mind-body integration
Mind-Body Integrative Therapy is a millennia-old tradition that originated in the Mediterranean. Rooted in ancient healing principles, it recognizes the interplay between mind, body, and soul and our ability to use free will to align with the best of ourselves. It is an approach to healing that acknowledges that the invisible (function) creates the visible (form). This means that our belief precedes our experience, and our experience is simply an outward manifestation of our beliefs or issues in life that need to be addressed.
All aspects of our physical body have meaning. Therefore, in order to fully treat an ailment, we must look at the meaning of the disease and the part of the body that is being affected. Mind-Body Integrative Therapy is grounded in the belief that our mind is an integral element in our journey to healing, and that through intention and will we can make any necessary corrections.
We all have aspects of ourselves that we would like to complete or make whole. Mind-body integration can assist us in fulfilling that unused potential. Whether the issue is physical, mental, or emotional, the practice of mind-body integration will allow us to examine the situation as a whole and use our beliefs and desires to resolve the problem.
the five principles of mind-body integration
I have organized some of the basic principles of mind-body integration below. Once you understand them you can begin to use them in your daily life-there is no need to wait for your dreams. By implementing these principles in your everyday life, you can begin to live with more freedom and self-authority.
"That which is Below corresponds to that which is Above, and that which is Above corresponds to that which is Below."
THE EMERALD TABLET
1 AS ABOVE, SO BELOW:
the mind and body influence each other
Above us there is truth, and below (in the physical world) we get to experience that truth in our daily lives. In other words, our lives "below" animate the possibilities that come from "above" (the cosmic consciousness).
Disease, health, and possible attitudes all come from "above" (the mind, which is more than just the brain and encompasses the spirit), and are experienced "below" (in the physical body). If this seems contrary to what you believe, let's take a deeper look. The terms "above" and "below" signify that life has a vertical axis. What is to be experienced in this world comes from "above." We can think of this as a guiding light from the "above." In addition, we are all made in the image of the Creator; therefore, we must all be creators in many aspects of our lives. Finally, it's important to understand that the microcosm and the macrocosm are reflections of each other. Therefore, as the microcosm reflects the macrocosm, and as we are created in the image of the Creator, our minds ("above") have the ability to create, affecting our bodies ("below") and our experiences.
What happens in the physical realm is an effect, or mirror, of the influence from above. We can think of this as the mind affecting the body and our emotions. A simple exercise of memory recall can prove how the mind and body influence each other. Take a moment to imagine a negative experience from your past. How does it feel in your body? Does your mood change? Now imagine a positive event from your past. Does it feel different?
Just as the "above" affects the "below," so the "below," too, can affect the "above." This is one of the purposes of prayer. Whatever exists in the spiritual realm is also in the physical realm. When we make corrections in our personal life ("below"), blessings come from "above." Similarly, setting your intentions in the physical world will change your mental and emotional state, thereby changing the blueprint for the days ahead.
The axiom "as above, so below" indicates that the spiritual realm is the vertical axis and we are here to animate it on the horizontal axis (the physical realm). Our physical form indicates a vertical axis: we stand upright on two feet with the help of our spine to ascend. Healing is also on a vertical axis. If disease, health, and experience come from "above," what is the best way to heal or transform? You guessed it: from "below to above" or "above to below."
Rabbi Nachman of Breslov taught that imagination is highest in the physical realm and lowest in the spiritual realm. Imagination is in the mind, which is "above," and after an imagery exercise or dreamwork, we bring it back down into our emotional physical being. When we go deep within our being, we bring our imagination back up or down to the physical. We experience intuition, spirituality, emotions, feelings, energy fields, and vibrational healing all on the vertical axis. Ideas come from "above," and we can choose to bring them down and implant them in the horizontal physical world. In the coming chapters, you will learn the tools to do this through your night dreams.
2 FUNCTION COMES BEFORE FORM:
the invisible creates the visible
In order for something to come into form, two key things need to happen: there needs to be an idea from "above" (cosmic consciousness and the mind) to fulfill a function for our physical world, and there needs to be an action from "below" (in the physical world) to put it into form. There are examples all around us. Take the chair you are sitting on, for instance. What is its function? Its function is to make you more comfortable when sitting. A clock's function is to tell time. A refrigerator's function is to keep food fresh. Even something as simple as the handle on a coffee mug serves a purpose. The same applies to the physical body. Each part of the body has a function before the form. For example, the heart, for many, reflects love and compassion; the liver and gallbladder reflect anger and direction; the legs reflect the direction we are going to go; the eyes mirror sight; and the ears are made to hear the sounds of the world.
The idea that function precedes form also relates to our relationships. Take a few moments now to notice what you are receiving from and giving to your relationships. Ask yourself which relationships are serving your deepest purpose and which are not. Each relationship can function as a learning tool for your own self-discovery.
Perhaps, on a deeper level, this book on dreams serves a function because there is a need for people to align themselves with their truest purpose. Everything and every relationship has a function for you.
3 BELIEF CREATES OUR EXPERIENCE:
we are all in the process of becoming
For many, this principle can be challenging at first, yet quite rewarding over time. Why? If you change a belief, you can alter the course of your life and your destiny. When we are born, we inherit energies from ancestral experiences, beliefs, and even certain "soul corrections" (the opportunity to overcome our physical nature and our negative inclinations during this life's trials and tribulations). Usually, we are given the opportunity to make three to five major soul corrections here on Earth. If the "above" is not part of your belief system, no problem; the "below" may be better suited for you.
Most of our beliefs exist in our subconscious, which acts as a storage point for everyday information and memories. Many of us are not in touch with what we believe because we are unsure of who we are, or because we do not take the time to sit with ourselves. On the other hand, some of us attain a deeper understanding of self but choose to keep that knowledge hidden. It is as if our unconscious thoughts are planting seeds in our subconscious mind, resulting in an experience. Take a moment to reflect on current or past situations in your life and ask yourself what belief about yourself or the world you needed (or need) to have for each experience.
If belief creates experience, our interactions with other people are meetings of consciousness. Has anyone ever stolen from you? Did you feel like a victim afterward? Now, what if you looked at this incident from the perspective that belief creates experience? This implies that there is something within you that allowed the stealing to happen. Of course, this does not make the thief's action just, but if you can see that your mind/belief played a core part in the experience then you can change the belief.
Any experience is a meeting of minds, allowing for awareness. All experiences are purposeful because they reflect back on who we are. By mindfully making corrections to your beliefs, you are allowing yourself to become the hero, the king, or the queen of your life. Wisdom and growth can be attained from any situation. To live as if belief creates our experience is what the psychiatrist Gerald Epstein calls "the first big step in personal salvation."
4. THE LAW OF RECIPROCITY
change the inner to change the outer/change the outer to change the inner
There is an old adage, "G-d helps those who help themselves." When an individual puts in the effort to make a shift, the formless world sends help. Many of us may not realize that we depend upon the world above to achieve in this world. Ask yourself what you have been sending out energetically with your emotions and thoughts....
