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Mind-Body Medicine
This is the field of medical SCIENCE that utilizes modalities such as meditation, progressive relaxation, creative visualization and other tools that help us reduce the stress response and promote the healing relaxation response in our body. There are many practices to explore in this field of healing.
I first meditated in 1967 and was formally initiated in 1972. This is modern science's study and implementation of wisdom from ancient relaxation practices. The science behind the benefits to meditation are rapidly becoming more and more clear. This is modern science accepting ancient practices, because they work.
This is real science and real medicine. Check out some of the father's of Mind-Body Medicine and follow their links to the science behind it all...
Dr. James Gordon at The Center For Mind Body Medicine
Dr. Herbert Benson at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine
In todays modern work, getting stressed out is a given. No one has to practice how to be stressed, it just happens, all the time it seems! Most of us do not know deep relaxation and actually need to be instructed in simple practices that allow us to achieve that state. In that state our stress (sympathetic nervous system) response is diminished and our healing (parasympathetic nervous system) response is elevated. We can practice methods to reliably achieve states of deep healing relaxation daily.
Patients ask me if I think their "adrenal glands are stressed?" My usual reply is "Are you breathing?" In other words... do you drive on Atlanta's roads?; do you listen to the news?; do you have modern relationships, kids, bills, jobs, etc, etc, etc. WE ARE ALL UNDER INCREDIBLED STRESS!
One way diminish stress in our lives is by changing external circumstances in our life that are causing it. Healing relationships, leaving jobs we hate or moving to a different place are all examples of external circumstances we might change to relieve stress. And it is quite surprising sometimes what we can do if we put our mind and heart into it! We often underestimate our abilities in that regard.
Another way to change stress in our lives is changing our internal response to external circumstances AND by changing our response to internal circumstances. We can reframe things in our mind, or just get used to them, so they don't have the same stressfull charge they used to. Sometimes this is also about realizing what is really important, and not sweating the small stuff.
Often times our stress comes from our response to internal states of being like anger, fear and guilt. Learning to love ourselves and not be so hard on ourselves can be wonderful medicine. I have found that reconditioning thought patterns and long conditioned habits works best by focusing on new, and better, ways of being.
Natural therapy focusing on TREATMENT OF ADRENAL STRESS usually involves supplements, herbs, hormone supplements, cleansing and dietary manipulation. All of these have their place. If we imagine the adrenal glands as a stress furness that is running way to hot all the time, we need to make sure the physical plant is well supported and maintained. These practices can help that to happen. Most importantly though is turning down the thermostat to cool everything off. Turning down the thermostat is about changing our experience of life, how we respond to the challenges we face every single day. That is the field of Mind-Body Medicine.
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The first step is to be able to be in the present.
The best tool to connecting to the present moment is the breath.
Connecting deeply daily (like with a sitting practice morning and evening) creates a firm foundation for ongoing practice.
People get better at something when they practice it.
Connecting to the breath (ie. moving into the present; meditating) anytime one is waiting during your day is a great way to repeatedly remind yourself to be present. Remember the breath regularly when waiting... for red lights; at the supermarket checkout; for the commercial to end; in traffic; etc.)
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During my bodywork I routine discuss and then evaluate the breath. If unfamiliar, I teach patients diaphragmatic breathing (yoga breathing/pranayama) and encourage patients to develope a daily sitting practice and return to their breath whenever waiting during the day.
I have different Mind-Body Medicine tools in my toolkit.
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