Hi Ashley, I appreciate what you said about cultivating the relationship between health and healing through guided imagery, art therapy, and energy healing. The role of the mind is so intricately intertwined in the healing process. I feel that it is all too often underestimated. Just as a connection to Spirit and an open-minded attitude are essential part of the process, so is an awareness that our thoughts do become our reality and we can greatly enhance our healing potential by understanding the mind's role. Conversely, as much as we can enhance our healing, we can hinder it with a poor attitude. To disconnect and view the mind as one entity and the body as another is, in my opinion, dangerous.
I like how you expressed your faith in the notion of "mind-over- matter". I feel like that saying has become almost cliche. It is often used but seldom truly considered. It's a saying that I kind of feel like I have grown up on, if that makes sense, but it's true meaning has shifted for me the more I consider how powerful a tool it really is. Anastasia On Aug 6, 9:27 am, "Ashley St. Gelais" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Chapter 3-- TheRoleof Culture > I found the chapter on theroleof culture in illness to be very > interesting. > > Before this class I had never considered the effect that one's culture > might have on how they view illness. I did have some sort of idea > that they might expect to be healed differently than I might expect. > > Our book defines culture as a "set of guidelines which individuals > inherit as members of a particular society, and which tells them how > to view the world, how to experience it emotionally, and how to behave > in it in relation to other people, to supernatural forces or gods, and > to the natural environment." So in essence culture shapes everything > about how one might perceive and interact with the world. > > Until now, I have perceived what I learned as a child as normal. > Everything we did just made since because that’s how we did it and I > didn’t know about any other options. I feel that a lot of other > people probably perceive this the same way…. What do you all think? > > Because we are brought up around certain customs, ways ofhealingand > expectations we learn that this is the norm. Perhaps as a child we > don't even realize there are other ways of doing things. I grew up on > an island in Lake Champlain so I am sure the isolation could have > accounted for some of the naivety of my childhood. > > The culture I grew up in taught me to see a doctor when I was sick and > to take medicine to get better. As an adult, my attention has been > captivated by all of the other options abouthealingand viewing > health as a whole. I am coming to learn the importance of taking care > of my in it's entirety,mindand body. I try to do these things by > participating in yoga, creative expression, running, quality time with > friends and family, and eating a healthy diet. I am also working on > making my home more of a "safe haven." > Alternativehealingis all around us. My dog eats grass when she > doesn't feel good. She doesn't have the means to take herself to the > vet if she feels sick. We can use breathing and grounding techniques > to change our state ofmindand emotions. We can use certain herbs or > use certain essential oils to help us feel better. > > Since childhood my perception of the world of illness andhealinghas > been vastly broadened. Reading this chapter has helped me to > understand examples of these differences. In some cultures mild > depression or diarrhea might be viewed as normal and therefore the > people who have these symptoms will not seek out treatment. > I also understand that although there might be a cure for a certain > illness, giving that medicine or therapy might be more detrimental to > that person than having the illness run it’s course. This could be > because the treatment might conflict with their beliefs. > > I have come to accept, through life experience and Lewis's book, that > illness has a lot to do with how you view it. I know a few people who > seem to be perpetually sick or always have something to complain > about. I believe that, although probably subconsciously, these people > get something out of being sick. Perhaps they receive sympathy and > appreciate the attention they wouldn't normally get if they were > healthy. The brain is a powerful muscle and we only have a small idea > of what it does and how it all works. I truly believe in the phrase > "mindover matter". > > I am really excited about learning more in regards to alternativehealing. I > have been studying art therapy and am captivated about > learning more about guided imagery. I would love to find a way to > combine art therapy, guided imagery and energyhealing. > > My partner has cystic fibrosis and has pain from an almost fatal car > crash a few years ago. I hate to see him in pain and have tried a > practice in which I sit or lie close to him and focus on my > breathing. When I am calm and focused, I breathing in and think about > sucking all of the negative energy and pain out of his body. When I > breathe out, I think about sending positive,healingenergy into him. > I have tried this a few times when I knew he was in pain. He didn't > know I was doing it and when I asked him if he felt better afterwards > he says yes. > > I now wonder, because my thoughts and feelings abouthealinghave > changed since I was a child, does that mean I am part of a different > culture now? Or perhaps have my thoughts changed because I am > becoming more educated abouthealing. What do you all think? --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CulturalandTraditionalHealthandHealing" group. To post to this group, send email to culturalandtraditionalhealthandhealing@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.ca/group/culturalandtraditionalhealthandhealing?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
