Sunday, November 11, 2007

The Bridge Between

I believe the mind...body...emotional connection is not well understood. The emotional pillar is the bridge between the physical and the mental. It overlaps and affects both. There is so much misunderstanding about the relationship of the pillars and a real danger of pain and suffering because of it.

There are those who insist that all physical illness is a manifestation of emotional instability, that physical illness is caused by the mind and can be cured or prevented by the mind. I do not agree with this in any way. Yes, the emotional pillar affects both the physical and mental, and can make physical problems worse and make the mental pillar unstable..........but that does not mean that if we achieve emotional balance or emotional health, we will automatically have physical health, nor does it mean that emotional health makes the mental pillar outstanding (i.e. increase the IQ beyond all realistic expectations). In fact, many emotional or mental illnesses have their base in physical imbalances and can be healed, treated or controlled by medical means.

Each of the pillars affect the others. When any one is out of phase with the others, our life becomes unbalanced and can only be brought back into balance by bringing that pillar into line. It may also be that one pillar has grown faster than the others and in that case, the other three must be realigned with the most developed one.

Because mental health (actually emotional health) is such a taboo subject in our society, we do not pay sufficient attention to keep our emotional self healthy. We are also taught a work ethic that leaves little or no room for play, for joy, for self-expression. This causes the emotional pillar to be out of balance more, and more often than the physical or mental, and sometimes the only way for our emotional selves to attract attention to the problem is to have a detrimental effect on the physical or mental pillar. We get physical check-ups, and often get mental check-ups in the way of IQ tests and comprehension tests, but we don't get emotional check-ups or even seek validation for our emotions from others. We burry our feelings deep where they can take root and grow into terrible monsters.


This does not mean that the root of all illness is in the emotional self. It simply means that we may well break down in those physical areas that are not as strong as others. Or we may make a pre-existing condition worse because of our negative emotional state. If worrying causes ulcers, and we stop worrying, the ulcer is still very real and needs physical attention to heal it. If our negative emotional state causes us to experience more pain and suffering than if we were emotionally healthy, the pain and suffering is still real. If we have a hereditary weakness or disease, emotional health is not going to cure or prevent it.

However, if our emotional state is in harmony, we are much more able to deal with physical adversity. We are capable of centering our attention outside our selves and reduce the effect of disease on our lives. We are able to grow spiritually in spite of physical obstacles. We are more able to make our lives enjoyable and rewarding. Again, meditation helps us to create the harmony we need in our lives.




15 comments:

Jim said...

Zareba, I agree with this post and these descriptions under all of our normal and usual and common realities, physical realities of body et al, that are out of whack, can and do cause problems elsewhere in many cases, it, the physical structures are like a base for the others. Then the vice versa can be true also, mental problems can expand to include effects of mal-change in the physical, likewise our emotional life/behaviour can effect the physical and result in deformations or damage to physical structures.

And physical structures include the bio and chemical structures and even the atomic, and medicines can and do help and even cure these physical problems and can reach the emotional and mental.

But I also believe in the power of a spiritual reality above and beyond these, which can produce miraculous changes in the physical et al, and the emot. and mental ones as well. But I also know that it is not usual and not in ones' grasp, even thru 'faith', to cause these miraculous interventions. I do not intend here to abuse the possible effects on that spiritual reality thru prayer and meditation, I think those can be triggers for a will that is dependent on those, to work. How the 'mechanics' of this spiritual reality might function, I can't say, just that I believe it can function.

Most important to that is to reject the idea that we personally are responsible IF THIS MIRACULOUS HEALING doesn't work in this or that case, I don't believe we are able to determine that value, I fault no one for the lack of a miracle.

Very good posts Zareba, and very good clearing the issues that are always easily confused.

I don't know if you agree or disagree, but these malfunctions in these pillars of which you speak, I think, are the ONLY source of demons and devils in reality, I don't believe that in Spirit there are any such existences. Problems based in malforming structures of chem, bio, mineral, ie, physical, are the source and medium for such things.

Here is to the prayer for all that health in all these areas will be as good as we can have it, and that the future will expand that health to the reach of all of us as much as possible. Thanks Zareba for the interesting and challenging discussions, very worthwhile and valuable.

Meadow said...

Sometimes sh*t just happens that you have to take care of first and then deal with the emotional baggage that built up while you were dealing with other stuff, and that usually takes a lot of time.

goatman said...

If doctors do the physical checkups and churches do the emotional checkups, who does the mental checkups?
I may be due for one.

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Agree, Z. So very well said. Balance indeed each of us needs. And, it is so easy to fall out of balance with ourselves. Blessings to you.

Paul said...

That all makes sense to me. As far as mental health issues not being addressed enough, a big contributor is insurance - usually little to non existent coverage, at least among the families I was involved with as a school counselor.

I especially like the way your idea of balance accounts for compensatory actions. For example, I heard recently that something like forty five percent of blind people have perfect pitch, which is a rarity among the general public.

Maithri said...

Lovely,

M

Trée said...

The older I get the more I come to appreciate balance and moderation in my life. Emotions are like an energy current flowing through the body and mind that has the power to energize or burn.

KeKe said...

Hello my dear Zareba, I have nominated you with the "Blog Roar Award" (please see my latest post).

Zareba said...

Hi Jim. Thank you for your comments, thoughtful as always. I do believe in the duality of being, the spiritual pillar being the one which rests in both worlds. As for the power of this spiritual reality, I am the one who died in the ambulance on the way to hospital and was revived after great heroic measures, then put into a drug induced coma. Two people very close to me reached through the mist and pulled me back, lending their strength and love. Love keeps me here still. These miracles are beyond our abilities and our understanding in this mundane world, in these imperfect vehicles.

I also believe we make our own heaven or hell right here in the present. We can choose to cave in the face of adversity or we can rise above it. That is our free will. I am not this broken body, or this aging mind or these emotions I must allow free rein in order to do what I need to do. I am this speck of spirit that animates us all. When life becomes too painful, I can choose to suffer or I can choose to "take a good book and go up to the attic until life is bearable again." Those are my choices. That is my reality.

We are into an area that our human minds (computers) do not have the understanding or the vocabulary to express even though we try. If the truth in me resonates to the truth in you, we communicate. If not, one of us does not see the train coming. ☺

Zareba said...

You are so right Meadow. Sometimes sh** just happens, but the longer we deal with it, the easier it is to shovel out!

Thank you, you made me smile.

Zareba said...

Goatman, again, I appreciate your way of looking at the world. Doctors do the physical checkups, psychiatrists do the emotional checkups, and that leaves us with the need to do our own mental checkups. I have not found any tool more effective than meditation for checking and tuning the whole system.

Zareba said...

Thank you don. I always enjoy your visits adn your insights. Your poetry makes me nod in agreement as I read it.

Zareba said...

Hi Paul. Thanks for dropping by. Your comments are always well thought out. I agree with the fact that medical insurance is woefully inadequate, but I get scribbled when I try to see where we can either get better coverage or fewer mental problems.

Zareba said...

So true, Tree. What we do with them determines whether they are good or bad.

Zareba said...

Kelly, my sweet dark victorian. I got lost trying to find you. Thank you for the award, but could not find anything about it.

I hope you don't stop posting in that blog. You have had some great insights.

...Z