In Japan, every school child is taught the phrase 病気は気から, pronounced byoukiwakikara which translates to ‘Every disease starts from your emotion’, or more simply, ‘Disease is of the mind.”
This idea comes as no surprise. When I learned to teach the Japanese art of energy healing (Reiki) 20 years ago, I discovered the Japanese kanji for Reiki is 霊気 which translates to the Energy of Emotion.
Our Body Is A Creative Physical Expression of Our Consciousness
In oriental medicine, the idea of our emotional health working in partnership with our physical health is commonly appreciated.
As I’ve learned more about energy healing and consciousness over the years, I realise that our body is merely a more tangible expression of the energy of our consciousness. Therefore, it seems logical that disharmony in our minds can manifest as disharmony in our bodies.
To be clear, I’m not talking about psychosomatic illness here, although there is an obvious connection. I’m referring to physical illness present in the body.
Western medicine finally caught up to this idea in the early 2000s. For example, this research from 2008 states, “studies have shown that short-term stress boosted the immune system, but chronic stress has a significant effect on the immune system that ultimately manifest an illness. It raises catecholamine and suppressor T cells levels, which suppress the immune system.”
Learning From Japanese Culture
When I investigated this well-known Japanese phrase 病気は気から, I found a website referencing it interestingly. The suggestion is that the original meaning of this saying is the meaning of ki, qi or chi, blood, and water.
Qi, Ki, or Chi, is the word for the life-force energy that travels through the meridians and nadis (the invisible energy network) in the body. When I learned Reiki, my teacher explained that this qi sustains life. In essence, when this energy cannot freely circulate in the body, it is a trigger for illness.
This closely mirrors the Western perspective of blood. When it circulates with ease around the body, we can achieve optimum health, our organs receive energy and nutrients, and release toxins back into the bloodstream. When the blood is restricted, or organs cannot function effectively.
I wonder do ki, blood, and water relate to the energy of circulation, the blood cells, and the critical element of plasma for nutrition, detoxification, and energy exchange?
What Happens When Qi Doesn't Circulate Properly?
In traditional Japanese medicine, it is thought typical pathological conditions include depression (stagnation of qi circulation), reluctance (difficult circulation and staying up in the upper body), and the deficiency (lack of qi).
It suggests the relationship between qi and each organ is critically important for good health. In oriental medicine, the lungs take in qi from the atmosphere, the spleen takes in qi from food and the kidneys. Medically, it involves the entire genitourinary system. People are told to spend time breathing deeply daily and to eat a well-balanced diet. This is referred to as curing.
There is also a suggestion that emotional stress creates liver damage. The liver is thought of as the controller of emotions. Liver problems can impact the spleen’s ability to remove toxins taken in from food, medicine, and the environment.
Clinical Research Aims To Answer The Question "Does Disease Start From Your Emotion?"
In a 2008 study entitled “A mechanism for immune regulation by the nervous system”, led by Kazuhiro Suzuki at Osaka University, a group of researchers set out to determine whether there is any truth to the Japanese Proverb, ‘Disease starts in the mind.’ In simple terms, they discovered the answer is “Yes”.
Collectively, the group revealed “a molecular mechanism by which adrenergic nerves control lymphocyte dynamics in homeostatic and pathological conditions. This study implies how stress or emotional changes are reflected on immune functions through adrenergic nerves and provides a rationale for developing therapeutic strategies for immune disorders that control stress responses.”
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It’s easy to appreciate how the 5 Reiki Principles developed by Dr Mikao Usui in the early 20th century offer a foundation for optimum health.
Watch the video and try it, just for today. If you’re interested in learning Reiki healing please do get in touch with me by email at sarah@sarahmerron.com.
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