May/June 2000
Articles on the theme "Food For Thought"
Think of These Things
compiled by Bob Gonzalez
Some thoughts on thought. A compilation
of quotations.
Feed the Mind -- Enthusiastically!
by Charles Larsen
Opening the mind to new ideas and experiences
-- an important factor in our growth.
Thought Pollution!
by Dr. Audrey Craft Davis
Thoughts as 'things'. How to control
our own thoughts and the thoughts of others.
Why Kids Kill
by Nancy L. Buchanan
The theta brain and how it makes children
more vulnerable to impressions of violence.
Water For Your Thoughts
by Ernesto J. Fernandez
Your brain may be suffering from dehydration
without you knowing it. The signs and what to do about it.
Improving Brain Function
by Chuck Homuth
Some of the healthy foods and supplements
that can help improve brain function.
Thinking About Thought
by David Findlay
Of consciousness, thought and telepathy.
The Right To Die?
by Constance Snow
Should we feed the body when there
is no consciousness? A discussion about the right to die.
Brain Food
by Marty Kliesh
Nutrients that improve the functioning
of the brain.
Spiritual Tools of Thought
by Rev. Pat Cross
Of self-induced spiritual indigestion
and true spiritual food for thought.
A Diet For Mental Health?
by Patrick Plaskett
What we put in our minds is just as
important as the food we eat. What a healthy mental diet consists of.
Other Feature Articles
Natural Health Q & A
by Lisa Raphael
Of holistic healing. The meaning of
psychosomatic. Cellular memory. The difference between 'transformational'
and 'transformative'.
2000 & Beyond!
by David Findlay (editor), Carol Withrow (contributing writer)
What is... GE (Genetically Engineered) Food?
by Laurie Powers
What GE, GM or GMO means. The risks
and what can be done to limit them.
Minerals from Mother Earth
by Judy Power
Features stones for May and June: anyolite
and fluorite.
Natural Health Q & A
Lisa Raphael
What is holistic healing?
Holistic healing is a new paradigm of approach to health and healing that is being practiced by professionals whose major focus and qualifications may be those of psychotherapists, massage therapists, energy workers, licensed (religious) practitioners or counselors, physicians, nurses, wellness consultants. New specialties are being created daily. It is about partnership, reverence, mutual respect and recognition of the healing forces accessible to everyone within the depths of their being.
How is holistic healing different to other approaches to illness and health?
Holistic healing recognizes the intimate connection between mind, body and spirit. The lyrics of the song Dry Bones read: "And the head bone connected to the neck bone; the neck bone connected to the back bone; the back bone connected to the thigh bone; the thigh bone connected to the knee bone; the knee bone connected to the leg bone; the leg bone connected to the foot bone. Oh, hear the word of the Lord!" A holistic version of this song might be: "And the thought connected to the feeling; the feeling connected to the impulse; the impulse connected to the muscle; the muscle connected to the cell; the cell connected to Spirit. Oh, know the work of the Source." Holistic healing recognizes that symptoms of discomfort and dis-ease are psychosomatic, i.e. related to both psyche (soul) and body (soma).
Does psychosomatic mean "all in the head?"
"All in the head" implies that something is not real. The connection between physical symptoms and emotions is very real. It is obvious in our everyday language. When we are upset, we are bent out of shape; when we feel unloved we suffer heartache; when we are angry, our back is up; someone we don't like is a pain in the neck (or a pain in another part of the anatomy); something that is difficult to say sticks in our throat; complaining is referred to as belly-aching. In serious discussions and confrontations, the most honest answers we can get are from our gut reactions.
Does that mean that I make myself sick?
On the contrary. The thoughts, feelings and reactions that manifest in physical form are for the most part unconscious. We do not cause the reactions, feelings or thoughts that result in a physical distress. Becoming conscious of the connections, however, can help us to make ourselves well.
How do holistic healers deal with symptoms outside of their area of expertise?
One way is through professional consultation. Wellness centers typically house practitioners in a variety of specialties - massage, chiropractic, medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy, psychotherapy - to facilitate closely working together. In individual practice, a massage therapist may encourage the client to get in touch with the personal issues that may be triggered in the tissues through guided imagery, questions, comments or dreams, or share his or her own images or thoughts that are evoked during the work. A practitioner like myself who is trained in traditional 'talk' therapy [psychotherapy] may focus on the client's experience of his or her body or muscle tension as a way to approach the dreams, visions, perceived issues and relationships. The real expert in holistic healing is the client's own 'inner healer'. The role of the practitioner is to facilitate access to the client's inner wisdom.
What is cellular memory?
Cellular memory refers to the fact that our response to everything that ever happened to us is imprinted in chemical and electro-magnetic form in the cells of our body. Research has shown that stimulation of certain parts of the brain can trigger specific memories which are imprinted in the cells of our body. In everyday life, the trigger is not always in the brain. I have experienced many such connections in my work with clients as well as in my own healing. One day, a client's cold sore disappeared before my eyes as she released her pent up feelings about her mother whose visit was imminent. Sometimes getting to the root of a cellular memory can take years. It was only after five years of persistent problems with my left eye tooth (and other mysterious physical and emotional symptoms) that I recovered memory of childhood sexual abuse, and the assault during which my left baby eye tooth was knocked out.
What is the goal of Holistic Healing?
The goal of holistic healing is to go beyond alleviation of a particular symptom to the improvement of the quality of life. Holistic healing can be transformational.
Why "transformational" rather than "transformative", and how is that different from change?
When we say something is transformative, we are referring to a specific outcome of a particular procedure or event. Transformational recognizes that life and healing are an ongoing process. Change, like transformative, implies a specific shift in experience or behavior from one way to another. We may change from an assertive person to a timid one, or from a basically angry individual into a gentle one. Change assumes and encourages duality. Transformational work stresses balance as the key factor in healthful living. Finding balance between the polarities requires an acceptance of the significance of all aspects of personhood - the light as well as the shadow, the negative as well as the positive - which leads to transcendence of duality. Coming into balance brings us into Oneness within ourselves and with Spirit.
In summary, holistic healing is part of a transformational process that acknowledges the central role of Spirit, takes place in a mutually supportive environment, and recognizes the vital role of the relationship between the participants. When practiced in the spirit of service, the major focus is on the enhancement of quality of life rather than on what one person can do for another for a price (whether the price be money or other forms of obligation.) In the realm of transformational healing, through Spirit, the giver and the receiver are One.
Lisa Raphael is a Florida licensed mental health counselor,
transformational holistic healer, seminar leader and author. (727) 822-0489.
www.ashlandweb.com/lisaraphael
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