WHERE CAN WE FIND THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT?
In Energetic Medicine there is no real separation between mind, body,
spirit and emotions. Many practitioners of Energetic Medicine, combine this philosophy
of unified relationship between Body Mind and Spirit, with many different healing
disciplines; to uncover the meaning at the root of a patient’s dis-ease. In my practice,
one of the most common complaints that patients present with is neck and shoulder
pain and dysfunction (reduced range of motion, etc.). In the patient history, if
the event is not an occurrence of trauma, the patient will usually begin to describe
a situation of either overuse or an unusual movement to which they attribute the
origin of their pain or dysfunction. This history provide the “where” and “when”
around which such dysfunction occurred. From my traditional training as a Chiropractor,
I note any neurological and postural (structural/musculo-skeletal) levels of involvement
in the patient’s presentation. However, what can be just as important is the emotional
and psychological state of the person presenting. This can speak more to the “why.”
How is this relationship between the physical symptoms and any corresponding emotional
state made? We can begin to understand this relationship by recognizing that what
is known as meridians in Traditional Chinese Medicine, are energy pathways which
have a corresponding relationship to our body’s muscle groups. Furthermore, each
of these meridians is not only associated with sense organs, physiological organs,
muscle groups, tissues, openings to the surface of the body, but also to emotional
states. By examining the different aspects of these relationships one may perceive
how neck and shoulder pain are associated through neuromuscular states of excess
or deficient tone in the muscles. Because of this understanding, the energy practitioner
may also guide the patient in understanding how they may better maintain balance
of the mind and emotions in order to maintain physical balance. Unusual periods
of mental overwork, or physical and emotional stress can contribute to neck and
shoulder pain can also cause a weakness in muscle tone, which may destabilize the
shoulder, neck or cervical spine, low back or lumbar spine and the pelvis. Unresolved
grief and loss may also affect the structures of the shoulder as well as contributing
to the overall stressors for a patient. I have also treated patients with pain in
the shoulder, who were unaware that their anger and resentment, (whether conscious
or unconscious), were contributing to imbalances in muscle tone affecting the shoulder.
Even the need to make hard decisions can be a factor in flare-ups of shoulder pain.
In my practice I use a number of healing modalities. In particular, I find Applied
Kinesiology (AK) and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to be very helpful in determining
the issues at the root of a patient’s complaint, and in taking steps to rectify
it. TCM supplies the information regarding mental and emotional states, which may
block or stagnate this energy, and offers principles for effective healing. TCM
is not just about acupuncture - it covers an eightfold path of disciplines that
are designed to bring body mind and spirit back into harmony. In AK, the use of
muscle testing determines functional loss of the muscles surrounding a joint. It
also employs the use of reflex points, which allows stuck, congested, and blocked
energy to flow readily through the meridians, which supply the body’s organ and
muscle functions. When a person moves, force is generated through the body. My background
also includes experience as an Exercise Physiologist, with a Master’s degree in
the field. It is fascinating to me to notice how a person’s movement contributes
to the forces impacting the body’s structures and how that can affect proper function.
When the normal chain of action through the body’s movement is disrupted, because
of muscles with unbalanced tonus, a person may experience debilitating and excruciating
pain and dysfunction. If over time this is not corrected, the syndrome can move
from dysfunction to actual impairment of joints. The body is quite miraculous in
its ability to compensate on all levels in an attempt to stabilize and protect its
functions. Quite frequently what is found, is that the part of the joint reported
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Susan S. McCullough, M.S.,
D.C.: Dr. McCullough has a B.A. in Psychology from Emory University, a Master’s
degree in Exercise Science from Georgia State University, and a Doctor of Chiropractic
from Life University. She has been in practice since 1998, and presently practices
at The Heal Center (770-390-0007) in Dunwoody, GA.
Higher Dimensional Healing?
What is higher dimensional healing? The answer can be found at the root of the connections
between body, mind & spirit. How do you experience these connections? How can you
learn be more aware of, and able to work with them?
Dr. Susan McCullough has nearly two decades of experience in
working with techniques for energetic healing. Her insights into the processes for
working with consciousness to affect your physical, emotional, and spiritual state
of being will be discussed along with practical methods for helping you to become
more present with your own wellness.
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