Creating Massive Shifts With Mind-Body Connection
The mind-body connection is too often dismissed as unimportant or even non-existent. In reality, it could not be further from the truth. The mind communicates with the body each and every day as a way to improve reactions, mental stress, and overall outlook.
Think about when you have had a particularly stressful day. Does your stomach churn or perhaps you carry tension in your shoulders? This is evidence that what happens to us mentally has a physical effect on our bodies.
Let’s take a look at some of the aspects that are affected by the mind-body connection and how we can benefit from improving the connection.
Mental Health
Our mental health can be incredibly impacted by the mind-body connection. Whether stress is triggering a fight or flight response in our body causing muscle pain or whether depression is causing excessive sleepiness and lethargy, our mental health can have serious side effects on our bodies.
By opening a connection to the mind with physical actions such as breathing techniques, shifting the mindset, and meditation, we can actually promote healing in our physical bodies with the power of our mind.
Mood
Our moods can be depicted by lots of different factors, but consider this. When you aren’t feeling well, do you often find yourself in a bad mood in addition to the illness? The pain and discomfort in our bodies can also lead to mood swings and negative emotions. This holds true for those with an autoimmune disease that suffer each day from chronic pain.
Though physical pain can act as a barrier between the mind and body, there are simple meditation techniques that can bridge the gap and alleviate the stress within the body. Some therapies include Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Dance Therapy, and Yoga.
Outlook
One of our most powerful tools is our mindset. Shifting from a closed mindset to an open mindset takes practice, but can be one of the most freeing acts a person can commit to. Partnering the open mindset with positive psychology can open the door to a fulfilling life full of love, work, and play.
Studying positive psychology consists of three levels:
● Subjective level
Studying positive joyful experiences and what made them so
● Individual-level
What makes a positive experience for the individual
● Group level
What makes a good experience for the community
Healing
Reconnecting the body and the mind has been proven to promote healing not just internally, but externally as well. It has been found that there is a deep connection between those with depression and chronic illness. More than half of those that suffer from mental disorders will have a chronic illness.
Addressing the physiological components of chronic illness as well as mental health is the best way to ensure you will receive consistent healing. This can be done with a combination of therapy and practicing meditation/breathing each day.
Staying Healthy
When your body is not well, your mind knows it and vice versa. Working towards strength, mental and physical health go hand and hand. Exercising without true mind-body connection does not benefit the body the same as inviting your mind to come on the physical journey.
Using practices like yoga that engage the mind and the body all at once can keep you staying healthy. Allowing time for yourself to tune into your mind is a precious thing and should be practiced right alongside physical exercise.
Longevity
Connecting the mind and body has been proven to improve life, mindset, health, and increase fulfillment. Healing your mind and body will lengthen your lifespan by giving you the tools to cope with stress, depression, physical pain, and the struggles that come with it. When you have the tools to ease anxiety and move forward, you make strides towards a healthier longer life.
The mind-body connection is functional medicine that promotes healing inside and out. Finding the best mind-body therapy for you means taking the time to explore. Some common techniques are:
● Acupuncture
● Music therapy
● Guided imagery
● Group therapy
● Meditation
● Tai Chi
● Yoga
● Art therapy
In conclusion
Inviting your mind and your body to reconnect is the first step in any practice. The invitation means you are ready to extend your boundaries, open your mind, and receive all the goodness life has to offer.
If you feel you are ready to explore the mind-body connection I offer several services to do so and would be honored to guide you. Enter into this journey with an open mindset and readiness to experience change and there is no limit to what you can accomplish.