It’s important to remember that healing is an active process. Medicines and supplements help, but it’s the body itself that does the healing.
Self healing involves implementing healthy routines that enhance and support wellness and healing. The goal is to create a foundation of resilience and purpose as you work through your journey.
Intention
Intention is an important element of self healing. It involves a mindset that is open, accepting, and loving to the self. This helps to clear away the energy layers that hold stress, which is a major cause of illness.
Intentions have more power and direction than a simple resolution or affirmation. Many people have a hard time clearly articulating their intentions because they often have a wide range of possible aspirations. The intention can be as simple as losing weight or going to the gym a certain number of times, or as complex as an inner spiritual awakening or a new career.
It is helpful to learn techniques that help you focus your energy, such as meditation or prayer. It can be as simple as a deep relaxation ten minutes three times per day, or as involved as Qigong or another energy healing technique. The key is to make it a practice.
Support
In self healing, it is important to seek out the support of a trusted mentor. This might mean finding a spiritual teacher, therapist or other mental health professional to help you with your journey. It’s also a good idea to surround yourself with people who uplift you and make you feel safe to express your emotions without judgment.
Ancient teachings and modern science increasingly concur that your body, mind and emotions are one integrated system, with everything influencing each other. Healing begins with changing one aspect of this system, which then causes extraordinary consequences throughout the whole.
Self-healing practices usually involve implementing healthy and sustainable routines into your life, including eating the right foods, exercising regularly, challenging negative thoughts, establishing boundaries, and getting enough sleep. It’s also a great idea to learn deep relaxation techniques, which can be done in the comfort of your own home. These include meditation, breathwork, yoga, qigong, tai chi and biofeedback.
Routines
Having routines in place can combat feelings of boredom and restlessness, which are significant triggers for relapse. It can also add structure to your day, filling free time with positive activities that support recovery like eating well, sleeping, exercising and socializing. Having a routine in place can make it easier to establish rituals, which are similar to habits but have a more purposeful, emotional connection behind them. For example, taking a walk at lunch could become a ritual if it’s viewed as an opportunity to enjoy nature and relax.
Experimentation
Experimenting is a vital part of the healing process. Whether it’s trying new things, introducing positive changes to your diet or practicing self care and mindfulness, experimentation is key to transforming your health.
Medical self-experimentation has a long and fascinating history. In fact, scientists have become their own guinea pigs for centuries. For example, Sir Isaac Newton burned himself with a hot iron to study the afterimages on his retinae and Louis Pasteur deliberately infected himself with Necator Americanus hookworms in order to prove his hypothesis that they were the cause of pellagra.
However, it’s important to remember that not all self-experiments are successful. For instance, some may even be harmful. That’s why it’s crucial to follow the guidelines of rigorous science (as opposed to improvisational medicine) when experimenting with your body. In this way, you can sort out dead ends from fruitful research avenues and avoid harming yourself in the process.
