THE BIGGER PICTURE: The connection between the mind and body is very real. It is not merely theoretical, philosophical or academic. It is a fact.
The mind is a physical thing. It is made up of tissues, cells, minerals and fluids. These substances come together to conduct electrical impulses, forge out connective pathways and deliver responses.
While we may have been trained to think of it as operating separate to or disconnected from our body, our mind is literally a part of it, responding with it as such.
The brain is an instrument for receiving, processing and reacting to data. It provides us with a particular sense - thoughts and ideas - that build on each other and gain momentum. From this we think, reflect, learn and make choices.
The idea that our thoughts and mind would exist in a particular location in our body, or indeed as a phenomenon wholly removed from our body, is inaccurate and misunderstands the physical dimension of thought.
Communication within the body is instant. We marvel at the fact that we can give our finger the instruction to move infinitely faster than we are able to make ourselves consciously aware of a thought occurring. And yet, in this event, our mind has participated. It has been active and instrumental, and has done so because it is inherently linked into our body.
Our brain does not exist in isolation. Rather, the channels of communication between our central and peripheral nervous systems, our muscles, organs and tissues are relentless.
Feedback is continuous. And so, every thought that occurs in our minds must have some communication with at least one, but more likely several other parts of our body. It must, then, also impact on our bodies.
Our emotions are the connection. They are felt fully by our thinking and perception, and yet are also quite physical, being transported into tangible parts of our body. Pains in the neck, tense shoulders, backache, cramped legs are all examples we can relate to. This is why we understand what a difference a massage makes. Not only are we receiving positive attention, but the resulting tension in our body is being addressed. We come out feeling as much emotionally relieved as physically.
As much as we develop tension in our body as a result of tension in our mind, our mind also gets distressed from a continuous struggle in the body. An injury affects our mood. A chronic illness wears us down. We become deeply frustrated and can even feel depressed with unsolved problems. Illness affects our emotional health.
When our body is injured, so is our mind. When our mind is injured, so is our body. They are parts of the same whole. Understanding this relationship is crucial to understanding all the factors involved in the creation and escalation of either illness or health.
Our physical wellbeing makes a difference to our mental health. Our mental wellbeing is essential for accessing our full potential for physical healing. The consequences for our overall health are very real.
If someone is diagnosed with a critical illness or becomes badly injured, and doesn't receive the emotional support needed to recover from the shock, frustration, fear, anger or grief, it becomes very difficult to take the steps needed to heal.
Extreme shock, fear and grief are emotions that cause us to stop moving, to disengage with our bodies, to become inactive. This affects our circulation, our organ functioning and our abilities to release tension, regenerate and take positive (versus negative) actions.
Our emotions require healing for us to become effective again.
Our emotions can also directly affect our body. Struggles make it difficult for us to make good, proactive choices for ourselves, including eating well, exercising or even sharing ourselves with our loved ones and ensuring we're not isolated.
Chronic emotional struggle can, indeed will, turn to chronic physical struggle. We know this intuitively. It is important to make this connection in our medical thinking.
Finally, as human beings we have a deep need to express ourselves. When we understand the mind-body connection, we come to realise that this must happen in every aspect of ourselves.
We must take care of our physical health. We must also give love and attention to our emotional selves. It is not enough to be in our heads or develop our minds only. We are in our bodies.
The two must be developed together. Just as it is not enough to look after our intellectual self at the detriment of our selves physically, physical strength to the exclusion of emotional and intellectual challenge and growth does not serve our full health.
The empowerment of mind and body must go hand in hand. It is one project: one cannot be fully attained without also considering the other.
Shalini Sinha has established Forward Movement, a clinic where she practises life coaching and the Bowen Technique.