To continue with the article on neuropeptides, the molecules of emotion, a quote “If you devote your life to seeking revenge, first dig two graves.”
Your cells feel the way you do! Your thoughts do create your reality! What you spend your time thinking about, becomes the facts of your life. That’s why positive affirmations actually work, provided you really believe and feel them deep inside yourself (otherwise they’re just like Smartie coating only covering the surface, and not very effective). Repeating simple, positive, powerful statements to yourself, changes the frequency of the vibrations around your own neuropeptides, allowing cells to function better, your mind to find solutions to reach your goals, and your whole body-mind system to function optimally. Changing your habitual thought patterns to one of positivity and love, such as ‘ I am calm in my body, in my mind and in my emotions’, ‘I succeed’, ‘I feel calmness flowing through me’, ‘I love, accept and approve of myself just as I am’, ‘I live my truth’, ‘let go let God’, or the Sanskrit mantra, ‘om gum gana patayei namaha’ to remove energy blockages, will allow the electrons around the nucleus of your neuropeptides to send positive, feel-good vibrations of waves and particles throughout your body-mind being. These vibrations bind to your cell receptors and allow the message to go right into your physical and spiritual DNA, the genetic source of your being.
Emotions like bitterness, unresolved anger, resentment, fear and worry constantly trigger your stress response. These then become buried in ever deepening layers inside the cell memories. The layers become the physical footprints of your dream body, psyche or soul, manifesting in unhappiness, mood swings, and eventually, physical illness or chronic health problems. Once the cell memories are awakened, they can reach the conscious mind, so that you can make contact with your whole, integrated human beingness, leading to the identification of the deep issues that might play a role in the disease process. Through this, disease becomes a teacher potentially leading to important life lessons, personal and spiritual growth and healing from the inside out. The choice and free will to follow this path, is yours! You can become all you’re meant to be: successful from the inside, out!
The field of psycho-neuro-immunology (PNI) explores the links between mind and body with regard to the immune system. Since nerve supply extends to all the components of the immune system (e.g. lymph nodes, thymus gland, and spleen), the nervous system with its head office inside the brain, will necessarily influence the immune system directly. Stress and depression can suppress the activity of lymphocytes, the white blood cells that are the body’s first line of defense against cancer and invading organisms. Diseases of the immune system include HIV/aids, cancer, allergies, arthritis, infections, the auto-immune disorders such as ulcerative colitis, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, and many other conditions that are a consequence of either a under- or an over-active immune system. Cells in the immune system are responsive to all 90 neuropeptides, that are triggered by our thoughts and emotions.
Neuropeptides cause chemical changes in the body that can improve or weaken the immune system. Once immune cells receive the stress response alarm, they undergo changes and begin to produce powerful chemicals. These substances allow the cells to regulate their own growth and behavior, enlist the help of other immune cells, and direct these to the areas of invasion or other trouble spots. Studies show that the HIV virus interferes with a peptide associated with feelings of self-esteem. In one study, patients with full blown Aids, who had therapy to boost their sense of self and strengthen emotional bonds, survived statistically longer than expected.
Establishing which emotions affect which neuropeptides will be the best treatment for all modern day illnesses! This forms the basis of deeper healing work.
The whole range of human emotions are valid and worthy of your complete attention.
Become aware of your emotions, try to find out what they want to communicate to you, then choose to let the ones who don’t serve your health and wellness any longer, go.
Anger, fear, sadness, hate, resentment
Joy, contentment, courage, love
Basic sensations: pain, pleasure
Instinctual drives are very powerful, but deeply subconscious drivers of behaviour: thirst, survival, instinct, cold and hunger – the last two being especially important as deeply unconscious saboteurs in weight release efforts, as the deep need for protection and support, yearning to be loved, protected, cherished and adored. These have to be made conscious before being released.
Intangible, subjective experiences that are uniquely human: spiritual inspiration, awe, bliss. There are many dormant nerve links between the primitive limbic system where the emotional centre of the brain is, to the pre-frontal cortex where spiritual intelligence and unconditional love reside. Waking up these cross links will help us to become the spiritual, loving beings we truly are.
The final part of our exploration of the peptides, or molecules of emotion, will focus on ways to feel good.
Written by Dr Arien van der Merwe.