Researchers in the field of neuroscience have been revealing a new world in which the presumed division between mind (psyche) and body (soma) appears purely illusory. Although this psychosomatic relationship is a recent discovery in the scientific community, the mind body connection has been recognized throughout history. Applying this understanding adds a whole new dimension to the value of mindfulness. Emphasizing the importance of filtering your thoughts, the psychosomatic truth puts the power to create a healthy, joyous life back in our own hands.
Ascribed to such evolutionary thinkers as Buddha, Lao Tze, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and, most recently, Margaret Thatcher’s Father (!?), the following phrases describe the journey from thought to thing.
Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become your character.
And watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
What we think, we become.
Oscar Wilde’s classic novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, published in 1890 is a powerful tale of this psychosomatic truth. The youth and beauty of Dorian Gray is recorded in a portrait painted by the great artist Basil Hallward. Through Basil, Gray is introduced to Lord Henry Wotten who persuades him of the Hedonistic view that he must seek joy and pleasure at all costs as these joys of life are fleeting. Wotten penetrates to the depth of Dorian’s soul with his warning that, although young and beautiful now, Dorian’s face will eventually be seared by thought - old, wrinkled and ugly. Frightened by the thought, Dorian wishes that the portrait will age and fade, allowing him to remain forever young and beautiful. The wish is granted. Dorian immerses himself in the pleasures of the flesh, his appearance unchanged by his amoral existence, while his portrait visually records in the flesh the hideous nature of his life.
The body is the record keeper. It reflects the mind. Art and science converge on this point. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Boston psychiatrist and leading researcher in post-traumatic stress since the 1970s, expresses similar sentiments to the fiction of Dorian Gray in his bestseller, The Body Keeps the Score. The same is true of fellow research scientist and former medical school professer, Bruce Lipton PH.D., in his ground-breaking book, The Biology of Belief. In fact, Lipton documents cutting-edge research in the 10th anniversary edition demonstrating how genes and DNA do not determine biology. Rather, signals from outside the cell, including the energy of our thoughts, are the determinants of our physical expression.
Lipton and van der Kolk’s work contributes to the growing field of psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology which recognizes the meaningful interaction between the mind, neural function, hormones, and immune responses. Powerful stuff. In essence, each of us has the ability to transform our lives. Health and happiness are in our hands. The key is to become a steward of our thoughts.
This is where mindfulness steps into the picture. Take time each day to stop, sit still with a tall, relaxed spine, and focus your attention on your breath. As you do, you’ll find your mind is that of a crazy person, darting here and there, one random thought after another. Don’t try to push away the intrusive thoughts. Observe them. What exactly are you thinking about?
Psychosomatic understanding dates back to circa 140-180 CE. Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius said, “Your mind will be like its habitual thoughts; for the soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts.” In modern times, the average person has about 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day. 80% of those are negative, and 95% are exactly the same repetitive thoughts as the day before (National Science Foundation, 2005). Mindfulness provides a practical intervention for dealing with these “unskillful” thoughts as they arise in our awareness. The technique involves cancelling one thought with another. This can be used as the basis of your daily mindfulness practice. Like a mental gardener, cancelling one thought with another allows you to weed the garden of your consciousness and plant more improved seeds of self.
Be still and turn your attention on the inner garden of your mind. You may discover the scowling face of a colleague that you’re in conflict with at work, popping up in your mind. Psychosomatically, this weed of negativity cultivates bodily tension and bitterness of expression. Over time, your lips grow narrow and tight. Your brow furrows. To restore peace, calm and pleasant face create a body and life of the same. Don’t botox to hide your true nature, change your inner self by cancelling negative thoughts and replacing them with the opposite. Your face will mirror the change. In this case, try sending a stream of love and kindness toward your work mate. Contemplate their good qualities. This will help dissolve the mental image you were obsessing about and allow you to continue in your mindfulness practice, replacing unskillful thoughts that lead you away from the person you wish to be with skillful thoughts that serve as building blocks for the healthy and happiest version of yourself.
Thoughts become words, and words become flesh. Psychosomatic philosophy places the power to create a healthy, happy life back in our own hands. By choosing our thoughts wisely, we transform our lives, and in the process help humanity evolve to a new level of peace and understanding.