When
there is too much stress on our system�whether emotional
stress, physical stress or spiritual stress�it is like an
overpowering force pulling on both ends of the chain. Something
has to give, something has to break. We all have a weak link,
a weak system, which breaks under stress.
For some
of us, it is a break in the immune system�causing recurrent
colds, allergic reactions, susceptibility to infection,
exacerbation of autoimmune disease or even an increased risk for
certain cancers. For others, it is a break in the nervous
system�causing anxiety, chemical depression, migraine
headaches, twitching eyelids or insomnia. A break in the
cardiovascular system may lead to palpitations, shortness of
breath, or even precipitate congestive heart failure or a heart
attack. A break in the musculoskeletal system may lead to
recurrent back aches, sciatica, tendinitis or muscle weakness. A
break in the gastrointestinal system may lead to worsening of
irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, maldigestion, constipation
or diarrhea.
Many
times, we are unaware that our emotional and spiritual stresses
are connected to our physical health.
It is
vital that we learn ways to process our physical, emotional and
spiritual stress before it creates illness
and to do so in a way which leads to greater health, healing and
balance.
For those
of you already suffering from illness, you can learn to use your
illness as a springboard for understanding how your heart, mind
and soul are deeply intertwined in the workings of your physical
body. You can learn a variety of self-help techniques with which
you can begin your own unique healing process. This healing
process will lead you into an examination of your emotional pain
and spiritual stress so that you may find ways out of your pain
and begin to heal your hurts, forgive your inadequacies and
rekindle the love and essential worthiness that lie within you.
A
wonderful story!
The Master
taught: 'When a sleeping prince is dreaming that he is a beggar
and cries out in anguish at his poverty and hunger, you do not
say to him, �Beggar, wake up!� You say �Prince, wake up!
You have fallen asleep and dreamt you were a beggar!�'
We are all
princes and princesses who have�in some way�fallen asleep
and forgotten the royalty of our soul. We are made in the image
of the Divine creator and, as such, our very essence is love and
our very birthright is worthiness. We must only awaken to it in
order to heal.
(This
story adapted from Journey to Self-Realization by
Paramahansa Yogananda, Self-Realization Publishers, 1998; the
Master in this story is Paramahansa Yogananda.)
A part of
our awakening to our essential worthiness is the acceptance
that�in this world�we are all wounded in some way�whether
by genetics, family circumstance, illness or misfortune.
Likewise,
in some way, we all intuitively crave�and deserve�to be
whole, to be healed. Awakening from the dream means that we
feel our emptiness, the voids in our life, our 'not-enough'
places, and seek to fill them with meaning, worthiness and a
measure of fullness.
This is
the healing process: the drive to mend our broken places and
become whole again.
In seeking to become whole, you will inevitably embark on a
journey that leads you into your own sense of utter uniqueness,
into your own adventure of self-discovery.
Before I
let you go, I want to tell you about my completely new and
revised 3rd edition of The Handbook of Journaling: Writing
Tools & Inspirational Stories for Hope, Healing and Personal
Growth. In this new edition, you will find hundreds of
inspirational stories, motivational quotes and powerful guided
journaling techniques to help you process your negative
emotions before they make you ill. You will also find
powerful guided journaling techniques to help you correct your
irrational thoughts and fears in a way that brings you greater
equanimity, peace of mind and fulfillment in life.
Guided
journaling exercises make writing about your stresses easy. They
give you powerful questions and prompts to guide you swiftly
towards a greater understanding of where your pain comes from
and how to find a source of hope and strength to overcome
whatever difficulties you may be facing.
Whether
you are dealing with depression, loss, anger, anxiety, chronic
pain or cancer, these writing tools and inspirational stories
will help you find the hope, healing and sense of personal
fulfillment you are looking for.
If
you have forgotten that you are a prince or princess who has
fallen asleep to your own essential worthiness, then please
click here to read more about The Handbook of Journaling:
Writing Tools & Inspirational Stories for Hope, Healing and
Personal Growth.
May you
and all your loved ones be blessed with health, happiness and
prosperity. Sincerely,

Neil F.
Neimark, M.D.
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