crossing this "bridge" at the neck level requires involvement and full participation in life; lack of involvement can lead to severe separation of body and soul.

Through the throat we "swallow" reality. Therefore, difficulties in this area may be associated with resistance or unwillingness to accept this reality and include oneself in it. Food is what sustains us and keeps us alive; it is a symbol of nutrition in our world, which is often used to replace its corresponding manifestations. Weren't we often told as children, "Swallow your words," and thus swallow your own feelings? Serge King wrote in his book Imagine for Health:

We tend to associate food with ideas, which manifests itself in expressions such as “food for thought,” “do you think this can be digested?”, “served with sauce,” “that unappetizing idea,” or “he was stuffed with false ideas.” Therefore, when suppressing reactions to unacceptable ideas, swelling and pain may appear in the throat, tonsils, and adjacent organs.

A similar reaction may develop in response to the feelings of others or situations that we are offered to "swallow" when we find them "inedible".

Since the throat is a “two-way bridge”, problems in this area can equally reflect both resistance to the need to “swallow” unacceptable phenomena of reality, and the inability to release emotions, be it love, passion, pain or anger. If we believe that the expression of these emotions is unacceptable for some reason, or we fear the consequences of their expression, we block them, and this leads to the accumulation of energy in the throat. This "swallowing" of one's own feelings can cause severe tension in the neck and the tonsils located there. It is easy to trace the connection between the neck and the fifth chakra as the center of divine communications.

The neck also serves as a means of allowing us to look around, that is, to see all aspects of our world. When the neck becomes stiff and stiff, it limits its mobility, which, in turn, limits the outlook. This indicates that our views are becoming narrow, that our thinking is also becoming narrow, that we recognize only our own point of view, we see only what is directly in front of us. It also indicates self-centered stubbornness or rigidity. Such bondage restricts the flow of feelings and communications between mind and body. Blockage or tightness in the neck quite obviously separates us from experiencing the reactions and desires of our body, as well as from the influx of experience from the outside world.

Since the neck refers to conception, it also represents the feeling that we are entitled to be here, the feeling of belonging, the feeling of being at home. If this feeling is lost, then the whole feeling of confidence and presence is destroyed, resulting in a spasm or constriction of the throat.

In such cases, it can be very difficult to swallow something, the energy stops flowing to our physical being. This creates a "hippie syndrome" ("avoidance syndrome"), which is triggered by feelings of rejection and resentment. All this can also affect the functional state of the thyroid gland, since it is associated with the mechanism of respiration, and, therefore, with the intake of air that gives us life.

Debbie Shapiro: Whatever you hold in your mind will reflect in your body - Mind and body

There is a natural connection between mind and body. Whatever you hold in your mind will be reflected in your physical body. Any hostile feelings or cruelty towards another, strong passion, relentless envy, tormenting anxiety, outbursts of ardor - all this really destroys the cells of the body and causes the development of diseases of the heart, liver, kidneys, spleen, stomach, etc. Anxiety and stress led to new deadly diseases, high blood pressure, damage to the heart and nervous system, and cancer. The pains that torment the physical body are secondary diseases.

Appetite - Our appetite depends entirely on the attitude towards ourselves and our essence, from feelings of emotional hunger or satiety. Insufficient saturation leads to deep inner hunger, to a lack of not only food, but also love, emotional excitement, in other words, to inner emptiness.

A voracious appetite indicates an unwillingness to seek answers to difficult questions within oneself, as if the unrestrained absorption of food can bring some kind of satisfaction and liberation. When we are satisfied emotionally (we gain love for ourselves and the ability to love others), then our appetite becomes normal.

Bulimia - This condition is mainly due to the same internal causes as anorexia and obesity, but is manifested by the absorption of a huge amount of food, followed by forced vomiting. In this case, self-dislike is so great that vomiting is preferred over health, further reinforcing self-disgust.

Eating and then getting rid of food does not give any pleasure. All this points to obvious depression and despair. It is important to show unselfish love and acceptance, because behind the desire to get rid of food lies the need to get rid of despair.

Hypoglycemia - Low sugar levels are a sign that we give too much to others, leaving nothing for ourselves. It testifies that you need to start loving yourself, do justice to yourself, and only then love others. Hypoglycemia can also develop with increased stress or excessive stress, when blood sugar stores are depleted faster than we can restore them.

Depression - Depression involves a deep inner sadness and desire for another life, a contradiction between the ideal and the real, between who we would like to be and who we really are. Of course, this condition is determined by a chemical or hormonal imbalance, but the cause of it can be found in the underlying attitudes and emotional problems. What difficulties did we experience as children?

Have we experienced wars in which life is worthless? Perhaps we have lost the purpose and meaning of life, having lost a loved one? Depression quite frankly demonstrates the relationship between mind and body: when the mind is suppressed, the body loses its vitality and healthy functions. In this situation, it is important to achieve deep relaxation and reconnect with reality."

Stomach - Here the process of digestion begins, and this applies equally to the digestion of food, and to the digestion of reality, events and emotions. If reality is "indigestible" or "nauseous," then it can indeed cause indigestion or nausea. The stomach is emotionally connected to food, love, and the mother. A "sucking" emptiness in the stomach often means a need for love and emotional support, as well as a need for food. Stomach problems occur when life does not live up to our expectations, and we react negatively to this - the formation of acid in the stomach.

Indigestion - What or whom do we "not digest"? The stomach is the place where we take in food, reality, thoughts, feelings and events from the outside in order to digest, assimilate and integrate them into our systems. If something has disturbed digestion, it means that somehow the reality with which we are dealing and which we have accepted into ourselves causes disorder and disharmony.

Nervousness - It is manifested by a heightened reaction to other people, indicating a lack of contact with one's own inner essence. This is a very egocentric state in which we perceive all things only subjectively, that is, according to how they relate to us. At the same time, we live in constant fear of attacks or insults; we are not able to relax and free ourselves from our selfish attitudes. There is no trust. Relaxation is of great importance.

Obesity - This condition is often regarded as the price of success: now we are doing so well that we can afford to eat whatever we want. Food is a wonderful means of relaxation and emotional fulfillment because it is associated in our minds with love and motherhood.

However, if it is used to replace emotional emptiness or as compensation for emotional isolation, then obesity develops. At the same time, we place a layer of fat between our inner self and the outside world, assigning it the role of a defensive moat, which should protect us from attack, from our own vulnerability and possible resentment. But with the same success, it interferes with our free expression. Obesity often develops after a severe emotional upheaval or loss, as the feeling of emptiness becomes unbearable.

We lose the purpose and meaning of life, and our attempt to fill this void actually only makes it worse. Excessive flesh indicates that we are holding on to rigid mental attitudes and stereotypes, although in reality they have long been embarrassing. Obesity in children may reflect their difficulty in the process of understanding reality or self-expression and often manifests itself after the divorce of the parents or after the death of one of them.

Swelling - Swelling may be swelling, as occurs with a bruise or inflammation. It means emotional resistance or restraint of emotions. Edema is the accumulation of fluid, the accumulation of emotions that we hold back, considering their expression unacceptable. It is also a way of self-protection, and we can ask ourselves, what is it that we feel that we need to protect ourselves from? In more severe cases, generalized edema may develop.

Pathological addictions - These are attempts to find satisfaction in something outside of oneself, since the ability to satisfy needs from the inside has been lost. Pathological addictions to food, cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, sex, and so on can develop. Whatever they are, they fill the void, dull the feeling of hopelessness, the meaninglessness of life, which, like a whirlpool, draws us in and requires sacrifice.

This is an unresolved issue of our relationship with ourselves, resentment and anger at a world that does not fulfill our desires; the inability to love yourself in a growing way and to perceive your loneliness without fear. We all retain our ego in one way or another. Some demonstrate it and the fears and neuroses associated with it externally, through addiction to something material, while others hide it inside, become afraid of the dark or attacks. To get rid of these addictions, you need strength and personal courage, you need to strive towards the unknown, gain confidence that everything will be fine, and most importantly, cultivate self-love.

Stress - can be both positive, play a stimulating and creative role, and negative, threaten life. The stress factor itself is much less important than our response to it: how we respond to situations, events, feelings, and predicaments affects the changes in the body associated with stress. Instead of blaming external circumstances for your troubles, you need to look inside yourself and examine your own reactions, motives and attitudes. Deep relaxation is of great importance.
From D. Shapiro's book "MIND HEALS THE BODY"

Mikhail Efimovich Litvak, If you want to be happy...

Liz Burbo, Five traumas that prevent you from being yourself

Encyclopedia of symbols
(any edition)
Genre - reference, educational literature, dictionary

Since ancient times, people have used symbolic language to talk about the secret or the beautiful. Chroniclers and artists, famous poets and nameless creators of cult texts - they all saturated their works with metaphors and images.

Psychologists have adopted this tradition. Freud, being a thoughtful student of the psyche, believed that the unconscious also uses allegories. Of course, the founder of psychoanalysis reduced all the symbolism of the unconscious to erotic images. But this fact does not cancel the idea itself, it only indicates the scope of Freud's professional interests and speaks of his limits as a scientist.

Having been practicing for many years, I am sure that the messages of the soul are encoded in images and symbols. It's not just about dreams. Metaphors of the Universe are everywhere - in bodily impulses, works of art, the surrounding nature. And sometimes it is impossible to decipher them without special knowledge.

Even clients who consider themselves rationalists and pragmatists confirm this.

… Evgeniya, one man said Butterflies have been chasing me all week. It began with the fact that two flew into the windows of the office, got tangled in the blinds. Employees rushed to save them, but I watched with the usual irony. But I was relieved when they got out alive ... Then at a picnic, one brave one sat on my arm. Look, I was even able to take a picture… But yesterday, don’t laugh, when I was cleaning their colored remains from the windshield, I almost shed a tear… Damn it, what’s going on, I want to know!

That's why the list is an encyclopedia of symbols. Psychological thinking or seeing is itself symbolic. Getting acquainted with the interpretation of images, accepted in the world culture, the psychologist not only expands his horizons, but also develops as a professional. Let me remind you that entire areas and methods of practical psychology are based on symbolic thinking (art therapy, symbol drama, psychodrama, body-oriented therapy).

“Reading” together with the client the drawings, texts created during the work, step by step we comprehend the secret code of the Soul, gradually learn to see the shades and specifics of our own images.
Our Butterfly flutters differently...

My personal affinity for metaphorical language was expressed in the creation parable. You can read some of them on this site. A Wave Gymnastics allows me to comprehend the hidden messages of the body.

Everything is a sign. And only we can unravel the Creator's whisper or let it pass by.

Let the encyclopedia of symbols become your friend and assistant in professional excellence.

Collection of parables
(any edition)

Parables also serve the same purpose - the development of figurative, metaphorical thinking. Short stories that have passed through the centuries, they contain answers to many questions in a concise form. It is no coincidence that some psychologists consider parables to be a special kind of “folk self-therapy”.

Parables are easy to use in working with a client. It is enough to recall a suitable story and offer it for discussion. And then analyze the options for ideas that came in the course of reading. Amazing insights happen to people when they realize that a situation can be viewed in different ways. Through the discussion of the parable, one can gently approach the discussion of a difficult topic. Or give feedback to the client.

Read parables, young colleagues, look for images and themes in them that are close to you personally. This will replenish the piggy bank of your skill.

Ray Bradbury
Dandelion wine
Genre - fiction

Creativity Bradbury causes me a special thrill. Ray is a teacher. Yes Yes. He influenced my development as a writer, I learned from him to see beauty in details, to love life in all its manifestations... Humanism - treating people as the highest value - is another lesson learned.

The best manifesto for me that embodied these and other values was the novel Dandelion Wine. A fabulous story, the summer itself is warm, sparkling, multifaceted. I know that "Wine ..." is loved by many, and each reading adds fans to Ray's work.

“... Some days are good to taste, and others to the touch. And there are those when there is everything at once. Here, for example, today - it smells as if one night there, behind the hills, a huge orchard came from nowhere, and everything to the very horizon is fragrant. It smells of rain in the air, but there is not a cloud in the sky ... "

“... At first, in a thin stream, then more and more generously, more abundantly, the juice of a beautiful hot month ran down the chute into clay jugs; they let it ferment, skimmed off the foam, and poured it into clean ketchup bottles, and they lined up in rows on the shelves, gleaming in the darkness of the cellar.
Dandelion wine.

These very words are like summer on the tongue. Dandelion wine is a summer caught and corked in bottles ... After all, this summer will certainly be a summer of unexpected miracles, and you need to save them all and save them somewhere for yourself, so that later, at any hour you want, you can tiptoe into the damp dusk and lend a hand…”

Summer color is great. But there is something more that touches, yes, what is there, stirs the soul of each of us. Published more than half a century ago, the novel subtly and deeply, psychologically correctly and accurately depicts the inner world of a teenager. Or maybe it's too narrow? Gently and lovingly, Bradbury reminded us how he grew up, matured and became any of us.

Friendship and parting, awareness of life and a collision with death, family values and loneliness, dreams and creativity…

And love, love, love, which, like the golden light of summer flowers, saturates every description, every phrase, the love that the whole novel radiates. Love for people, for our past, for writing, for us readers.
“How can I thank Mr. Jonas? thought Douglas. - How to thank, how to repay for everything that he did for me? Nothing, nothing, you won't pay for it. There is no price for this. How to be? How? Maybe you need to repay someone else somehow? Passing gratitude around? Look around, find the person you need to help, and do something nice for him. Probably the only way to…”

Of course, there are other books on the subject of growing up. For example, J. Salinger "The Catcher in the Rye." And yet, “Wine…” is closer to me.

I will not reveal all the intrigue and describe the differences. I'll just call you again:

Read, for both books are worthy of being read and used in our noble cause - the healing of the human Soul. For both authors did the same thing - they loved us and treated us, each in his own way.

Debbie Shapiro
Body Mind: A Workbook (How the Body and Mind Work Together)
Genre - psychological guidance, workshop

Knowledge of psychosomatics, even if it is initial, is necessary for a psychologist. As has been repeatedly mentioned, our body speaks to us using metaphorical language. Any ailment, illness or accident is a message from the Soul.

Here is what D. Shapiro writes about this:

“... The body is a walking book in which our experiences, traumas, worries, worries and relationships are recorded. An uncertain posture, a stooped or weak back, or, on the contrary, strong and strong, remain with us from an early age, becoming part of our essence. To believe that the body is only a separate, mechanically working organism means not to see the most important thing. To reject, thereby, the source of great wisdom, which is always at our disposal.

Unfortunately, our understanding of psychosomatics is very superficial. The common phrase “all diseases are from the nerves” is rather ironic, and for medical professionals the term “psychosomatic” is often synonymous with the words “contrived”, “imaginary”, “imaginary”.

There is another, already personal reason why many deny the psychosomatic nature of diseases and, even more so, accidents:
“Do I want to hurt myself?!” the man exclaims.
I agree, in reality, consciously no one dreams of harming their health. However, the body, mind / thinking and Soul are connected by the thinnest, sometimes incomprehensible threads:

“... Just as everything that happens to the consciousness is reflected in the body, so the consciousness reacts to the pain and discomfort experienced by the body. The universal law of cause and effect cannot be avoided... The messages that we subconsciously send to the body are a factor that determines our well-being. Messages behind which there are failures, despair, anxiety, are inherently destructive, they cause a malfunction in the work of protective mechanisms (the immune system). Thus weakening the body, indirectly prepare it for the disease. When we say our heart is broken, can the body tell the difference between emotional and physical distress? It seems not, because the power of imagination has the most direct effect on our body ... "

A small book by D. Shapiro in a concentrated form contains both the mechanisms of the emergence of psychosomatic problems and methods of working with them. The book also contains a capacious dictionary of the most common diseases, their explanation from the standpoint of psychosomatics.

Unlike other authors, D. Shapiro approaches the interpretation of ailments from different angles. It not only describes the correlation of a “damaged” organ or part of the body with its functionality, but also relies on the complexity of connections in the body:

“A lot of details matter. What part of the body is injured? Where is it located - on the right or on the left? What tissues - soft, hard, liquid - does it consist of? What sphere of activity (action, movement) does it represent? What system (digestion, circulatory ...) does it include? .. "

In addition, the author points out, one should pay attention to “out-of-body” details, for example, events preceding ill health, words and metaphors with which a person describes an illness, relatives’ attitude to illness, personal perception of oneself, a patient ...
At one time, I was struck by a phrase from the book:

“The disease also has positive aspects: it gives us the opportunity to free ourselves from responsibility and duties for a while, to take time for ourselves. We seem to be on vacation and allow ourselves to do things that, being healthy, we forbid. Including, when we get sick, we more easily express feelings, for example, love or care. Especially if we are talking about a serious threat to life ... Sometimes the disease hints that the time has come to take a break, tune in to changes, get used to them. Or, on the contrary, we need to stop doing something that weakens us ... "

The book is full of examples, including personal ones.

“By studying body language, we learn what and how the Soul tells us. And soon we will understand that something deeper lies behind the recurring ailments ... The transition from illness to healing and health requires great courage, strength and honesty. We must take an active part in our own healing. If we have participated in the disease (no matter how unconsciously), we are able to participate in its healing.

On my own behalf, I will add that by learning to recognize the psychosomatic causes of your own illnesses, you will gain inner freedom, acceptance of both your capabilities / resources and your limitations.

Arnhild Lauveng
Tomorrow I have always been a lion
Genre - biographical prose

A book by a Norwegian author. This unusual text was written by a woman who suffered from schizophrenia for nine years. Yes, it hurt. Arnhild Lauveng is a former schizophrenic, a man who defeated the disease.

I have taken to reading this book three times. The first time, having mastered several pages, I convinced myself that I would never have to work with such clients; She slammed the book shut and returned it to her colleague. The second time I flipped through the text briefly, snatching out passages ... Say, I made up an idea of \u200b\u200bwhat was written ...

And only now, postponing the creation of this article, I sat down at the book consciously - with a pencil, stops, thinking. And the point is not that the text is replete with "terrible" pictures. rather, on the contrary, Arnhild spares us, the "healthy."

Yes, the modern reader and viewer knows works on the topic of madness "more terrible" than the work of Arnhild Lauveng. Take at least some Stephen King novels or films like Shutter Island, Mom and others ...

Now I understand that my own fears prevented me from reading the book before. Many of us, for the time being, avoid facing the beyond, be it death, madness, or spirituality. Any kind of otherness terrifies us.

However, a psychologist needs to take risks and expand his consciousness, leaving his comfort zone, touching topics that are “terrible” for most people. Only in this way, we, psychologists, can feel how it is to be the Other.
That's why Arnhild Lauweng's book is on my list.

In detail, but at the same time carefully for “healthy” readers, Arnhild describes the origin and course of the disease, focuses on the internal experiences and suffering of patients, insisting that a piece of “I” in a schizophrenic always remains intact. The book contains a lot of discussions about the system of diagnostics and methods of treatment of schizophrenia, problems of adaptation and relationships with loved ones, discrimination against the mentally ill in society...

And, of course, there are practical points that will be useful to a psychologist. For example, I took invaluable information about symptoms:

“Symptoms are the property of the one who has them. They manifest themselves during illness from within our personality, are created on the basis of our interests and life experience. At the same time, a person does not realize that he himself created his symptom ... I, for example, had many hallucinations. And hallucinations are not brought in from outside, they are not something that has nothing to do with the personality of a particular person. All my hallucinations contained important and correct truths, expressed in clumsy language, because I could not speak differently then. This is exactly what happens with dreams. Like the dreams of healthy people, the hallucinations of schizophrenic patients also need to be deciphered and interpreted.”

There is another theme in the book that resonates with me warmly. The author sincerely thanks those people who met on her way, helping to cope with the disease. She writes not only about doctors and nurses, but also about social workers, random fellow travelers and neighbors, new colleagues, employers who gave not just a place, but a chance.

It is also therapeutic for me to realize that a person is able to overcome any obstacles, to rise above any problems. Raise your awareness, take responsibility for your choice and go to the goal.
Filled with courage, love for people and faith in human capabilities, the book will bring hope and desire to overcome life's difficulties into your world, young colleagues.

“The first thing you need to know when starting to develop a plan is where you want to go. I wanted to become completely healthy and study to be a psychologist. This was my goal. But many of my assistants, seeing how bad I was, set more realistic goals in their work: to teach me to get along with the symptoms, to become independent. Of course, these were not bad goals, but they did not inspire me. Besides, those were their goals, not mine. I didn’t want to come to terms with my illness, I wanted to overcome it.”

good luck and prosperity,
Evgenia Oshchepkova

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