Serious illnesses require the attention, expertise and knowledge of a medical doctor. However, very few of us realise how much influence we can have on our own health. When the body and the soul are in total and complete harmony, we experience health and happiness. We are spiritual beings having a human experience and the human condition at this moment in time is fraught with competition, comparison, complaints, chaos, conflict and fear. In all four corners of the planet, people are suffering from chronic stress, unfulfilled desires, unmet expectations, frustration, suppression of emotions and unhealthy relationships. All of this has a dramatic impact on the health of each one.
If you believed that there was a way to improve your health, would you experiment with it and see if it works? There is a simple plan which requires only one hour each day for you to pay attention to four aspects of your health. Do this for two weeks and then see if there has been any effect on how you feel. Of course, this plan is not instead or in place of any other medical treatment, but as an additional and holistic approach to health.
1. Physical- Take note of what you eat and drink each day. Check that you are getting enough rest or sleep. Make sure you have some kind of physical exercise each day. Is there tension in the body? Can you relax that tension by deep breathing exercises? Do you have any habits that you know are not helpful? Are you willing to give any of them up for two weeks?
2. Mental- Are you mulling over something that has upset you or caused you pain? Are you able to respond to others with patience, respect and acceptance? Are you kind to yourself? Watch carefully how you speak to yourself, especially when you think you may have made a mistake.
3. Emotional- Check that you know what emotion you are feeling and what the trigger is. Is it possible to just observe the emotion without wanting it to change? Consider all the things you do well, and boost your self-confidence. Look at your part in all your close relationships, check that you are managing them well. Do you have compassion for yourself and others?
4. Spiritual- Look deeply within and find what is really important in your life. What beliefs are driving you? Do you give time to these important aspects? Do you make sure that you have a spiritual practice of some kind each day, like meditation, prayer, mindfulness, or contemplation?
The body is a wonderful thing. In a perfectly healthy body, each system works in harmony. Blood flows from the heart, oxygen is breathed in and nurtures the body. Food and drink are digested and provide energy to all the organs. The thoughts in the mind affect each and every complex system. For these two weeks of experimentation, find time to spend moments of real peace within, each day. Commit to eating only a fresh, plant-based diet. Understand and believe in the healing capacity of the body. When ingesting any food or drink, tell yourself that you are healthy and happy, and this food and drink will nourish you and provide the right energy. Visualise how a perfectly healthy body feels and moves. Watch and take note of how your health and well-being steadily improve and with it your inner happiness.
Dr Judith M. Kocken, MD, PhD, is a paediatrician and a paediatric gastroenterologist. A pioneer in holistic healthcare, she studies and practises Rajyoga with the Brahma Kumaris in The Netherlands.