Nature has a way of keeping balance and promoting health. Our body, when in balance, has natural healing power. Learn how to restore your body’s natural healing mode with these tips from The Solar Body by Ilchi Lee.
Your body’s natural healing power is related to a part of your nervous system called the autonomic nervous system. This is made up of two balancing parts: the sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic system controls the “fight or flight” body response, and the parasympathetic nervous system controls the “rest and digest” body response.
The sympathetic nervous system is useful for survival for when we have to escape danger in short bursts. But people today allow themselves to get stressed constantly, which activates the sympathetic nervous system for no real “danger.” When our body thinks it’s in danger, our hearts pump faster, our blood drains from the organs and into our muscles to prepare to fight, our analytical thinking comes to a stop, among other reactions. In other words, conditions of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and indigestion are temporarily created.
The body’s natural healing mode is turned on when the body is calm and relaxed. In this case, the parasympathetic nervous system is in dominance. The function of the parasympathetic nervous system is to prevent disease in the long term; it regulates your digestion as well as other vital functions that promote balance in your body.
Have you noticed that some people are “always” sick, while others are rarely sick (even if they do get sick, they heal quickly)? Those people who are “always” sick are most likely always stressed or busy—they don’t give their bodies a chance to rest and heal itself naturally.
According to The Solar Body, here are the three steps to restore your body’s natural healing mode:
1. Feel your body heat
Body temperature is related to the immune system. The optimal balance for body temperature is to keep your head cool, and lower abdomen warm. Your lower abdomen is the core of your body, so keeping your energy in that area promotes health. The author recommends to raise your body temperature at least once a day, either by getting some daily sunlight for a few minutes or exercising to warm up your body.
2. Control your breathing
Practice breathing deep into the diaphram & lower abdomen. Deep breathing is healing, and relieves your body naturally. While it’s difficult to raise or lower blood pressure, pulse, or body temperature intentionally, we can control them indirectly through our breathing. You’ll also notice that your thoughts and emotions settle down when you focus on your breathing, and your body recovers its balance.
3. Observe with your mind
Practice daily meditation for a calm and clear mind. Observe your thoughts and emotions, and learn not to let them overwhelm or control you. When you observe your breathing, it automatically deepens and slows. When you observe your body temperature, it recovers to a healthy range.
These three actions: feeling your body heat, controlling your breathing, and observing with your mind all intertwine to create a natural way to calm your body and restore your natural healing power.
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