Why is some level of inflammation being found to be at the heart of so many conditions?
Do you take time to do nothing, and be with your mind and body, just enjoying the experience? Do you only ever do it when something breaks or you get ill, and you’re forced to stop? That’s a sign that you need to spend more time pausing and just letting yourself be.
You don’t ask your body to breathe, to see, even to think (although we can direct these things). We’re really more like pilots of a ship than as totally in control as we often think we are; so much happens without our input (although the more you know yourself, the more input you get). The same is true for healing. Our bodies and minds know how to heal, given the time and space and sometimes a gentle therapeutic nudge. Giving ourselves the time and space is often the most difficult part, and with the level of stimulation and demand placed on us every day this becomes harder.
We live in a culture of inflammation. This isn’t something that’s been with us forever, although elements of it have long been part of our societies. But where we have a culture of excess, certainly in the rich world, we are used to over-stimulation, over-eating, spices, too much meat, alcohol, coffee, drugs (medical and non-medical); we expect to be able to work all day with little food, do intense exercise and not suffer any consequences. With no peace it’s no surprise our systems get revved up. You wouldn’t expect your car to keep going if you revved the engine constantly, it would burn out, yet we’re in overload everywhere; our desires and expectations lead to a depressing inability to feel fulfilled. But we can counter all of this, if we can learn to stop and see the swirling emotional and physical intensity of the inner world this creates. Stopping allows it to dissipate and a new peace to establish itself, much more powerful than the noise.
The habit of stimulating our bodies and minds are the habits often of a lifetime, and immersed in a culture that constantly prompts it, it takes time and patience to allow yourself to relax. But our bodies and minds want to heal, and anything we can do to help ourselves will eventually take effect.
So slow it down. There are many things you can do; spend more time in nature; take up meditation, yoga, tai chi, qi gong, walk, meditate and spend time in your own company, or not staring at a screen. When you learn to let go, peace can create healing, and the chances are if you are suffering with some level of inflammation, that will follow.