The path to healing is different for everyone and, according to my philosophy, requires ever expanding consciousness. The pain that we feel when we require healing (physical, mental, emotional) is often a gift in this way, as it pulls us out of our unconscious, autopilot-mode and gets us paying attention.
At this point, we can bring more consciousness to our experience than we have in the past, and by doing so, find our way towards optimal well-being. How does being aware help us move forward?
Being aware of our pain and not 'reacting' from our auto-pilot mode can help us see our situation from a broader perspective. If you can observe the way that your body is 'talking' to you without trying to stifle the message, you may find that what you body is asking for is the key to starting your healing journey. It might be the signpost pointing to the detour that you will take towards your healing path.
We are conditioned to avoid pain, and for good reason as it's how our minds have been hardwired evolutionarily to survive. But what if the painful symptom is chronic and by ignoring it, we miss out on resolving imbalances in our body? How can we learn to be with our symptoms and acknowledge the wisdom in our body?
One way to do this is via mindfulness meditation. Often, sitting still and 'being' with ourselves is an experience we try desperately to avoid! Additionally, there are so many potentially attractive distractions in every moment; social media, blogs to read, housework, friends, family, work, the never ending to-do lists. It has never been easier to avoid listening to ourselves and our bodies.
During mindfulness meditation we flip the switch from auto-pilot to manual.
We are no long just chugging along and reacting to all of the subtle messages from our body by just distracting ourselves or covering them up. When we sit and pay close attention to our body and mind, we are not looking away anymore. We are listening deeply and paying attention.
With more and more practice with mindfulness meditation, we become more conscious of ourselves and we are able to create a space to allow new ways of seeing ourselves and our old stories about our health.
If this path to healing interests you, join Dr. Jada during her regular mindfulness meditation healing circle. You can also subscribe to the Facebook Healing House Events page to always stay in the loop and RSVP.