Searching For Truth: A Blog by Sherri Smith
It is said we have between 50,000-70,000 thoughts per day; many of them recurring and of a negative thread. What exactly happens when we think though?
Our bodies are composed of 37 trillion cells and each is vigilant in responding to the mother board of the body; the mind. These cells cannot see on the external, they rely on the messages sent from the brain for there function. They are there to serve us, so if we are thinking something fearful like ‘what if…..happens’ the body responds in action, preparing for the perceived assault. There are a cascade of changes that occur; muscles engage, blood thickens, adrenals manufacture cortisol, heart rate increases and intestines slow down. The environment we exist in has an incredibly stimulating effect on our minds and an exhausting effect on our bodies. To allow the body greater ease and longevity, we need to quiet our mind. Easily said tho….
What we first need to consider is in how we can better manage our environment. First there is the actual function of the brain to balance. If our digestion is compromised, the vagus nerve that connects the gut to the brain cannot sip the necessary nutrients through it like a straw to support optimal brain function. Having a naturopath assist you in healing will affect your attitude and perspective as the mind is better nourished. As we feel greater balance here, we are better able to manage the daily tasks with ease and flow. On perspective; if we begin our day with gratitude it can set the pace for the day. I once spoke with a man about how he maintained balance in his life. He answered “I balance with prayer”. He did not have a particular faith, but each morning before his feet hit the floor he would see himself moving through his day with ease. He would bless the traffic on his way to work (he lived in DC so that was a big hurdle) and then bless his boss whom he said was quite challenging on the best of days, bless his food for the greatest nutritional impact and bless his home for all the comfort it provided him. In doing this, it changed his approach to the traffic and his boss and filled his heart with gratitude when he arrived back home and ate his dinner. Already that lessens the load of processing the body has to do to respond to the call of danger. Decluttering our homes and living simply have a profound effect on our level of peace.
Many thoughts are repetitive and damaging to our psyches. It could be a deep seated belief we have acquired through life experiences or something we have been taught that does not serve our soul.Thought patterns are not only engrained in our neuropathways but also in the physiology of the body. If we are in fear, it manifests itself in tension through the jaw, the gut, the shoulders or even the buttocks. We clench. When a region of the body is constricted or blocked, it impedes the flow of nutrients and creates stagnation and inflammation. The story continues until we have manifested disease. The beauty of primordial movement, yoga and unscripted dance is that it unlocks the body on the deepest levels. In order to allow healthy new thoughts to become embodied, we must first clear the pathway of the old.
Meditation is a household word now but so many struggle with it and few have a continuous practice. It does not have to be a formal practice. Simply walking quietly in nature can begin the process of emptying the mind or shifting perspective. Staring at a fire or candle can pull tensions and anger from the depths of the body. Sitting listening to many of the meditation CD’s out there will begin to empower you with harnessing the control of the mind, each time it strays off to venture into another thought, you become aware and bring it back to the moment. Or simply staring at a blank wall, or with your eyes closed and witness the mind and its chatter. Awareness is the first step towards change. When we recognize the train wreck of thoughts we are processing, we can introduce ways to slow this process down and then shift the quality of the thought from a negative thread to a positive and affirming one.
We can rewrite our story, transform our identity and shift our consciousness…it all starts with our thoughts. Shape-shifting into a new narrative allows us to redefine the past and create a bright and desirable future. Thoughts become us. As we begin to take responsibility for being the authors of our own stories, we can also see that it gives us the power to change our future and our now.
Sherri Smith from A State of Bliss has trained extensively and globally with ancient modalities and traditions to combine the wisdom these teachings into her own unique therapies. We are deeply connected to the natural world and many of the ills of society today are a result of our separation from this. Sherri's commitment to her own journey keep her immersed in teachings, experiences and advancement, in turn providing rich and rare content to her offerings. There is a yearning within each of us to live a greater life. Discover your power, your gifts and your truths.