w e llness: the inne r f o c us

wellness: the inner focus
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Some people have all the physical attributes that society deems
beautiful—the hair, the figure and the smile—yet they may not be
appealing for some reason. Other people may not have the prettiest face, the most perfect figure or the softest hair, yet they remain
attractive and intriguing. Beauty in this respect is not tangible. It
doesn’t come in a jar, a surgical procedure or the latest hair design
but it does entice, lure and fascinate. A natural inner beauty pervades
the outer body. What makes up this type of beauty and how can you
tap into it?
It makes sense that those people who are the most vibrant,
creative, adaptable and productive are the most attractive to others of the same society. Throughout history, philosophers, poets,
psychologists and other visionaries have equated beauty with a fully
realized life. Abraham Maslow, PhD, was a pioneer in studying man’s
potential for greatness. He identified specific character traits that
were unique to these attractive people he labeled “self-actualizers.”
Everyone is born with potential talents, propensities and creative
capabilities. These are potentialities, not final actualizations. What
made these self-actualizers unique was the ability to develop their
inner potentials and manifest them in their lives. As a result, they
were the ones who were intriguing enough for Maslow to dedicate
his life studying.
Since Maslow alerted the scientific community to this potential
in human development, others have investigated, developed and
carried it further. Authors Ken Wilber and Jenny Wade, PhD, two
present day visionaries, both see human development as proceeding
through eight or nine progressive and specific stages culminating not
only in self-actualization, but in a spiritual connection. What’s fascinating is that Eastern religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism,
have known this for centuries.
In other words, people with an inner connection to their body
and its emotions—to their purpose in life, to their spiritual essence
and to the fabric of existence as a whole—appear more beautiful
and vibrant. They have a sense of wellness that means inspiration is
emanating from the inside.
Experience the world
How you compromise this natural state seems to be associated
with how you experience the world. If circumstances arise where
you feel overwhelmed, unsafe or unable to process the information
of an event, then you lose your inner connection. Often times, these
feelings are so subtle that you consider them part of your normal
daily life. In the 1950s, Hans Selye, MD, coined the term “stress” to
define such feelings, and went on to demonstrate the cost of living
with such hidden stress. He found that not only does the immune
system get compromised and the body becomes predisposed to
disease, but it can affect posture, muscle tension and even the way
you think and view the world. Stress is an important determinant of
health, wellness and emotional stability.
The long-term consequences of hidden stress in your life translate into biological and psychological consequences, leaving an
imprint on your physiology. Stress gets stored in the body as muscle
tension, poor posture, facial wear and tear, hormone imbalance and
high blood pressure. You become reactive to the world, perceive life
as threatening, have difficulty with making changes and fear new
things. This not only is unhealthy, but it also is far from attractive.
In essence, you have lost your inner connection and sense of power;
your inner resources and sense of natural beauty.
When there is no escape from the stressful world, you must
choose ways to rejuvenate, refresh and re-connect. The following are
some of the more common and popular ways to handle stress and
improve the quality of your life and the lives of your clients.
Bodywork
There literally are hundreds of schools of bodywork used to heal
the body and reduce the tension of daily life. The method most
Paul J. Meschino, DC, received his doctor of chiropractic degree in 1986 and masters of science degree in 1988. He
has been on staff at Toronto’s Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in the biological sciences division teaching
nutrition and the mind-body connection, and also has appeared as a guest lecturer at York University in Toronto,
teaching “How Stress Affects the Immune System.” He is certified in Network Spinal Analysis and is the author of
Compendium To The Collapse Process and co-author of Breakthrough Secrets To Live Your Dreams. He is a soughtafter speaker for personal development programs and conducts workshops designed to help people experience
profound healing and achieve enhanced quality of life and wellness, while inspiring understanding and wisdom in
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Skin care professionals should receive spec­ial­ized training before
offering any new services.
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wellness: the inner focus
frequently used by Americans is therapeutic massage. Prolonged
tension interferes with the elimination of wastes in the muscles
and surrounding tissues. These waste products can build up, causing chronic patterns of tension in the body. They feel like knots or
ropes within the muscle. Therapeutic massage not only helps improve circulation, eliminating waste products from the muscles, but
also helps relax those knots and ropes, often taking away pain and
discomfort. For many, it is the therapy of choice for musculoskeletal
problems, pain management and a relaxation response.
Shiatsu is the bodywork of choice in the Orient that is growing
in popularity. It literally means “finger pressure” in Japanese. Shiatsu
therapists use a firm sequence of pressure held on specific points
throughout the body and is designed to awaken the
acupuncture meridians, the energy channels of the
body. More than 5,000 years ago, the Chinese
discovered that when specific points were
pressed, punctured with needles or even
heated, certain ailments were alleviated.
The beneficial effects were thought to be
due to the release of energy along these
meridians. Since the art was developed,
more points were discovered that not
only relieved pain, but also influenced
the functioning of the internal organs
and body systems bringing an overall
balance and healing to the body.
Exercise
Exercise can provide an effective means of
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reducing stress. While a good workout can have beneficial effects,
over-exercise can wear on the body’s resources and contribute to
stress. Therefore, it is important to devise an exercise routine appropriate to your individual needs.
Yoga is a favorite for stress reduction and enhancing body-mind
connection, while limiting the strain on the body. It is one of the
oldest known systems practiced in the world today. The literal meaning of the word yoga is “union,” the integration of physical, mental
and spiritual energies that enhance health and wellness. It is based
on the premise that if the mind chronically is restless and agitated,
the health of the body will be compromised; and if the body is in
poor health, mental strength and clarity will be affected adversely. The
practice of yoga can counter these ill effects, often restoring
mental and physical health. Today, yoga commonly
is practiced throughout the world and holds a
People with
prominent place in the field of mind-body
medicine.
an inner
In China, it is estimated that more than
200 million people practice an ancient
connection to
exercise called qigong, pronounced and
often referred to as chi-kung. Like acutheir body and its
puncture and shiatsu, the movement,
meditation and breathing of qigong
emotions appear
exercises balance the flow of qi—pronounced chi, or vital life energy along
more beautiful
the meridians—energy pathways of
and vibrant.
the body. It helps cultivate inner strength
while calming the mind and restores the
natural balance of energy flow through the
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wellness: the inner focus
body. In China, the method of qigong is used nationally as a health
maintenance and personal development system.
Meditation
Joan Borysenko, PhD, a pioneer in the field of mind-body medicine, defines meditation as an activity that keeps the attention of
the “meditator” pleasantly anchored in the present moment. When
the mind is calm and focused in the present, it is neither reacting
to the memories of the past or expectations of the future, both of
which are two primary sources of chronic stress. Although there are
numerous approaches to meditation, most of them can be classified
into two basic categories: passive meditation and active meditation.
Passive meditation focuses on relaxing the body, paying attention to
the breath or a sound—mantra, or becoming aware of the continuous
parade of sensations, feelings, images and thoughts of the mind without becoming involved in thinking about them. The person meditating
quietly and simply becomes witness to whatever goes on in the mind
or body without reacting or becoming involved. This approach relaxes
the body and calms the mind, as if wiping a slate clean or clearing a computer screen, even if just for a moment. As a result, the body reduces
tension, the immune system is boosted and the person now is better
able to be a passive receptacle for new ideas, visions and inspirations.
Some of the greatest religious writings have come from those who have
practiced this ancient art and received divine revelations. For most,
it acts to prepare you for creating your life with more presence, attention and mindfulness in addition to its stress-busting effects.
The active meditator, on the other hand, is using what is called visualization or guided imagery. This approach makes use of your least
employed resource—your imagination. Relax for a moment and
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imagine holding a juicy, yellow lemon. Feel its coolness, its texture,
its weight in your hand. Now cut it in half to reveal its pale yellow
pulp and its tangy smell. Bite into the lemon. Are you salivating yet?
If you are, then you have just experienced the effects of visualization and imagery. The body not only responds to external stimuli
such as a real lemon, but also responds just the same to internal
stimuli of an image of a lemon. Many health professionals use this
approach to evoke physical responses that have been shown to reduce stress, slow heart rate, stimulate the immune system and reduce
pain.
Imagery first was used as a tool in cancer therapy by O. Carl
Simonton, MD, a radiation oncologist. He instructed his patients to
devote 5–15 minutes a day to imagery exercises. They were to visualize the cancer cells being eaten by their white blood cells. His case
reports revealed remarkable improvements and sometimes complete
recovery in cancer patients. Since then, guided imagery has become
mainstream and is used successfully for a variety of health conditions as well as stress reduction.
Quantum collapse
The quantum collapse process is a new and powerful process in
the world of personal transformation that is based on ancient wisdom. William James, the father of modern psychology states, “man
can alter his life by altering his attitude of mind.” Greek philosopher
Epictetus writes, “For what are you responsible? For that which alone
is in your power, the proper use of your perception, impression and
attitude in life.” If you can look at old problems in new and different ways, perhaps change your perspective, would this not alter the
way you feel, think and act in life?
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What John F. Demartini, DC, the creator of
the quantum collapse process, has constructed
is a practical way to make use of this ancient
wisdom. Through a series of pre-determined
questions, participants of the process discover the underlying hidden order governing their apparent daily chaos. It literally
can transform their perception of any
stressful event or conflict into deeper
understanding, wisdom and purpose in
their lives. Participants are liberated from
negative emotions and re-connected to what
truly is important in their lives. It balances their
mental and physical reactions, opens the heart and
clears the mind. Often, remarkable transformations take
place resulting in resolution of long held problems.
This psycho-spiritual process is being taught in more than 42
countries around the world and being studied at a number of universities for its widespread applications. It is common to find participants making quantum leaps in consciousness in relatively short
periods of time. What once took weeks, months or even years can
be accomplished frequently in a matter of hours or days.
Network Spinal Analysis
Network Spinal Analysis (NSA) is a healing method on the cutting edge of health and wellness today. It was developed by Donald
Epstein, DC. It does not involve any type of massage, manipulation or
therapy. Instead, it involves very gentle contacts made to the neck
and lower spine, called network adjustments or entrainments. They
are unique because they generate greater body awareness and, as care
progresses, the body moves and stretches in ways that self-regulate
tension and body alignment. With each entrainment, people notice
their tension dropping, they breathe deeper, their nerves and body
function better and their mind gets clearer. The experience is relaxing and renewing. Over a period of time, the person develops new
strategies for experiencing life, a heightened inner connection and
new levels of wellness.
Research conducted at the University of California, Irvine,
demonstrated that people receiving NSA care reported significant
improvements in many wellness, life enjoyment and quality of life
indicators. Not only did a whopping 76% of them notice improvement in their physical symptoms, but they also could handle stress
better, were able to listen to their inner voice more effectively,
were able to enjoy life more and have their overall quality of life
enhanced. Furthermore, participants continued to improve year
after year with no apparent ceiling to the level of improvement they
could obtain.
Two distinct healing waves that develop in the spine are unique
to NSA care—the respiratory wave and the somatopsychic wave,
both of which work together to not only release tension but also
naturally change the way in which the body has been armoring itself against the world. As these waves develop it is as if the weight of
the world drops out of the person’s body. This is accompanied by
greater ease, flexibility and adaptability in body and mind. NSA is a
health and wellness specialty practiced by trained and certified chiropractors. For more information and a list of practicing chiropractors,
visit www.innateintelligence.com.
be quite remarkable. Seeing people open up, heal,
have more inner connection and express their
authentic self is truly beautiful. As they conExercise can
nect to their inner truth they simply become
more magnetic and attractive to others.
provide an
English poet John Keats writes “Beauty
is truth, truth beauty—that is all ye know
effective means
on earth, and all ye need to know.” In
other
words, what makes you beautiful is
of reducing
the expression of your inner truth—that
is all you need to know.
stress.
There literally are thousands of ways to
re-connect, refresh and rejuvenate from the
daily stress of life. The ones described are just
scratching the surface of what’s out there. No matter which method or combination of methods you choose,
just know that there is a natural beauty within each one of you. By
finding that inner connection, that still place inside, that source of
energy and inspiration that is uniquely you, and allowing it to shine
through, you are naturally—and outwardly—beautiful, too. ■
References
Blanks HI, Schuster TL and Dobson M, A retrospective assessment of network care
using a survey of self-rated health, wellness and quality of life. Jrnl of Vertebral Subluxation;
1 (4):11–27
Burton Goldberg Group, Alternative Medicine, Future Medicine Publishing, Inc. 97–99;
110–111; 469–470; 422–424; 339–341 (1995)
Demartini J, The Breakthrough Experience, California: May House Inc. 161–84
Dent JM, Epictetus, The Discourses, London, 35 (1995)
Dyer W, Wisdom of the Ages. New York: Harper-Collins Publishers, 83 (1998)
Hutchins RM, ed, Great Books of the Western World. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. vol 53,
William James, Chicago: The University of Chicago (1989)
Maslow A, Toward a Psychology of Being, second edition, New York: Litton Educational
Publishing, Inc. 190 (1968)
Selye H, The Stress of Life, rev ed, New York: Mc Graw-Hill (1978)
Wade J, Changes of Mind, State University of New York (1996)
Wilber K, A Theory of Everything, first edition, Boston, MA: Shambhala Publications, Inc.
6–16 (2000)
Improving inner connections
The transformation in people using these and other methods can
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