The concept of holistic health is ubiquitous these days. Even posters in bank windows display blissful meditators, appealing to our quest to nourish body, mind and soul. But how aware are we, really, of the influence our emotions have on our physical health?

Emotions are always experienced on a physical level. When you get excited, for example, you  can feel your heart pounding. When you're angry, a flush of heat rushes up to your head and  the muscles in your neck begin to tense.

The emotions of babies and young children are completely unedited. As we grow up, we learn to "manage" our emotions. When we experience an emotion, we tighten the muscles in the area where it arises - containing it to prevent its release into the outer world. However, when the body chronically contains unprocessed emotions, it begins to reveal them through physical symptoms.

For many, fear may lead to a tightening of the lower abdomen and pelvic floor so as not to "pee our pants," for example. Anger might be suppressed by a determined clamping of the jaw and throat so that the swoosh of anger energy gets blocked at the neck and shoulders.

If we are taught, as many of us were, that fear and anger are bad, we aim never to experience these emotions. We conquer our fear and swallow our anger. As time passes, our management techniques become automatic and we may not even be conscious of the presence of specific emotions. Yet we feel the chronic tension as symptoms-an aching lower back, urinary dysfunction, neck, shoulder and jaw tension, a lump in the throat, the grinding of teeth, and so on. The list of symptoms potentially related to emotions is extensive.

If your physical symptoms are chronic, mysterious and stubborn, it's likely there are some emotions bound up with them. Exploring the physical can help us get in touch with unconscious emotions. Shining the light of consciousness on these feelings can in turn help  alleviate physical conditions. There are several health modalities that work with the mindbody-spirit connection, including bodywork, energy medicine, body-oriented psychotherapies, herbs, flower essences, yoga, meditation and many others.

In my practice, I use the acupuncture meridians to work on an energetic level that bridges the physical and  the emotional. By releasing blocked energy (or chi) and redirecting it to where it is lacking, we can shift both the physical and the emotional experience. I also assist my clients with a mindful exploration of their body symptoms and the meanings behind them, and recommend herbal remedies that further promote physiological and emotional equilibrium.

For example, a woman came to see me with right ribcage pain and frequent headaches beside the eyes. She had seen her doctor, and there was nothing evident in test results. We worked with mindful body explorations, Jin Shin DoŽ acupressure and a herbal remedy. She explored some of her current frustrations.

The following week, her ribcage pain was greatly reduced, and the headaches had lessened. In subsequent treatments, the initial complaints had shifted and were no longer bothering her. We worked with whatever was present in each session, and she generally reported feeling much lighter and more joyful. She learned to tune in to her fluctuating symptoms and consequently felt healthier and happier.

Many of the above methods are valuable roadmaps, but ultimately, we humans are more complex  than a series of cause-effect correspondences. In our pursuit of holistic health, we are wise to avoid dogma and instead stay open to the mystery of life.

HANS Professional Member Tobi Panter practises integrated natural medicine at Hummingbird Holistic Healing in Vancouver, BC. (604) 732-9179 www.humholheal.com

Want to search for other articles that may interest you?

Readers of this article also enjoyed...