In life we all deal with pain. From the physical strain of a broken bone or torn ligament to the mental anguish of losing a loved one or dealing with addiction pain is a part of the life experience. Many believe that pain can teach us about ourselves and there is certainly no doubt that pain is one way our body tells us something is wrong.
But listening to our bodies is not always easy and when the tricks of our mind interfere we can miss important signals.
However you choose to treat pain, be it surgery, prescription medication, talk therapy or Reiki massage one factor will remain a constant in your ability to heal: believing.
While doctors and surgeons are very skilled in what they do even the most respected members of the medical community agree that recovery has a lot to do with the patient. Famed surgeon Bernie Siegel, author of several books on the role of hope and belief in recovering from major illnesses, including cancer, once said, “Hoping means seeing that the outcome you want is possible, and then working for it”. He also noted, “The immune system and the blood chemistries are different in patients who resist”. What Siegel is saying is that if you don’t believe you will recover then you won’t.
No matter what challenge you are facing, the power of your belief is crucial. No one is saying positive thoughts alone will cure cancer or heal a broken leg. But if you don’t truly believe you can overcome the pain then chances are you won’t.
In today’s world we have a tendency to by cynical. We want proof and have put faith on the backburner. This is a mistake. Faith, hope and believing are essential to a positive outlook and without it we may as well give up entirely. As any doctor will tell you, they can only perform the surgery and suggest treatment, the patient has to do the healing.