My training as a Homeopath and experience since, has confirmed eastern medicines belief that our bodies are made up of four parts—physical, emotional, mental and spiritual and that ideally, we would look to find balance and health in each of these 4 parts. Homoeopathy sees true health as balance of the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual bodies, where the entire body operates in a united and efficient way, allowing us to respond and adapt to our environment.
It’s a difficult concept for many to grasp, not least when physical symptoms are linked to something that has happened on an emotional level, but hopefully the following will offer an explanation that helps us understand the importance of looking after our body as a whole.
Physical Body
What it is: Just as it sounds, literally everything that makes up the physical form. We know when our physical body is happy or not, because the signs are generally visible and recognizable. Western medicine places a lot of emphasis on this body and aims to relieve any pain or discomfort.
How the physical body behaves when balanced: We feel well and healthy, and free of pain, toxicity, and physical illness.
Symptoms that the physical body is out of balance include: Organ function is affected, there are issues with absorption and elimination, and a feeling of tightness, heaviness, and stress on our physical frame.
Emotional Body
What it is: The nervous and hormonal systems, our sense of touch, it is the connection between the physical and the mental, and where our experience of the world is interpreted. It represents our feelings and relationship to all things and how we react, interpret, and respond to this.
How the emotional body behaves when balanced: In a nutshell, we feel emotionally balanced and have a cup half full attitude. Hormones such as Cortisol, insulin, oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone will be more balanced and blood sugar is more regulated, the heart beat is even and blood pressure balanced.
Symptoms that the emotional body is out of balanced: There is a lot of fear, anxiety, overthinking and self-doubt. Sleep can be a problem from emotional stress and we feel out of balance, which can then go on to show as an imbalance in the hormonal system.
Mental Body
What it is: Our thoughts, attitudes and how we perceive our worth and value in the world. It is all things intellectual, including analytical thought, how we process information, and how we learn.
How the mental body behaves when balanced: We see with clarity and there is ease with communication and thought processes, with the ability to solve emotional or physical issues in a direct and positive way.
Symptoms of an out of balanced mental body: Confusion, brain fog, lethargy, lack of purpose, doubt, low esteem and low self-worth. In the other extreme there may be signs of being in overdrive, other thinking and doing too much or too much ego centric qualities.
Spiritual Body
What it is: Connection to all things, including the self. It connects us to all that is. it is more the thought that no one and no situation stands alone, and that we are all connected.
How the spiritual body behaves when balanced: there is a sense of calm, creativity and inner strength. The spiritual body represents the balance of the other three and the idea that we are greater than the sum of our parts originates from this.
.
Symptoms of an out of balanced spiritual body: a sense of being disconnected and ignores the ability to ‘listen to their gut instinct.’ There may be an overreliance on others or a person who separates themselves from others and the responsibilities that life brings to us.
When someone sees a Homeopath, they will describe their symptoms as they see and feel them, generally this will be within the physical or emotional body. However, the Homeopath will consider the effects that come from the ripple effect of where within the 4 separate bodies the symptoms may originate from and how best to help and support the individual to find balance again. It’s not an overnight process and it can be a difficult concept to grasp, but it’s definitely worth the effort!
Comments