Superhealing: Engaging Your Mind, Body, and Spirit to Create Optimal Health and Well-Being (ARC) (23 page)

is that soy is good for you. This is a lie The beans contain

chemicals that suppress thyroid function.27 And even though

fermented soy products such as soy sauce, Tempeh, and Miso

do contain lower levels of the health-damaging chemicals,

I still advise against consuming them. Unfortunately, for a

long time, I didn’t know how detrimental soy could be, so I

consumed large amounts of tofu, soy milk, soy burgers, soy

ice cream, and soy cheeses. I have now amended my diet by

cutting them out.

•
Artificial sweeteners and flavor enhancers.
As mentioned earlier, these cause brain damage, and flavorings are created

to act like addictive substances to make you eat more of

them. They cause such severe overstimulation of certain

key areas of the brain that it can lead to their death. They

have been implicated in the dramatic increase in a variety

of neurological disorders, from attention deficit disorder in

children to Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple

sclerosis, and brain tumors and dementia in adults.

SUPERHEALING RECOMMENDATION:

NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

TO TAKE REGULARLY

It’s a very good idea to take comprehensive vitamin and mineral

supplements on a daily basis because of the significant decline in the last fifty years of the inherent nutrient value of the fruits and vegetables that are available to us.28 The following supplements are particularly beneficial in activating our superhealing capabilities:

•
Omega-3 fatty acids.
These are known to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, lengthen telomeres, and decrease the

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Your Superhealing Body

risk for major diseases associated with aging, such as heart

disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Sources include fish oil capsules, flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts,

and pine nuts.29

•
Vitamin D3.
A natural y occurring hormone in the body

that is produced during exposure to sunlight, vitamin D3

forms stronger bones, lowers blood pressure, prevents various

cancers, improves muscle health, and increases metabolic

activity in fat cel s.30

•
Astaxanthin.
This has powerful antioxidant properties and is particularly beneficial to the joints, tendons, skin, eyes,

and brain.31 A carotenoid—which means it’s in the same

family as carrots and beets—it is derived from the microalgae

Haematococcus pluvialis.

•
Resveratrol.
This nutrient compound is found in grape skins, blueberries, and red wine. It can improve motor coordination,

protect nerve cel s from deterioration caused by aging, cure

type 2 diabetes, and fight inflammation and cancer.32

• Theanine. This is an amino acid found in green and black

teas and in certain mushrooms. Preliminary research

indicates that it is helpful in responding to stress, enhancing

concentration, and possibly reducing the risk of stroke,

Alzheimer’s disease, and some forms of cancer.33

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Superhealing with Nutrition

153

SUPERHEALING NUTRITION

ENGAGEMENT SUGGESTION

Write down everything you eat and maintain a food diary for

seven to ten days. This will give you a much better understanding

of your diet. There’s a food diary in the Superhealing Workbook on my website.

SUPERHEALING WORK SHEET: ASSESSING YOUR DIET

Armed with the information contained in this chapter, consider

these questions:

• Do you think you need to change your diet?

• How can you change your diet?

• Are you willing to eliminate or significantly

reduce certain unhealthy foods?

• What healthy foods appeal to you?

Part Three

YOUR

SPIRITS

155

CHAPTER 7

Your Superhealing

Spirit-Body Connection

Be sure that it is not you that is mortal, but only your body.

For that man whom your outward form reveals is not yourself;

the spirit is the true self, not that physical figure

which can be pointed out by your finger.

—Cicero

Throughout this book, my challenge has been to write

about different aspects of being—mind, body, and spirit—in a way

that provides an understanding of the distinction among them in

some respects but that also makes clear they are not entirely separate. The unity of being is the truth.

The core ingredient in the superhealing formula, however, is the

spirit. The Divine is the highest place within each of us, an all-powerful and all-encompassing energy that is first and foremost love, light, intelligence, and beauty. I believe that the spirit is an individualized expression of the Divine: the defining, primal force of life. And when we are aligned with the Divine, nothing is impossible for us.

This revelation was a moment that forever changed my life—and it

occurred in my bathtub. In the process of studying the healing practice of the laying on of hands, I was learning how to transfer energy. That day’s session had been particularly intense. As I stood over my teacher, transferring energy into her body, the energy roared through me so much so that at one point I felt light-headed and almost passed out.

157

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At home that evening, I took a bath before going to bed. While

relaxing in the hot water listening to soothing meditation music, I heard a sound that I can only describe as high-pitched energy. After it rang in my ears for a few seconds, I was not in my body anymore and was floating in an ocean of bliss.

I was still me, but more than I could ever have imagined. I felt like a drop in that ocean, but a drop that had no clear physical definition.

I was in the midst of one of the most powerful moments of my life. I felt part of everything, large and smal . Suddenly, for some unknown reason, fear entered my mind. Then I heard a loving voice. From my perspective, it spoke to me from above. A sweet, feminine voice, it said, “Don’t worry; you are one with all things. Don’t worry.”

After that, I felt my consciousness rapidly descend back into my

body as though it were being siphoned through a funnel. It was awesome!

For months, I tried to think my way back into that state. It con-

sumed my thoughts. That eternal moment of divine ecstasy forever

altered my sense of self and my understanding of life. I knew in a most powerful and meaningful way that there was more—much,

much, more—to me and to life than I had previously understood.

I still recall that event with great wonder. Today it seems to have integrated quietly into my consciousness. I feel its joy, peace, and bliss as part of my ongoing awareness when I am in alignment with

my spirit, when I am in harmony with my being, and when my

thoughts, feelings, and emotions are reflective of the truth.

WHAT IS SPIRIT?

Spirit, in its infinite expression, is the divine doorway to who we truly are. The eternal essence of life that is at the core of our existence, it was alive before our birth and will live on after our death. It

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Your Superhealing Spirit-Body Connection
159

is created in the image and likeness of the Divine, it is the reflection of the Divine that is present in all of us, and it is our transcendent sense of connection to the Divine. We are divine sparks becoming

and unfolding into greater expression.

My experience is that spirit extends my sense of self and enfolds

all of life. It is not separate but inclusive and unifying. The higher states that spirit engenders are the foundation of that sense, because they are by their very nature aspects of the oneness of the Divine and all things.

Is there a difference between
spirit
and
soul
? I often use the terms interchangeably. In my humble opinion, they are both the Divine. I believe we are created, as everything else in the universe is, in the image and likeness of the all-knowing, all-loving, all-intelligent infinite.

When we are aligned with the Divine, nothing is impossible for us.

The Divine is the highest place within each of us, a powerful and encompassing energy that is love, light, intelligence, and beauty. It is al that is: everything.

We are spiritual beings having a human experience, not the other

way around. Spirit gives our body intelligence, energy, and substance.

It is the life-giving, driving force that gives birth to the magnificent body. What we know as birth and death are the transitions when spirit inhabits us and departs from us. If the spirit didn’t engage with the body, we simply would not exist.

As the animating force, spirit fundamental y guides and directs

our bodily functions primarily through the mind, brain, and heart, but all organ systems are involved. Spirit expresses itself in every aspect of our body’s functioning. We’re just not consciously aware of all of it.

As the primary aspect of being human, spirit is the guiding light that engages the mind and the body. Spirit is the blueprint of all physical 160

PART THREE:
Your Superhealing Spirit

life. We tend not to give much thought to how our spirits interact with our bodies. Yet our brains—in fact, our entire bodies—are first and foremost spiritual beings. Having a high state of spirit, aligning with it through the doorway of the mind, and consciously engaging with

it gives our existence the greatest meaning and opportunity for living beyond the mundane, repetitive patterns that have entangled much of our awareness.

When spirit flows freely through our minds and into our bodies,

we are aligned, and superhealing is expressing ful y in us. That harmony of being is awe-inspiring.

The Qualities of Spirit

Spirit’s aspects include joy, bliss, compassion, peace, intelligence, wisdom, intuition, selflessness, altruism, passion, beauty, appreciation, vitality, and love. When it comes to love, spirit expresses the highest of all states of being that reflect it. These states embrace kindness, forgiveness, courage, generosity, acceptance, understanding, patience, gratitude, optimism, integrity, and sincerity.

WHAT IS SPIRITUALITY?

Spirituality is our primary connection to, and relationship with,

life itself. An inseparable aspect of our being, it is at the root of our quest for meaning in life. For this reason, the spiritual dimension is the ultimate determining factor in our lives. Spirituality is an innate sense of connection to something greater than ourselves that is sacred, divine, and wondrous.

Spirituality is centered in our awareness of spirit’s inherent goodness and of our connection to the foundation and life-giving source of everything. It is living with an open, loving heart. I believe that this is the ultimate goal of all religious efforts in their quest to dis-

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cover the Divine. Spirituality is often confined to our religious experience, but I believe that spirit is involved with every aspect of life on a moment-to-moment basis. It is intensely personal and unique

to everyone.

There are many ways to engage your spirituality. There is no right or wrong way. Spirituality is what you determine it to be for you.

Many discover spirituality through religious affiliation or through a relationship with the Divine independent of organized religion.

Others find it through creative expression, the arts, music, nature, a quest for truth (spiritual or scientific), and practicing the principles and values considered significant and life-enhancing. Some have discovered a greater sense of spirituality in such mind-body practices as meditation, yoga, tai chi, and so forth. Our personal relationships can also be an expression of spirituality.

I’d like to share with you, for your consideration, my founda-

tional exploration and personal thoughts on spirit, spirituality, and religion. Please understand that these thoughts are mine and mine

alone. I am not seeking to convert you to my belief system; I simply want to share my views with the sincere hope that they will help you to uncover, review, understand, and clarify your own.

In my opinion, religion is a man-made construct of ideas, doc-

trines, practices, and beliefs that were designed to address the specific spiritual needs of an individual or a group of people at a particular point in time. It is established and incorporated into the existing culture in a way that supports the goals and objectives of that society.

Religion is a vehicle through which spirituality can express itself in that culture.