Hang on! Not Just Surviving, Thriving

When we greet someone it is quite common to ask, “How are you doing?” Other variations include what's up, what's going on and how have you been? Of course the standard answer is usually, “I'm fine,” “I'm okay,” “Pretty good” and my favorite, “I'm hanging in there.” My usual response to the latter is “Well, hang on.”

These less than enthusiastic responses remind me of the boiling frog story. This is a little gross but read on, there is a point. A few years back I heard about an experiment using frogs and water. First, a shallow pan of water was heated to boiling point and then a frog was dropped in. What do you think happened? He jumped out of course. Then a second frog was placed in a shallow pan of room temperature water, which was subsequently heated very slowly. Unfortunately for the second frog, the rise in temperature was so slow that by the time he realized it, he had become frog soup.

Now, I'm certainly not in favor of torturing frogs and to be honest with you, I don't even have the particulars of that experiment, but it does bring up an interesting parallel to how most people experience their life. In general, people don't lose their health, wellness and vitality all at once, like the first frog. It usually happens so slowly that we don't even realize its happening. If people were experiencing their optimal state and then, all of a sudden, were cast into experiencing their “normal” state, they would know something was drastically wrong.

So, when someone answers with the standard, “I'm fine,” what does that mean? It most likely means that they feel like they did the day before, and the day before that. Of course we know when we feel like crap, and in comparison, “fine” is certainly a whole lot better than that. Unfortunately, feeling okay has become the benchmark that most people have learned to settle with.

Usually when someone experiences symptoms they seek out a practitioner to help restore them to the state they were in before becoming symptomatic. Sometimes a practitioner will help maintain them in that state so the symptoms won't return. This way, instead of feeling bad, they can feel okay.

A wellness practitioner, on the other hand, would seek not just to restore them to their previous state, but to a higher level of functioning than they were previously experiencing. Besides, if you take the same path you'll land up in the same place. Unfortunately most people have forgotten what wellness feels like, so they settle for fine or just getting by. I've actually had people tell me they were in good health and then name the half dozen medications they were on in the same breath.

Well, I'm here to tell you that it doesn't have to be like that. Everyone, no matter what his or her health condition, has the potential to experience a higher level of wellness. All they have to do is wake up and jump out of that slowly boiling pan of mediocrity they call their life.

So, don't just hang on... Rock on!

Is it Worth Investing in Wellness Care?

It is not uncommon for people to make investments in their future. There are various areas in which one can invest. Many people will have a financial portfolio with stocks, bonds, IRA's and 401K's. They could invest in rare coins, art, real estate or any variety of other property, resources or material goods. People will also invest large amounts of time and resources in education for themselves and their children, in hopes of a better job and life.

While there are an endless variety of diverse types of investments they all have something in common. We hope that efforts made now will bear fruit and return to us not just what we put in, but a whole lot more. The term most commonly used for this in the financial world is growth.

There is a growing percentage of the population that is beginning to see their health as something they may want or need to invest in as well. The question then becomes, what is a good investment in our health? How much am I going to have to invest and what kind of return should I expect? One thing's for sure; if we don't invest in our health at all, we are almost completely assured of a poor return.

But what does a good return mean? For some it may mean that they live as long as possible, while for others it would be defined by the quality of life they had while they were alive. This is an important question to consider when deciding upon your mode of investment. The way I see it; there are basically three possible approaches we can take:

The first is to ignore it completely. I should hope that the people reading this right now can see the shortcoming of this strategy. While the marvels of modern medicine can do an amazing job of keeping people alive longer, it lacks greatly when it comes to the quality of life that accompanies this longevity. If you've spent any time in a nursing home, you need no convincing of that.

The second strategy would be to maintain our health. This is a seemingly sound strategy that a majority of investors are choosing these days. In all fairness it's a much better solution then the previous. There are, however, some pitfalls with this strategy.

If we were to stuff our money under the mattress and pull it out in twenty years, what do you think we'd find? We‘d have the same money we put in there two decades ago. By hiding the money in the mattress and not investing we would be able to maintain the same amount. The only problem with that is that we'd actually be losing money due to inflation.

Attempting to maintain our health is very similar. While it is much better than ignoring it completely it does not offer the potential for growth. Without strategies for growth our health slowly loses its value and cannot keep up with our aging bodies and all the toxins and stressors of a modern world. So, just maintaining our health means we are actually losing ground. All of our efforts become directed at not being sick or symptomatic.

There is yet another strategy that offers much more potential for growth. It is the strategy of wellness and with it comes the potential for so much more than maintenance. Wellness is not limited to maintenance of physical symptoms and sustaining the status quo. It is a strategy of growth and life enhancement. In addition to improved physical well-being, a wellness program must monitor an individual's ability to adapt to stress, their psychological and emotional well being, and their ability to make and maintain healthy lifestyle choices as well as their life enjoyment and quality of life. It means not just surviving but thriving and developing new and better strategies of adaptation for the present as well as the future.

So we must ask ourselves; is my wellness worth investing in and what is the best way to use my resources? Is getting by going to be enough to fulfill my current and future needs? Do I want more out of life and am I worth the investment? Obviously I'm a huge advocate of investing in Network Care as a wellness strategy because it enhances all the areas of wellness previously stated. Whatever you choose, educate yourself, ask these questions and invest wisely. You are worth it!

How can anger be good? The purpose of emotion

One day not too long ago a client brought me an internet story from ABC news, entitled “Anger Is Good for You.” The study, conducted at Carnegie Mellon University, showed anger may help people reduce the negative impact of stress. At first glance this may seem surprising but, it really makes perfect sense.

I've heard people label some emotions, like happiness, joy, love and serenity as “good” and other emotions like anger, depression or sadness as “bad.” The truth is that emotions aren't good or bad, they just are. Some may be more pleasurable while others are less enjoyable, but all emotions serve a purpose. If they didn't we wouldn't have them.

Just today I was discussing with a client the concept of getting a deeper level of connection with her body. She was concerned because at times she had seen other clients in the office, receiving Network Care, have an emotional response. She said, “I don't want that to happen to me.” She had an idea that it would be a bad thing to have an emotional release.

Not everybody will have an emotional release on the table but if it happens it's a necessary experience in their healing process. See, emotions are how we move and release energy and that's good because stuck energy creates disharmony in the body. Plus, when we are “holding it in,” so to speak, we keep ourselves in the stress physiology. I've written about the many damaging effects of stress in past articles.

I remember how I felt shortly after the terrorist attack on September 11th. Between that event and my recent divorce I experienced so many different emotions; many of which didn't feel so good at the time. However, I don't remember ever feeling so much on such a deep level before that. Looking back I realize what a healing experience it was for me. It also became much easier for me to express emotions after that.

Emotions are an expression of a psychological, biological and physiological state. By the time you experience the emotion, you're already in that physiology. The emotion just helps you move that energy.

If you keep experiencing the same emotion habitually then you might want to take a closer look. The real problem is not the emotion; rather it is the mechanism behind why you are continually creating the same ones. One of the objectives of Network Care is to create more flexibility in the body structure which allows for a greater range of emotions and responses. You can read about this in detail in The Molecules of Emotion by Dr. Candace Pert. A greater range of expression means a greater depth of the experience of life.

In addition to helping us release energy and experience more depth, emotions, like other symptoms, motivate us to make changes. We change, not because of information, but because we feel. That's why advertisers use emotions to sell us their products.

So I say, “Express them if you've got them.”

And to quote Dr. Donald Epstein; “It's not about feeling better, it's about better feeling.”

The Patient Farmer

The following story is about a farmer that has an incredible non-reactive perspective on life:

On the first day of the harvest, the farmer's great barn door broke off its hinges due to a massive rain and windstorm. The next day all of the neighbors gathered around to share their thoughts of sorrow, regret and shame. The farmer just looked at the broken door with a relaxed and almost ho-hum appearance and shared his summary of the situation by stating — Hmm, I guess we'll see. Now of course the farmer's neighbors were almost outraged by his relaxed and nonchalant attitude and they quickly scurried away with mumblings of gossip under their breath.

The next day the farmer's best horse got free and ran through the broken door of the barn and all the farmer could see was the horse galloping off into the sunset with a most joyous and carefree pace. Of course, as you can probably guess, the next day all of the neighbors gathered around to share their thoughts of sorrow, regret and shame. The farmer just looked at the empty stall where his best mare once stood with a relaxed and almost ho-hum appearance and shared his summary of the situation once again by stating — Hmm, I guess we'll see.

Now the next day the farmer was awoken by the loudest stampede he had ever heard and his favorite horse brought back ten of the wildest, and most dazzling wild mustangs that he had ever seen. His favorite horse went out for a night on the town and brought back friends! The next day all of the neighbors gathered around to share their thoughts of excitement, disbelief and wonder. The farmer just looked at his open field with 11 of the most extraordinary horses he had ever laid eyes upon and with a relaxed and almost ho-hum appearance he shared his summary of the situation once again by stating — Hmm, I guess we'll see.

The next day the farmer's son was willingly working away at the broken barn door, as he wanted to ensure that the new wild horses would at least stay within their plot of land and not run off again. As the son began to work on the barn door, one of the large wild mustangs bucked his way past the son and the wild horse knocked off the newly repaired hinges of the previously broken barn door and the door came crashing down upon the farmer's sons leg. The leg was surely broken. The next day all of the neighbors gathered around to share their thoughts of sorrow, regret and shame and they generously brought over cards of sympathy and fresh baked bread. The farmer just looked at his son's crushed leg with a compassionate grin and rubbed his son's neck; and with a relaxed and almost ho-hum appearance he shared his summary of the situation once again by stating — Hmm, I guess we'll see.

The next day the army came knocking on all the town's doors for a mandatory draft for the war and all the young men were called to obligatory duty. All of course except the farmer's son who was protected from the harm of the draft and the farmer looked at his son, his wife and the sky above and said out loud — Hmmm, now, I see.

At The Center for Holistic Health, we look at our body's symptoms in this same manner, as we acknowledge that sometimes discomfort is not always bad. In fact at times we find that discomfort is the catalyst needed to bring about a desirable change. How might we listen to this symptom so that it can be seen as a warning sign or cue? Perhaps one's relationship is challenging or out of balance and the stress is overwhelming the body. It is not always wise to simply want to "handle" the stress a little better for he or she may stay in the same compromised situation. Perhaps life generates that discomfort to awaken one to make change. Maybe one's employer is out of integrity and that lack of alignment is causing sleeplessness.

The moral of this story is that sometimes we need to step back to get a greater perspective. If we can maintain the attitude and intention of objectivity, sometimes by saying Hmm, we'll see, it allows us to see the blessings of gold at the end of the rainbow and not be overshadowed by the clouds that happen to appear.

Chiropractor or Energy Worker

It's fairly common for me, as I'm sure it is for most people, to be in a social situation and be asked the question, “what do you do”? For most, I'm sure, the answer is quick and easy — I'm a doctor, or a lawyer, or an accountant or a teacher. For me, there doesn't seem to be an uncomplicated answer. I used to tell people that I was a chiropractor but that would immediately place me in a box that doesn't even come close to defining what I do.

The standard answer these days might sound something like this: I practice Network Care. It's a system designed to help people develop strategies of self-awareness, self-correction and personal growth. It consists of the light touch method, or Network Spinal Analysis, which uses the spine as an access point into the nervous system, and Somato-Respiratory Integration, which helps people connect to the body's natural rhythms. Of course, this can tend to produce anything from a blank stare to a look of complete bewilderment.

I had the opportunity to spend some time with my good friend and colleague Dr. Wayne Leyshon this past weekend. He had traveled from Charlottesville, Virginia, to attend a Network training seminar held here in Atlanta. I always enjoy our conversations which tend to revolve around our experiences and observations of various topics related to wellness and spirituality. One of the things we spoke about this weekend was what it is we're really doing when it comes to the application of Network Care.

It was mentioned at this weekend's seminar, that men and women will tend to have gender-related postural distortions caused by social stigmas of our culture. These postures become life long patterns of protection, all due to fears of our natural expression. Men, in particular, will have inflexibility in the hips because it is generally not accepted for a man to swing his hips when he walks. Women, on the other hand, will tend to display a posture with shoulders rotated forward. It was postulated that as young girls mature and begin to develop breasts, they can become somewhat self-conscious and even embarrassed about the changes occurring in their bodies. This would then cause them to hold a slumped posture to downplay the pubescent change.

Wayne shared a workshop experience he had attended some time ago. The whole idea of the workshop was to help people shed the “personality protection” they display to hide their true selves. The theory being that how we act most of the time is just that, an act to hide who we really are because of the fear of not being accepted. Some might call this the ego. According to Wayne , when the workshop attendees were able to shed their protection it was impossible not to feel love for each of them.

If you think about it, we can't truly experience relationship with someone else if we're hiding who we really are. It would be, at least to some degree, fake. This thought is a little frightening to me. When people are in perpetual stress physiologically, and most all are, they are operating from fear and are unable to let go and express who they really are. (Unless of course, they've had a few drinks at the office Christmas party) The body becomes rigid and inflexible in this physiology of fear or protection. In fact, there is a direct relationship between inflexibility in the body and in life.

It's true that Network Care helps people to develop strategies of self-awareness, correction and stress reduction. Statistically, and in my experience, people in Network Care deal with stress better, make healthier choices and have an overall increase in wellness and quality of life. While these benefits are amazing in and of themselves, there is an important aspect of health or wholeness that is even more significant, one that is frequently overlooked and that precedes them as a result of Network Care – the ability to express one's true self and just to be who you really are. Of course people are going to make healthier choices and a have higher quality of life when they're free to express who they are.

Network has been described by many as transformational because it is an amazing tool that enables people to shed their armor and become more connected to their true selves. Now when Wayne and I are posed with the question of what it is that we are really doing, we can say this: We are helping people to express who they really are.

Judgment; The Barrier to Harmony

Over the past dozen or so years as I have developed my skills as a practitioner and my understanding as a healing facilitator, I've come to realize that certain concepts that pertain to healing relate in all other areas of life. In other words, there are universal concepts that apply not only to healing but to family, community, the environment, the world and spirituality as well. One of these concepts is judgment. A day rarely goes by in the office without visiting this concept, and just to make a distinction here, I am not talking about exercising good judgment in life choices; I am talking about being judgmental. What does this form of judgment have to do with healing?... just about everything.

Some of the most common comments I hear from clients (at least new ones) are “its right here,” meaning that's where it hurts, or “I have a bad ---” (you can fill in the body part). When someone labels a body part this way, they place an immediate judgment on said body part, as if it is bad or wrong. This myth is heavily supported by the very prevalent medical model.

Whenever the brain is overwhelmed with either the amount or content of information coming to it, that information has to be redirected to some other part of the body. The brain, in effect, disconnects and is protected from the offending information or energy. Many times, when some part of our body is hurting it's actually doing a job for us by dealing with or holding the energy that the brain can't deal with. And the pain you may feel might just be your body trying to let you know that you're not dealing with or resolving something that's going on in your life. If anything, we should be thanking the hip or back that's hurting instead of calling it bad. The energy transfer mechanism was a great short term strategy but eventually there is a need to reintegrate all the disconnected parts since true health can only occur when all the parts are communicating and in harmony.

Judgment is one of the most common pitfalls my clients run into when they are practicing SRI (Somato-Respiratory Integration), exercises designed to promote self-awareness and connection to internal body rhythms. They say, “It didn't work. I tried doing SRI but the pain wouldn't go away.” Well, SRI isn't supposed to eliminate physical pain. That would be like trying to eat soup with a fork. SRI is about promoting communication and harmony in the body; it is not about trying to shut your body up so the pain goes away and you don't have to listen.

Just to give you an example, if I had, at some point, severed my communication with you and later wanted to reconnect or re-establish our relationship, I would have to first make you feel safe to open yourself back up to me. If the first thing I say to you is that you're wrong, how open are you going to be to further communication? Not very, I would imagine. Most would agree that making someone wrong doesn't cultivate trust and safety of expression. But this is in effect what happens when we begin by casting judgment on our body. How can we expect to foster a relationship when we start by judging?

As soon as we come from judgment we are unable to objectively see another's point of view. Judgment creates a barrier to true harmony whether it is in your relationship with your body, the people in your life, your community or the world. What's interesting is that if you are truly in harmony in your own body it is impossible for your perceptions to come from judgment. You realize that there is a connection between judgment and health and that it is vital to recognize this to have a true experience of life on all levels.

Health Insurance Does Nothiing to Ensure Your Health

On Wednesday mornings, I meet with a group of other small business owners for the purpose of networking and providing each other with client referrals. During the meeting, each member of the group will take a minute to share his or her specific specialty and expertise with the rest of the group. Many of the services are based on protection of a person's assets or material properties by way of financial planning, insurance or legal representation. For example, we have a member who provides insurance for home and auto and one who provides life, disability and long term care insurance. We have a financial advisor who helps people plan for their retirement and an attorney who, among other things, helps people plan for their death.

It is my sincere belief that all of these services are extremely important for the protection of a person's assets and the “material” quality of life to which s/he is accustomed. I also know, based on my relationship with these members, that all of the service providers are quality people who genuinely care about their customers' best interests. Interestingly enough, even though I support their cause, I usually tend to feel like the odd man out.

A couple of weeks ago the pension plan consultant said something to the effect of “Dr. Gene will help you live a longer life and I'll help you be prepared to afford it.” I quickly corrected him by saying that my interest was no so much in the length of someone's life but rather in the quality of one's life experiences before death. The reality of course is that nobody's getting out of this life alive. Besides that, death is not necessarily a pathological event — it's a part of life — and wellness care is not about avoiding death, it's about getting the most out of life until you die.

As I'm listening to each of the members state their case for the importance of insuring one's assets and one's “health,” I secretly wonder to myself; does anyone think about insuring the quality of their life right now, not to mention the effects on their health and quality of life for the future? While I wouldn't argue the need to have health or life insurance or to insure one's assets, I would like to point out that health insurance has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with a person's health. The same would hold true for life insurance. It would be much more accurate to call them disease and death insurance because if you have a disease, or you die, the insurance company will pay.

Most people spend a major part of their adult life completely consumed with and worried about the financial aspects of their future, and then, by the time they get there, their whole life has passed them by and their health has suffered so much they can't even get to truly enjoy the experience of life. Pondering this paradox, I pose this question: What are you doing to insure the quality of your life right now and in your future? Make no mistake about it, the decisions and lifestyle choices you are currently making will, without a doubt, determine what your future health will be like.

Are natural cures holistic? Not necessarily

The other day, I had a new client come in for her follow up visit and we went over the exam findings and discussed a plan of action. Near the end of this visit, we talked about the healing or wellness model versus the medical or treatment model. This was and is extremely important because if our goals were not congruent and we were not on the same page we would be setting ourselves up for disappointment later. Besides, I don't want to give clients something they don't want or fail to provide them with what they thought they were going to get by working with me.

The last thing I said to my client was, “If you want to be made comfortable and not change anything then this might not be the best place for you.” Out of context, I'm quite aware that my words sound a little harsh, but in reality, they came only after significant discussion of the concept of healing and I spoke the truth.

Almost everyday, someone calls the Center to say s/he is interested in a holistic way of treating whatever symptom it is that s/he has. What s/he doesn't realize is that as soon as the focus is on treating the symptom rather than the person then it automatically falls outside the realm of holistic care. I know that there are people reading this article right now who would disagree with me, and I suppose it is a matter of semantics, but in my opinion, the words health, holistic and even wellness have been polluted by the medical model.

Anyone who's been in the Center's bathroom in the last several months could not miss the quote from Dr. Donald Epstein that is posted on the wall: “The purpose of a symptom is to inspire a change in behavior... the more intense the symptom, the more immediate and radical the internal transformation required.” The basic idea here is that our bodies express symptoms in an effort to communicate to us that some sort of change in our life is required. The question then becomes, why wouldn't you want to treat the symptom?

I'm not so naïve to suggest that symptoms never need to be treated. However, I would suggest that we look a little deeper to the message that a symptom may be trying to give us. Maybe we need more sleep or less stress in our lives. Maybe we need to eat better or experience more peace, joy or love in our lives. Maybe traumatic events in our lives have caused us to become disconnected from our bodies and it's time to become whole again. Maybe our soul has a purpose that we are not fulfilling and the symptoms we are expressing are its way of communicating that to us.

It comes down to this: if a system is failing and you just pump different modalities into it — be they drugs, surgery, chiropractic, herbs, reiki or nutrition — it's still going to fail. While some of the modalities on this list would be considered by many to be holistic , it would be more accurate to call them natural cures or alternative medicine. In other words, if you are applying the medical model to treat a symptom it doesn't matter what you are using since the intent is still the same.

Contrary to popular opinion, the medical model is not failing because medical practitioners use harmful synthetic drugs or invasive surgical procedures, although that doesn't help the situation. It is failing because ultimately the body can't be shut up forever. Inevitably, the symptom(s) will come back or another more extreme symptom will be expressed in order to initiate change. One thing's for sure, I'm not going to be the one who attempts to shut off that warning signal. As far as I'm concerned, there are already plenty of practitioners out there doing that.

So when I make that brutally honest comment, I am speaking from a firm commitment to listen to the body and not do what other practitioners do when they try to shut the body up. The simple truth is that true healing creates change. True healing helps us become more connected and aware of the changes that are needed in our lives and not numbed to their signals. I believe a prospective client has the right to know this and to understand that holistic or wellness care is not alternative medicine but rather an alternative to medicine.

'I'm listening': Let the body be your guide

Recently, I attended an advanced training seminar with Dr. Donald Epstein. Dr. Epstein, the founder of Network Spinal Analysis and Somato Respiratory Integration, has become quite renowned in circles of healing and wellness over time. As you may know, the application of Network is applied with a very light force/contact held at an area where the body has rapport, which means an area where the nervous system is willing to accept input. The contact is always held until there is a loss of rapport or the body says “you're done.” One of the things I enjoy most about Dr. Epstein's teaching technique is his use of analogies to illustrate his ideas, and he used the analogy of female energy to describe how long a practitioner should hold the contact.

While there are, of course, exceptions to the rule, men and women approach things a little differently. For instance, when a woman is communicating in the relationship she may just want to talk to her partner without looking for any particular solution. Generally, men want to know what the problem is so that a rational, logical solution can be arrived at as quickly as possible. The woman (or person with female energy) may really just want to vent. She doesn't necessarily want a quick solution; she may simply want someone to listen to her. In fact, the only answer she may want to hear is, “I'm listening; tell me more.”

While holding the contact points during the seminar, we would silently be saying “tell me more, tell me more” and using the male/female energy model Dr. Epstein had proposed to help determine the duration of the contact. In addition, we did Somato-Respiratory Integration - exercises designed to enhance the connection to internal rhythms — as a group. As I connected to my body, I remained open and said “I'm listening. Tell me more,” over and over again.

It was not too long after returning home that I had the opportunity to put this principle to the test in my own life. Those of you who know me know that I have, at times, experienced some significant joint pain and swelling in my knees, feet and wrist. The normal progression starts with one joint and moves to another after a few days. I have become keenly aware of what it feels like just prior to its manifestation. I had an experience with this not to long ago which I thought was very interesting and worth sharing.

Usually when I feel this developing, my thought process is “Oh no, please don't do this. I can't miss another day in the office.” This time I decided to take a different approach and instead of dreading it, I welcomed it as a message from my body and not just a painful nuisance. I placed my hands over my stomach and the area that was hurting and breathed in my nose and out my mouth silently repeating, “I'm listening,” over and over. As the pain intensified, I moaned and I cried and even laughed because it hurt so much, until finally it got to the point where it hurt so badly that it didn't hurt anymore. It became, for me, a spiritual experience. Even though I was in extreme pain, my mind was at ease and I surrendered to the moment until I eventually passed out.

This experience illustrates the concept of stage one in the healing process, “suffering.” It's very common for people to do the stage one SRI exercise in order to escape their suffering. The interesting thing here is that it doesn't work. You actually have to get into it in order to get out of it. In other words, instead of trying to avoid the experience, we need to truly experience the stage to gain whatever wisdom it has for us. This is contrary to our cultural story which tells us to avoid suffering at any cost.

From my past experience, I fully expected that I would have to cancel all of my appointments in the morning. When I awoke, I tentatively placed my foot on the floor. I felt a little stiff and slowly pulled myself up and put weight on my foot. To my surprise I could actually stand. In fact, the pain in my foot had almost completely resolved. The reason this was so surprising was that each time I had experienced this in the past, and it has been numerous times, the experience consisted of two to five days of pain, swelling, and couch time.

In the wellness or healing paradigm, I advise clients that symptoms are the body's call for attention and change and to listen to what message their body is trying to give them. All night I said to my body, “I'm listening, what do you want?” I never did get an answer. What I realized from this experience was that maybe sometimes we simply need to listen to our bodies, not to find an answer but rather to just simply listen.

I've known you all along: Our connection to each other

It's Monday morning after the Transformational Gate and, since I have a few hours before the Somato-Respiratory Integration seminar begins, I thought I might share some experiences from this weekend with you. Because I have described the basic idea of this transformational weekend in an article in July's newsletter, I won't go into the logistics too deeply in this writing.

In the aforementioned article, I described the process of relinquishing the body's armor and the resulting flexibility in structure and consciousness which contributes to increased awareness, creativity, a feeling of connection, and a greater ability to experience love. After several Gates, one might think that this experience would be old news, but surprisingly, even to me, this is not the case at all. In fact, each time offers a greater level of depth to all of these experiences than the time before.

I heard that there were close to seven hundred participants in this weekend's program which is one of, if not the, largest number of people to be involved in a Transformational Gate. While two days did not offer enough time to personally meet and talk to everyone, there was, never the less, an unspoken connection among each and every attendee. It was what Donald Epstein refers to in his book, “The Twelve Stages of Healing,” as community.

When people are able to shed their armor, they are able to see past the surface to the heart and soul of one another. In this state, judgment gives way to a deepened vision of each individual's inner beauty. Community, in this sense, is the realization that we are all connected, as well as the feeling of pure love for people that we thought we didn't know. To put it another way, one transcends the illusion of separateness and realizes that we have known each other all along. I realize that this concept may sound far fetched to someone who has not experienced it. In addition, I don't believe our culture really has the words to describe the experience at all. If you have ever had the opportunity to realize this connection, you recognize it unmistakably.

At the end of the weekend, participants lined up in two rows facing one another. One at a time, with eyes closed, the person at the end of the row walked slowly down the aisle relying upon the guidance of fellow gaters to guide him or her as the entire group sang a nurturing song. As people walked though the group, they were showered with gentle touches and nurturing guidance. It's amazing to bask in the safety, trust, and pure love that are directed to you.

After this experience, as you walk around the room looking into the eyes of each and every person, you realize that although this may be the first time you met, you have known each other all along. There is a connection - soul to soul - and there are no words to truly describe this experience of community.

In light of ongoing world events and our collective responses, my thoughts keep returning to the idea that if we humans could achieve this “community” we might not only survive but thrive and evolve as a race. I believe it's the message that all the prophets and spiritual leaders in history have conveyed. When I hear the news of some less than desirable response to current events, particularly in New Orleans, it presents an even stronger case for our need to achieve community. While I know that this idea might seem obvious to most of the people reading this newsletter, it is my hope that it may initiate some of you to do a little more than you may normally do to promote community even if it is only to smile at the person you pass in the street. If you help or even just connect with a stranger, remember that they are not really a stranger... on the level of our souls, you have known them all along.

The Pitfalls of Filing Insurance

The other day Jiang Li, our very popular Chinese doctor, inquired about joining an insurance network. She wanted to know if I belonged to any and what I thought about being a provider. I thought it might be an interesting topic to share with the general public.

Now, I'm not sure about how it is with acupuncture, but I can tell how it is for me. The one advantage I can think of is the possibility of increased exposure to policy holders. As I thought more about it, I found quite a few disadvantages.

One problem is that the insurance companies beat you up so bad. Allow me to explain. If you are an out of network provider, the deductible and co pays are significantly higher for clients than if you were “in network”. This effectively inhibits seeing the out of network provider. If, as a practitioner, you are “in network” you must agree to whatever terms the insurance company sets. Part of the agreement with the insurance company is that they're setting the “allowable” fee which, by the way, can be about 50% of the normal fee. The difference can not be charged to the policy holder, so the doctor eats it. In addition the time involved in verification, processing and follow up significantly raises a doctor's employee overhead. In our office, Mindy was spending so much time within that arena that it took time and energy away from taking care of the clients. (And me. :-))

The increased overhead is easier to absorb if your practice lies more in the therapeutic realm because you can add and bill for a number of other modalities each visit, including heat, ice, muscle stimulation, and therapeutic exercises. For the consumer that can mean a 30% co-pay on one hundred plus dollars instead of forty which will bring the co-pay up to and past the original forty dollar office visit.

Last but certainly not least is the simple fact that “health” insurance (it would more accurately be called disease insurance) does not pay for wellness care. Yes, I'm aware that some policies will pay for “alternative therapies." However, there must be a diagnosis and treatment of symptoms which automatically falls outside the realm of wellness. The real problem is the effect this has on the mindset of the practitioner and client.

If we are to render a diagnosis then we first have to make a judgment about a particular symptom. Once we judge the symptom as bad we must find a way to remove it. This is what they call the medical or treatment model, which has absolutely nothing to do with wellness. In fact, if a symptom has manifested to alert a person to the need for change, then treating the symptom would be the antithesis of wellness. That doesn't mean that it isn't ok to have symptoms treated at times. It's just impossible to do both. You've probably heard the saying, “you can't serve two masters." Well, trying to be in the treatment model and the wellness model simultaneously would be doing just that.

Over the last twelve years of practice I have noticed something very interesting. In general, clients who had insurance pay for their care did not get as good results as clients who didn't. I believe this to be due to fact that it perpetuates the idea that we are being fixed by the doctor instead of taking control and responsibility for our own healing process. In wellness the practitioner becomes the facilitator, not the fixer.

Working in the insurance game, and in the treatment model, undermines the fundamental understanding of wellness and it quite simply comes down to this: It's a game I can't win.

Our Physical and Mental Flexibility

Recently a friend told me that his upcoming engagement had been called off. Understandably, he was feeling pretty down about the unfolding events. They were unable to meet on one particular issue which became the demise of the nuptials. In sharing this with me he said something that caught my attention and prompted this article. It went something like this; Yada, yada, yada, “that's just who I am.”

That was a pretty significant statement, and one which I'm sure most us have made at one time or another. Once we state who we are, then we have effectively absolved ourselves from considering any change or adaptation. Throughout our lives we develop patterns which protect us from the idea that life didn't go exactly according to our plan, which makes us inflexible to any other experience. I thought to myself, is it who we are or who we choose to be that defines us? It reminded me of a Billy Joel song called the “Angry Young Man.” I think the lyrics do a great job of explaining this phenomenon, so I included a few verses.

There's a place in the world for the angry young man
With his working class ties and his radical plans
He refuses to bend, he refuses to crawl
and he's always at home with his back to the wall.
He's proud of the scars and the battles he's lost
He struggles and bleeds as he hangs on the cross
And he likes to be known as the angry young man.

Give a moment or two to the angry young man
With his foot in his mouth and his heart in his hand
He's been stabbed in the back, he's been misunderstood
It's a comfort to know his intentions are good
He sits in a room with a lock on the door
with his maps and his medals laid out of the floor
And he likes to be known as the angry young man.

And there's always a place for the angry young man
With his fist in the air and his head in the sand
He's never been able to learn from mistakes
He can't understand why his heart always breaks
His honor is pure, and his courage as well
he's fair and he's true, and he's boring as hell
And he'll go to his grave as an angry old man.

It is never about what happens; rather it is about our story about what happens that determines our response. There is also a direct relationship between the degree of flexibility in our structure (body) and the flexibility of our response. As far as my friend goes, who knows whether or not they were meant to be? I do know this: the body never lies and in this case the inflexibility I could feel in his spine was very apparent. My goal with each member of my practice is to help them gain a greater flexibility in their structure, so that they may more effectively adapt to the inevitable challenges and changes that come their way.

Cut the rope: The Fear of Healing

In my experience over the last decade there is a point in a person's healing process when they begin to get in touch with their “stuff,” meaning their past wounds and information they could not previously process. Consequently that stuff is stored in the body as physical anchors or stuck energy. This connection most often occurs in mid level two of Network Care and is also the most common time for people to drop out of care. Holding on to old patterns that don't necessarily work for us is sometimes less scary then connecting and releasing them. I wrote the following song based not only my observations but from the experience of my own process.

You're afraid to want to go to deep; the hill you're sliding down's too steep
You're doing everything you can to keep from feeling it again
You don't want to cut the rope, let go and open up your heart.

The guard is always at the gate, pretending everything's ok
He's so strong but in his mind he don't realize he's blind
He don't want to cut the rope, let go and open up his heart.

There's a little child and he's crying, deep inside feels like he's dying
He's doing everything he can to keep from feeling it again
He don't want to cut the rope, let go and open up his heart.

Wonders of a Transformational Healing Gate

The feeling or experience is difficult to put into words. You arrive on Friday evening and enter a room with approximately five hundred people, most of whom you don't know. So, what's the first thing you do? You begin to judge. She's fat, he's skinny, she's pretty, and he's weird looking. It's a virtually unconscious behavior. Sunday afternoon arrives, you look around and once again take inventory of the same five hundred people from Friday night, only this time everyone looks different. Without the filter of judgment, clouding the spirit, everyone looks beautiful. Quite amazing.

So, what happens in a two and a half day window of time that could effect one's perception in such a profound way?

To begin with, the Transformational Gate, a personal growth and healing seminar, uses a group dynamic to enhance the intensity and depth of the healing experience. Network Care, the main vehicle of the Gate, utilizes the vibration based principle of harmonic entrainment. Basically, energies that are synchronized are more efficient. When you have seventy five people in the same room being entrained together, the energy literally hits you in the face.

Using a frequency of three entrainments daily, talented practitioners guide participants through network levels of care and healing stages of consciousness at an accelerated rate. This greatly advances individual's healing strategies and can provide them with a deeper level of connection than they've previously experienced, opening the door of possibility to their future healing. The experience of connection....

There is a progression of strategies from release of tension in level one and pattern clearing in level two, to the growth and expansion available in the level three experience. Late in the level two strategy, there is a spontaneous expansion of the thoracic cavity and opening of the heart energy. This contributes intensely to a feeling of connection with not only the self, but other people and what might be called the web of life. Many schools of thought suggest that this is a time when connection with the transcendent self is heightened.

Personally, my creativity soared after the last Gate I attended. It took me all of about ten minutes to write a song on the plane ride home and I followed that up with about fifteen more songs in the next thirty days. For me, that was unprecedented. I'll never forget a very intense experience at my first Gate, a dozen years ago. At the end of an entrainment my whole body went numb and I collapsed to the floor in a complete state of peace, where I remained for about ten minutes. There was no concern and no fear about judgment and I recall existing in that state for about a month. It is after an experience like that, when you realize why this is called a Transformational Gate.

The next Transformational Gate offered by Wise World Seminars will be held September 2-4 in Denver, Colorado. If you are interested contact The Center For Holistic Health for more details, in a timely manner, because this event will sell out.

'It's not about feeling better... it's about better feeling.'

I remember hearing Dr. Donald Epstein say, “It's not about feeling better, it's about better feeling.” At the time he was talking about chiropractic, or at least his version of it. Even back then I understood the idea of restoring life energy and connection in the body as opposed to fixation on symptom removal. I also knew that healing sometimes meant feeling, even if it doesn't always feel good. However, what I didn't understand was the depth of a statement like that in relation to our socio-cultural conditioning.

Somewhere, sometime in our culture we've adopted a story that we have held to be the truth. The story is that we must numb ourselves to this experience we call life and block our selves from having to feel anything painful, physically or emotionally. That sounds like a pretty good idea but I suspect it doesn't really work for us. Even so, it is often the case that cultural conditioning overrides the issue of whether or not any particular version of reality serves us.

I looked in the thesaurus for the word experience, and in the form of a verb it offered several replacements including to feel, go through, face, come in contact with, live through, suffer or undergo. So, it appears, according to this source, that if we are to experience life, then part of that experience might be to feel, or that feeling is part of the experience.

See, symptoms that we experience have a purpose and that purpose is to initiate a call for change. It means something is not working and change or adaptation is required. It just so happens that feeling is what prompts us to make a change (a concept advertisers are keenly aware of). Almost everyone that comes to see me with concern about a symptom has essentially the same story. They've tried one or several methods to get rid of “it” and either they haven't worked or have only worked temporarily. While the variety of methods is endless, the approach is fundamentally the same. They are all geared toward quelling the symptom. Of course nobody likes symptoms but if the symptom is a call for change, and we remove it without having contemplated the need to change any of our thoughts or behaviors then, we have effectively killed the messenger before receiving the message. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your perception, there will probably be more messages coming.

Whenever we experience a symptom, or any unpleasant feeling, our conditioning directs us into judging it as wrong. We systematically numb ourselves not only from that experience, but from the depth of the experience we call life. If you visit a wellness practitioner then the approach would be fundamentally different from the previously mentioned. When speaking of wellness, the methodology is one which promotes and supports adaptation and growth.

Intermediate care of Network Spinal Analysis is most commonly the time when we really begin to have a deeper experience of ourselves and a clearing of the physical anchors or patterns of unresolved energy. Along with it can come the fear of this deeper connection and retracing that will likely accompany the process.

Several months ago I read an article written by Cliff Bostick and was captured by something he wrote. “The wound's cure, the unbroken gaze of love, was scarier than enduring the pain of disconnection.” I took that to mean that it's our fear that drives us to avoid a deeper experience of life. This fear, fostered by our conditioning, is what ultimately keeps us from our healing. Well, I'm here to tell you this: Life is about better feeling.... And it's worth it!

The Optimists' Creed

Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

Healing Has a Healing Effect

When the Center for Holistic Health was founded it adopted as its logo a labyrinth held by two hands. A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness. It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path. The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world.

The Center has been around for about a decade and has seen many changes. It has been blessed by many talented practitioners and wonderful clients. As adaptation and growth are an integral part of healing and wellness, it has been our honor as practitioners of the Center to guide and facilitate our clients in their process of healing and growth.

While everyone's healing process is somewhat of a personal journey it is important to note that the effects are not limited to that individual. One's state of health and wellness includes not only their physical well being but, their ability to adapt to stress and make positive choices, their emotional well being, their level of life enjoyment and overall quality of life. A few more specific qualities include openness to guidance by inner feelings, positive feelings about self, feeling open when relating to others, confidence in dealing with adversity, compassion for others, and the extent to which one adapts to change and handles the problems in life.

These qualities of wellness go beyond the confines of the physical state. Our degree of wellness determines our psychological state, affecting our level of inner peace, our mood and our responses not only to life situations but to fellow human beings. Making healthier choices, whether it be for our selves, in our relationships, in our environment, our communities or the world are a product of wellness. The less optimal our state of health and wellness, the less positive our responses and adaptations are going to be.

So, it could be said that our level of wellness has an impact, positive or negative, on the people around us, our society and world. Based on observation I think it would be safe to say that, on a community and planetary level, we are not displaying optimal wellness.

In the last few months the Center has adopted the ripple effect occurring on water's surface as a new image to accompany the labyrinth logo. It represents how our health affects everyone and everything around us. Collectively, the ripple created by each of us, interacting with countless others, determines the fabric of our world. Our vision at the Center for Holistic Health is to create a positive influence on our planet by helping individuals reach their optimal wellness potential. We welcome you to join us in that vision.

Your Perception is Your Reality!

For mind is the builder and that which we think upon may become crimes or miracles. For thoughts are things and as their currents run through the environs of an entity's experience these become barriers or steppingstones, dependent upon the manner in which these are laid as it were. — Edgar Cayce

One of the most inspiring things to me about practicing Network is the effect it has upon people's perception. In fact, perception is, without a doubt, the most important aspect of health in the wellness model. Now, you might say, “that's perception, not reality,” but the reality is that perception is everything.

Whatever the brain perceives, in effect becomes its reality. The brain doesn't know the difference. Based on its perception, it will cause the body to release certain chemicals, which in turn cause our physiological responses. This is important because everything we feel; every mood and emotion is completely dependent upon the release of these chemicals called neuropeptides.

If a man, for example, was to force himself upon a woman and persist in touching her private areas against her will, she would release certain body chemicals. These “stress” chemicals would eventually make her sick, especially if she could not properly deal with this trauma. It has been well documented that this can be related to disease processes in the sexual organs as well as emotional problems and their effect on future relationships.

If someone else came along and was invited to do the same, the woman would release completely different chemicals. Not only would they not make her sick but, she would experience ecstasy and healing. And the difference is, of course, her perception of the event.

Now, this is an extreme example of what occurs constantly throughout every day of our lives. We are continually experiencing different situations which can be perceived in different ways, positive or negative. It's the “glass if half empty or half full” scenario. The question then becomes; what determines our perception?

As we go through life our brain has to repeatedly process our experiences. If these experiences, either in content or amount, are deemed unsafe by the brain, it will shield itself from that experience by creating a physical anchor in the body. In other words, it will store the information until a later time when it can be dealt with. It's the brain's safety mechanism to protect itself.

It might also be noted that when the brain is protecting itself it creates a defensive physiology. One aspect of this stress physiology is its diminishing effect upon the blood supply to the cerebral cortex. Among other things, this “higher” part of the brain interprets information and input, which helps you decide you're most appropriate response. In the stress mode, you cannot fully access that part of the brain which means, your responses become essentially unconscious.

We all know people, usually the ones that are closest to us, that can push our buttons. Our buttons, as it were, are the physical anchors of our past experiences. These physical anchors become the basis for all the patterns we experience in our lives. In fact, we cannot objectively perceive anything new, but through the filter of our past experiences. And remember, our perception creates the chemistry that determines everything about the experience of our lives. Wow, this is pretty deep.

When monitoring someone for “wellness” we must look beyond the normal physical measures. How a person feels about themselves is just as, if not more important than anything that can be measured in a physical exam. Aspects such as a person's ability to deal with stress, their emotional and psychological well being, their life enjoyment and overall quality of life are an integral part of wellness.

It was noted in a study conducted by the University of California at Irvine, that people in Network care have doubled the perceived wellness than if they just adopted healthy lifestyle practices alone. Translation, if you eat your green beans and do your exercise but you're still, stressed, anxious, depressed or just down right miserable, your overall wellness doesn't really increase all that much. That's not to say that those practices aren't positive, but the reality is this: As far as your experience of life goes, it's not what you're eating — it's what's eating you.

I don't want to be responsible for me! Stage Two Polarity

As we evolve through our life we experience different stages of our healing process. In his book “The Twelve Stages of Healing,” Dr. Donald Epstein describes and classifies the stages he's observed by working with thousands of practice members. Most people experience life through one of two stages. Stage one is called “suffering” and Stage two is called “polarity." The following is a song I've written about the stage and state of mind that Epstein describes as polarity.

I've got this great new doctor, he's going to fix me up and take away all the pain. He can cure me, he's so wonderful and I don't got to be responsible for me.

I've got this great new girlfriend, she going to make me feel so good about myself. She's so pretty and wonderful and I don't got to be responsible for me.

I've got this great new religion; it's going to save me and keep me from going to hell. The promise is so wonderful and I don't got to be responsible for me.

I've got to find a new doctor, the pain is back and I'm feeling it all over again. I've got to get a new girlfriend, cause she turned out to be nothing but more of the same. I've got to find a new religion; the one I've got is not fitting into my plans…

'Cause I don't want to be responsible for me.

Unlike the suffering stage, where we feel helpless and hopeless, in stage two “polarity,” we have gained some power. However the power of our state of mind is placed out side of us and eventually fails us. Never the less it is a step toward the realization that we are responsible for our state of wellness and can take our power back. (Stages three and four)

What's your (cultural) story? The brainwashing of the human race

Not a day goes by anymore when I don't hear a television or radio commercial promoting the use of drugs. Of course, I mean prescription drugs. They certainly wouldn't allow commercials promoting the “bad” drugs. Yes, I know I have a bit of a sarcastic streak.

So, the commercial goes on to say how the drug they're marketing can take care of whatever symptoms you're having whether it be migraine headaches, allergies or acid reflux, depending on the brand. Oh, and let's not forget the “social disorders” like depression, anger and anxiety disorders. Psychotropic drugs are amongst the most popularly prescribed meds.

Near the end of the commercial, if listen real hard, you will hear a monotone voice list the possible side effects, many of which would concern me more than the original symptom. Headaches, back pain and dry mouth are seemingly harmless compared with constipation, abdominal bleeding and possible liver failure. There's something I believe, at least on some level, is even more harmful than the physical side effects of these prescription medications.

The cultural parameters of society tend to dictate the belief systems and behavior of its people. To put it another way, truth is whatever the cultural story says it is. For instance, there's was a time when it was culturally accepted that the world was flat. Based on current knowledge, that may seem a bit ridiculous, but at the time that was the belief. This concept still holds true today.

Society's belief about health and the body's expression of symptoms is dominated by a cultural story called the medical model. In this model, any symptom the body displays is judged as wrong, then named and treated. Some people reading this might be thinking, “of course, who wants to have symptoms, and what's wrong with treating them?” Let's look at an example of this story.

Jane falls in love, gets married at a young age and has a couple of kids. Eventually things don't work out and she finds herself divorced, working a job she doesn't like and running the kids around to all their activities. There is little time left for her own needs, including the things that make her soul sing. At the end of the day she usually has a headache which can be dulled with an over the counter pain killer. Sometimes, when the stress is really bad, she gets migraines. But she has a prescription for that. It doesn't work too well. The only good thing about the headaches is that they keep her mind off her discontent and depression about her life. Her doctor put her on a happy pill that effectively numbs and keeps her from feeling, pretty much, anything. As the stress builds she experiences tension and pain in her neck and shoulders. She goes to the chiropractor, gets “manipulated”, and feels almost totally better. After a while the chiropractic doesn't seem to work anymore. Ironically her annual physical results in a clean bill of health, yet she just doesn't feel as good as she'd like.

I could go on with this story but I think you get the point. Unfortunately, for most people, this story continues with no change in direction. Why? It is because they unknowingly bought into what is currently the predominant cultural story. One in which we are victims of the bad symptoms which are a result of bad luck or bad genetics. We go to the medical doctor, who is the high priest of this story. He diagnoses the symptom, prescribes the cure and helps numb us from the feeling of our life. And we are under the illusion that if we don't feel it we'll be better off. The only problem is that the symptoms keep coming; only they get louder and harder to quell. Meanwhile we live our life steeped in fear, anxiety and the vigilance of survival.

Somehow we have been brainwashed and misled. According to the Partnership for a Drug Free America, one of five teens has abused prescription medications. Is it because they're bad kids or is it because they've been bombarded with the cultural message that says we should use medications to numb ourselves?

There is another, albeit less popular, cultural story that is beginning to emerge. It is called the story of the wellness. In this model we look at symptoms a little differently. They are not just something that's wrong and needs to be fixed, rather they are an expression of an amazing intelligence we call life. They are a way in which our body can alert us to the need for change. Maybe that change is in our diet, or in our relationships, or in how we respond to our environment, or maybe even in our life's purpose.

We, as Network practitioners and SRI facilitators, present to our clients as the storytellers of an emerging culture. We tell the cultural story of wellness and provide them with the tools to support it. In this story we do not fear our bodies and our symptoms; rather we use their wisdom to guide us in the choices of life. We become empowered in our own process. Our practitioners are facilitators, not fixers. It is a story that can help us evolve as individuals and a society. Sounds like a pretty good story to me. It kind of makes you wonder why it hasn't caught on.

The difference between illness and disease

Most people probably don't know this, but there is a difference between illness and having a disease. There are many people that have no presentable disease symptoms yet they are very ill. Some people have a disease and are well at the same time. How can that be? How can someone have a disease and be well all at the same time?

I've heard that quite a few people have recently endured the cleansing that may occur in conjunction with some flu or virus. Apparently it can be pretty uncomfortable. The other day one of my clients who survived this bout commented on her experience. Even though she felt physically horrible, she experienced it from a different perspective than in the past. She had trust that her body knew exactly what it was doing to cleanse itself. Instead of having the feeling of being victimized she felt empowered by the process.

That is a perfect example of wellness behavior.

Illness is not about the symptom; rather it is about the state of mind a person has about that symptom, and for that matter, every other aspect of their life. In illness behavior we react to the processes of the body and of life with fear. Wait a second…we were talking about symptoms and sickness and now we're talking about life?

I also have another client who had recently been confronted with some very major life challenges. A good many people would respond to her situation by shutting down and going into a defensive or protective physiology repeating the cycle of unending anxiety and depression about the present situation. We call that “stage one” in the healing process. So what did she say? Loosely quoted, “I know this will be a challenge but, I'm sure there is a reason for this and that ultimately it creates new opportunities for change and growth.”

Wow, now that is wellness behavior.

Protective or defensive physiology does not allow for that kind of response. When we're in stress physiology the part of the brain that allows for a conscious observation and healthy response is unavailable. Since we're only accessing the lower or reactive part of our brain, our responses are skewed by the filter of our past wounds.

When we experience a situation that is deemed unsafe, uncomfortable or damaging to our sense of self, our brain goes into defensive physiology to protect itself from that information. We release chemicals that effect heart rate, blood pressure, and cause us to tighten down and become inflexible. If we continue in that state, which most people do, our system is not flexible enough to adapt to new and potentially stressful information.

Wellness and illness are about how we respond and adapt to our symptoms and to our life. How would you respond to a symptom, a disease or a life crisis? How have you responded in the past? The answer to those questions will help you get an idea of your own level of wellness.

It might also be noted that wellness is open ended, which means that you can always achieve a greater level of it. In fact, in a research study conducted at the University of California , it was found that people in Network Care, tracked over a period of nine years, appeared to have no ceiling to the level of wellness they experienced. Network Care operates in the wellness model helping people develop strategies to recover from stress physiology, adapt to future stresses and access the part of the brain which enables healthier choices and responses….regardless of symptoms.

The Ineptness of Medical Diagnosis

I spent significant time reflecting on the events that led me to visit the M.D. and was well prepared to share my story so that together we could figure out why I was having painful joint swelling. I didn't however, get the chance to share that story, and felt somehow slighted. Shouldn't I feel grateful to be sent home with a speedy diagnosis of gout and a bag full of sample drugs? "No problem, we'll put you on Allopurinol, one a day for the rest of your life."

That's it? I've got to tell you, the phrase "we'll put you on" didn't really sit too well with me. As if I had no say in the course of action to be taken. It had been so many years since I visited an MD that I don't really remember if it was always like that. I suppose that it's socially accepted and even expected that we are not responsible for our own health. Judging by this doc's presumptuous delivery I'm guessing he probably didn't get a whole lot of resistance from his average patient.

It's not that I have a problem with the practice of medicine, it's the way medicine is being practiced that I'm questioning. It seems as though the most common phrase I hear is "my doctor put me on or took me off this or that medication." I don't know how many people realize the significance of a statement like that. Not very empowering.

Since my practice is in the wellness paradigm I prefer term client or practice member to that of patient. Patient has come to mean victim. A pawn to the good and evil forces that direct one's life. While it may appear the easier route it may not be the most beneficial. One of the aspects of being well is empowerment.

Before I even accept a new client I spend two hours getting to know them and explaining exactly what we're going to do and why. At the end I always ask if what we discussed makes sense and if they think it would be beneficial to begin care. Having the opportunity to tell their story is an important part of the healing process. My very good friend and colleague Dr. Wayne Leyshon used to say "people just want to be gotten," meaning of course that they just wanted to be understood.

Getting to tell their story is a cultural right of passage and when patients are denied that by their doctor it's like saying "what you feel going on inside you is not important." Health researchers are finding that's not the case at all. Terms like Wellness and Quality of Life are emerging as we find things like emotional and psychological well being and the ability to adapt to stress and enjoy life are as important in overall health as the physical lab values.

And you never know, taking a person's history (his story) might actually give some clues as to why the symptoms are occurring and what to do instead of or in addition to just treating the symptom. I think the main problem with treating a symptom without any attention as to why it happened is... well, just that. No attention to why the body is expressing the symptom. If someone comes in and I wave a magic wand over them and make all their symptoms go away, did I really do them a favor? Perhaps I robbed them of the opportunity to figure out what part of their life needs attention. In my case.... What sequence of events have led me to these symptoms and how do I keep from repeating the cycle? What if it's a symptom of something more serious? Is it a product of life style or even a deep seeded emotional pattern? Who knows, but I think it's worth looking into.

He was a really nice guy too, so I can't imagine he would withhold if he new any better. Aside from the prescribed one a day, he also suggested I stay away from wine , cheese and nuts. My subsequent research revealed a much larger list which surprisingly didn't include cheese.... There is a god. Nuts were fine (and even important) too, as long as they weren't cooked in oil. There are also a ton of supplements and foods that reportedly work as well or better than the drug.

Moral of the story.... If you want more information, you'd better look for it. Wouldn't it be nice though, if your M.D. worked with you to get to the bottom of your health concern? Maybe they should have a contract that says "we're only here to treat your symptom, enhanced well being not included."

Researchers find common killer: Stress

Many years ago I remember hearing about how stress was bad and it was fairly common knowledge that stress contributed to some major illnesses including heart attacks and strokes. Not many people seemed to know why. Surprisingly enough, I'm finding that a lot of people still don't!

This morning, on the way into the office, I heard on the radio that scientists have discovered stress deteriorates the cells of the immune system. I thought to myself, "They're just figuring this out?" Of course it does! And it contributes to every other condition as well.

Just about everyone holds a certain amount of tension in their body from both past and present stressors. I believe this is due in part to our culture's increased demands on our body and mind. We've become so accustomed to experiencing life in this state that it has become the norm, the standard by which we define our lives. This "standard" is called stress physiology... and it is completely normal when dealing with a stressful situation. However, after about 20 minutes, it becomes physically harmful.

Stressors can be physical, chemical or mental-emotional in nature. Regardless of its type, the normal response is for the body to go into stress physiology. If the brain can't fully process the stress it will continue in the stress response even after the stress is over. For most people it's never over. (Yes, you too.) Even something as small as the conversation in your head that never stops... that's stress.

So the question is, "Why does stress cause so many problems and affect the body on so many levels?" Well, to start with, when we experience stress certain "stress chemicals" like cortisol are released. This causes an increase in heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar. It only makes sense that stress contributes to cardiovascular problems and diabetes.

In addition, the breath becomes shallow and the musculature in the body tightens down causing bio-mechanical changes. This is especially true in the spine where improper movement effects the function of the nerve system. Of course, the nerve system controls all other systems including the endocrine system (body chemistry) which regulates everything from hormones to digestion to mood.

One of the most fascinating things to me is how stress affects brain function. The cerebral cortex, or the large part of the brain, is where our higher brain activity occurs. Higher brain activity means processing things other than survival, such as love, creativity, beauty, decision making and life purpose. When you are in a survival mode, or even when your body thinks there's a survival situation, the blood supply to that part of the brain actually diminishes.

Why would it do that? Simple: Your body directs blood where it's needed most and away from the area's that are not needed. In a survival situation we are accessing the lower, or reactive, part of our brain for quick response. The problem is we get stuck in that physiology even after the event is over and we exist as if we're trying to survive. In that state it's physiologically impossible to experience our full potential of love, creativity, beauty and all the other higher brain activities. Life becomes about making to the end of the day, and to the next weekend, and through another month, and to the next vacation and "when I retire then everything is going to be all right." I've got news for you. You never get there.

So I encourage you to ask yourself some questions: Why am I here (in this life)? Am I here to get by and survive, or am I here to experience life with as much love, joy and creativity possible? In addition to worrying about how stress deteriorates our immune cells, maybe we should concern ourselves with how it deteriorates our life experience.

Symptoms of inner peace

Symptoms of inner peace:

• A tendency to think and act spontaneously, rather than from fears based on past experiences.


• An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.


• A loss of interest in judging others.


• A loss of interest in judging self.


• A loss of internal conflict.


• A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.


• A loss of ability to worry.


• Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation.


• Contented feelings of connectedness with others and with nature.


• Frequent attacks of smiling through the heart.


• Increasing susceptibility to love extended by others, as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.


• An increasing tendency to let things happen, rather than to manipulate them and make them happen.

Your health is a conflict of interest: Watch out!

Not long ago I heard about new laws being enacted that would allow authorities to screen all school children for mental health and enforce treatment as they see fit. Parents could lose custody if they did not go along. All part of the “no child left behind program.” Isn't that good, you ask? We could find the children that need help and help them. The question is how? Even if the lawmakers are looking out for our best interest, I see a few very serious pitfalls.

First of all, who's going to be administering the “verdict” on your child? What if the screener is incompetent, overworked, or in need of medication them selves. Do parents really want to relinquish their right to decide what's best for their children? And who's defining mental health? Who's making the distinction between a chemically imbalanced kid and one who's experienced trauma and needs more love and attention?

A recent conference revealed that there is no clear way to diagnose ADD or ADHD. And if you could, then what do you do? Well, the current conventional treatment is medication, even though psychotropic drugs like Ritalin have been shown to produce some serious side effects, including depression and suicidal tendencies. I read an article which discussed the rash of school ground killing sprees. Apparently every one of the perpetrators had taken psychotropic meds. Yet we have school teachers and administrators regularly suggesting these “treatments” to parents.

This is a very disturbing trend that we may want to examine a little closer. The fact that there's a political push to support that methodology is even more alarming. You've got to ask yourself, is it possible that there is an agenda here. It's no secret that pharmaceutical companies were major supporters and financial contributors to politicians behind this legislation.

This month's newsletter contains a couple of articles that highlight some different perspectives about challenging children. In “ADD: America's Designer Disease,” Dr. David Ross takes an alternative look at hyperactive tendencies in children and Patricia Baily shares information about how children today are a different breed. These articles provide some practical information for parents looking for alternatives to drug therapy. Personally, I've seen very positive results with kids in my care, so I know first hand that unconventional options are worth pursuing. (Network Care increases brain function.) Parents and society as a whole may want to look a little deeper. Pretty soon they might not have the chance.

Check out citizens.org to keep up with health legislation.