Our ostomy surgery is only the beginning of our healing journey. I believe that full healing comes from the integration of the Mind, Body and Soul. In my own healing journey I have incorporated daily practices that focus on these three aspects. Over time I have experienced dramatic results in my personal life as well as remission from Crohn’s Disease without the use of medications.
We tend to forget that the Mind Body and Soul are connected. When we focus solely on one of these aspects, we don’t receive the full spectrum of healing. When one of these three aspects is out of balance, it can throw the others off. Also, solely focusing on physical (the body) ailments tends to lead us to ignoring emotional and soulful practices.
In my travels over the last several years, I explored various holistic measures through my own study and practice. I also met many holistic practitioners who have shared their knowledge with me. What I found was that the key fundamentals to these practices focus on the Mind, Body and Soul.
The following are brief explanations and examples of these core fundamentals.
Mind Work
Our mind plays a critical role in healing. More specifically, the power of positive thinking is key. I understand that in times of trauma and physical pain this can seem virtually impossible. That’s why it is important to change the way we think as soon as we understand this.
Our thoughts and beliefs have been molded by our environment. For some of us this means we were often told we “should” or “have to” do something or the other. While it’s great to have direction, we often end up growing up believing that we are not enough or that we didn’t do all the things we “should have” done. The only person that this truly effects is us because it causes us to feel guilt, shame or fear. When we hold onto those feelings and negative self-talk, we tend to make ourselves anxious, therefore influencing our physical health negatively.
By affirming to ourselves that we are enough, that we are healthy and that we are happy, we start to rewire our mind to thinking more positive thoughts, despite what others may have told you and despite how you currently feel about your situation. (Side note, you are enough!)
Tip 1 for Healing the Mind: Write out a few affirmations and keep them somewhere you will see them and read daily. Affirm your health, your worth and your happiness daily.
Tip 2 for Healing the Mind: Write out a thankful list. By reminding yourself of what you do have and are thankful for, you set your mind up to notice more. Pretty soon your list will grow. Like affirmations, read this list daily.
Body Work
No one wants to be reminded of nutrition and exercise. While these factors are important, I believe the traditional thought of diet and exercise is only a small portion of Body Work healing. It’s the Mind Work that fuels nutrition and exercise. Not just because diet and exercise take discipline, but because it’s important to have patience with yourself. Being rigged and changing too much too soon can cause burn out. Starting slow and being patient with yourself is key. Remember, we are trying to avoid negative self-talk.
Tip 1 for Healing the Body: Mindful eating alone plays a large role in balancing the diet. Mindful eating isn’t about eliminating the bad stuff, it’s about taking the time each day and each meal to sit in a quiet place. It’s about savoring the aromas and textures of your food, enjoying everything from sweet, savory, salty, sour and bitter. It means chewing food slowly and allowing digestion to kick in before grabbing another portion. Mindful eating alone significantly aids in the digestion process by controlling portions and by balancing the consumption of the food you need and the foods you crave.
Tip 2 for Healing the Body: Exercise itself doesn’t need to be heavy weight lifting or extreme cardio sessions. Simply taking a walk or moving your body is enough if that’s all you can do at the time. In fact, post meal walks are great for digestion.
Tip 3 for Healing the Body: Maintaining oxygen flow to the cells of your body is essential. Inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide leads to cell restoration and overall well-being. Try some breathwork techniques like this one:
Belly Breathing
- Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. (I like to lie down myself.)
- Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen.
- Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your abdomen to rise (chest stays still).
- Exhale through your mouth, letting your abdomen fall.
- Repeat for 5-10 minutes, focusing on the rise and fall of your abdomen.
Soul Work
I won’t go too far into Soul Work because I understand we all hold varying beliefs about what spirituality and religion are. I also understand that some of us may not practice either. This is a personal choice and I admire and respect the differences we all have. No one is better than the other for their beliefs or non-beliefs.
No matter how you connect to your religion, spiritual practice or lack there of, Soul Work can still be a part of your healing practice.
Tip 1 for Healing the Soul: The power of silence. Some call it prayer, meditation or simply being alone in your thoughts. Essentially, it’s tuning out the distractions of the world from social media, tv’s, cell phones or even other people! It’s about taking time each day to simply just be.
Tip 2 for Healing the Soul: Time in nature to recharge. Examples include walking, silence, meditation, prayer or alone time. Notice how you feel afterwards. Notice how you sleep so much better as well.
Like all information I share, these are practices from my experience and what has worked for me on my healing journey. With that being said, this information is only a fraction of information available on healing the Mind, Body and Soul. Maybe you have your own practices that work for you, or maybe it’s time to add some into your own healing journey.
Please note, this is not medical advice and you should always consult with trusted medical professionals before stopping or starting medications, diet and/or exercise, etc.