“If you believe you can, or if you believe you can’t, – you’re right.” Henry Ford
Have you ever wondered how our thoughts affect physical reality
Or just how negative belief patterns can contribute to illness?
And what the mechanics are behind this?
I learned about this fascinating topic when I read, “The Biology of Belief,” by Bruce Lipton, Ph.D. a former Stanford University biologist whose work focused on cloning.
He writes that unlike what most of us learned in life science classes in elementary school, the nucleus of a cell is not the brains of the cell. The membrane, or what he calls the “mem-brain,” which is outer skin of the cell, is the actual brain. It’s this outer skin that turns on the release of certain proteins in the cell depending on the information that the “mem-brain” receives from its environment.
This is a real break through in understanding how thoughts control your life, and physiology because what Lipton is saying is that cellular function is not hard wired by DNA, but influenced by stimuli, or thought fields, in the environment. The stimuli, or thought forms trigger one of two states; growth or protection, and a cell cannot be in both states simultaneously. It’s either growing, or it’s not.
Lipton gives the example of how thought energy can activate or inhibit the cell’s function.
When you’re scared, or fearful your body produces cortisol the stress hormone. When the stress hormone is registered by the cell membrane it goes into the protection response and puts up a barrier to keep out foreign substances – even nutrients – which it likens to invaders. Over time if the level of cortisol remains high that cell will starve and become sick, or die because the protection response is one of shutting down and barricading itself against the enemy.
It is the opposite of growth. When the body is in a relaxed state it’s in a growth state and the membrane easily allows nutrients to pass through to nourish the cell.
What this shows is that our thoughts, or state of mind, directly affects us on a cellular level.
If we let fears and negative beliefs and thought patterns control us we inhibit our cellular growth and can eventually produce disease, or dis-ease, in our bodies and our minds. And, it makes no difference if the fears or beliefs are unfounded either, because the cell will go into protection response regardless of whether the thoughts have a basis in truth, or not.
Also, we can’t shout, “I’m fine!” if deep down we don’t believe it. Either way, our deeply ingrained subconscious beliefs win out every time. So, it’s really important to weed our minds of unfounded fears and beliefs if we want to succeed. By learning to be conscious of our thoughts we also take control of our health.
Here are three simple practices you can use to tackle reprogramming your beliefs, reduce stress and keep the cortisol at bay:
1. Turn off negative mind chatter and clear negative belief patterns by meditating daily. If you get into the habit of doing it everyday you’ll see a dramatic reduction in your stress level and tremendous increase in your happiness quotient. If your looking for a simple meditation technique read my post titled, “Seven Simple Steps to A Great Meditation.”
2. To change belief patterns work with affirmations. The best book I’ve ever read on using affirmations is, “You Can Heal Your Life,” by Louise Hay. I highly recommend it. Writing positive affirmations or repeating them helps to calm the stressed mind.
3. Exercise regularly especially outdoors. Exercise releases endorphins which elevate the mood helping to keep you in a better mood. Being outdoors in nature is really soothing to the soul. I find that I like to repeat affirmations when I go for a walk.
I’d recommend trying all three and one more thing – turn off your cell phone and blackberry once in a while. I find having mine on 24/7 for my job very very stressful.
Are you aware of any limiting beliefs that are affecting your health, or holding you back in your life? We all carry around the baggage of limiting beliefs – what’s yours?
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