The Mind-Body Connection

The connection between the body and mind has been at the center of medical, spiritual and cultural discussions for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Most cultural, spiritual and medical traditions agree that there is a definite mind-body connection, but not all agree on exactly what that means.

Understanding the Mind

Before explaining the mind-body connection, however, it is important that you first understand the two parts that comprise the whole: the mind and the body.

Defining the mind is philosophically, psychologically and medically complex, but, in general, the mind can be understood as intellectual faculties, originating in the brain, which work in tandem to allow humans (as well as animals) to think, judge, remember, perceive and above all live in a state of consciousness and, simultaneously, sub-consciousness.

The Body is easy to understand

The body, on the other hand, is easier to grasp than the mind. The body is, simply put, our physical being and the biological processes that keep it alive.

And, finally, we can now address the mind-body connection. The mind-body connection is the term we have for understanding how your thoughts, beliefs, and emotional states affect the health and vitality of your body and vice versa. Mind-body psychology and medicine, therefore, focus on the mind as the power center of the mind-body unit, meaning that the thoughts, emotions and beliefs in the mind can be controlled to keep the body healthy. This can be done a variety of ways; hypnosis and NLP are two specific mind-body healing methods that focus on language and its ability to re-shape the mind in order to re-direct it in a more positive, healthy direction.

How the mind affects us 

But maybe that explanation of the mind-body is a bit too technical, so let’s get a bit more practical. Do you find that when you are under a lot of personal or professional stress, you get sick more often? Or when you worry and worry and worry about a negative outcome, does it tend to come true? Here is an even simpler example of the mind-body connection at work: right now, whatever you are doing, try not to think about the tingling in your arm. Don’t think about your arm, whatever you do…Chances are you are thinking about your arm right now, right? And it is probably even tingling. That, right there, is a perfect example of the mind-body connection.

The mind-body connection is definitely real—and if you know how to take advantage of it, you can find healing for a variety of ailments, from a nasty smoking habit to soul-crushing depression. To find out more about the mind-body connection, get involved in the discussion on Facebook and Twitter