Self-Help in Mind-Body Medicine
In this brief post we will review several specific ways that may improve your psychological and physical health. The post will be short, sweet, and simple to encourage participation. Here it is.
- Affirmation – “I am learning to love myself just the way I am.” Repeat this mantra sub vocally over and over again.
- Meditate using the mantra. Do your best to sit for at least 20 minutes.
- Practice a basic body scan, and at each part of the body repeat your mantra. The most basic body scanning process requires that you pay strong attention to sequential parts of your body from top of the head to tips of the toes. At each location, say your mantra.
- Get out your journal. If you do not journal now, this is a great opportunity to begin to do so. In your journal list several of your best attributes. Be generous but not narcissistic.
- Now ask yourself in your journal: “Why do I suffer so much?” Use free association and write down the first thoughts you become conscious of. Ask the same questions several times and see what comes up. Do so even if the thoughts make no sense to you at this time. Now write your mantra several times in your journal. Read it all.
- Now check into your energy system (the chakras), and learn on your own the associations between each energy center and various characteristics of life experience. Stop at the chakra that most corresponds to your current problem/s. Some common and emotional centers are at the crown of the head, the third eye area, the throat, the heart, and the lower belly. Now meditate on one area at a time, and repeat your mantra several times. If you locate an energy center that is more directly related to your problem/s, focus your meditative attention and mantra on that one area. Repeat your mantra many times.
- To develop a better chance of improving your health make sure you are DOING all the below interventions to the best of your abilities and at the same time: medical treatment, psychological treatment, intuitive treatment, affirmative self-care, meditation, yoga, daily exercise, and relationship repair or replacement. Keep these self-care practices highly active. Monitor your improvements. Write only improvements in your journal.
For more information refer to Schulz, M.L. and Hay, L. (2016). Heal Your Mind…Carlsbad, CA: Hay House Publications, introduction and appendix A.
Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC
From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont and the Home of The Monkton Sangha
Author of Mindful Happiness