Healing Yourself With the Power of Your Heart

There’s really only one cause for almost all modern illnesses and your doctor often isn’t even aware of it. In fact, the diagnoses we get from our doctors are actually the symptoms of disease, not the cause. “Fibromyalgia” means pain in your muscles and connective tissue. “Arthritis” means joint pain. An IBS diagnosis tells you that your intestines are irritated and not working well. Do you see the patten? None of these diagnoses tell us how or why these diseases occurred, just what symptoms we have.  

So what’s the common denominator and why are we seeing a huge increase in these chronic conditions in our modern world? 

The answer is inflammation. 

We are surrounded by causes of inflammation like environmental pollutants, toxic additives in our food supply, lack of nutrients from depleted soils, social isolation, chronic stress from unrealistic societal pressures, and disconnect from nature. This toxic cocktail bombards our bodies, leading to chronic, systemic inflammation that manifests as disease.

So what’s the fix? You’ve head of healing through “mind over matter” but I’d like to introduce the concept of “heart over matter.” 

Mind over matter implies that we can change our physical bodies by using willpower and logic. However, I propose tapping into a deeper well of healing through "heart over matter" - using self-compassion to calm the inflammatory response.

This concept is borne out through science with various studies showing that compassion and kindness we show to ourselves has a direct impact on reduction of symptoms of chronic illness. If we practice kindness, gentleness and love towards our bodies, regardless of our current state of health, then our natural abilities to heal improve. 

Here are my top three for increasing your ability to practice “Heart over Matter”

1. Write yourself a compassionate letter from the perspective of someone who loves you dearly - a friend, family member, or even a beloved pet. Envision them encouraging you to be kind to yourself during this difficult time. If you're feeling brave, ask them to write the letter themselves.

2. Let art overwhelm you with kindness. Find a piece of art, poetry or music that makes you feel kindly towards yourself. Some of my favorites are this poem and this song.  

3. Think of yourself as a baby. Ask yourself - how much care and love did I deserve then? (The answer - a LOT!) You are that same precious being now and you deserve the same amount of love and care. Let that profound acceptance and care wash over you.

4. Think of something you’ve accomplished. It could be a big thing like getting a graduate degree or a little thing like stopping to appreciate a flower yesterday. Close your eyes and say out loud, “I did that!” Try to sit with the feeling of having done something that made your life better and that was a kindness toward yourself. 

By embracing ourselves with the nurturing care we all innately deserve, we can catalyze our extraordinary ability to heal from the inside out. Heart Over Matter isn't just a concept; it's a practical approach to wellness that embraces the transformative power of self-compassion.  Let me know if these Heart Over Matter exercises work for you!