The Body/Mind/Spirit Concept
The body, mind, and spirit are fully integrated and are constantly engaging in
a dynamic exchange. Our wellness depends upon all factors--the emotional,
mental, physical, and spiritual aspects of ourselves.
Over the years, the nature of health care has been shifting dramatically.
More and more attention is being given to alternative therapies and holistic views
of wellness. These views, often based on ancient approaches to understanding
disease and body healing, regard illness as highly linked to the perspective of
the human spirit, or the body's life-force energy. For example, what part
does consciousness play in the creation of disease? What role does stress
and our attitudes toward life play in who becomes sick and who stays well?
A new model of wellness that can be termed "energy medicine" is a synthesis of
the best of ancient healing theories combined with new discoveries in the treatment
of illness. From an energy medicine viewpoint, the human body is composed
of different kinds of vibrating energy and is a dynamic energy system of body, mind,
and spirit. While we know that our cells are fed by various nutrients derived
from the food that we eat and the oxygen we breathe, our cells are also fed by our
life-force energy. The energy system feeding our cells is affected by different
factors, such as our emotions, our relationship to ourselves, and our ability to
connect with others in relationship. The energy medicine view holds that our
consciousness is a kind of energy itself, not limited to our brain and heart, but
an integral aspect of our body, mind, and spirit.
Theories of energy medicine also hold that our reactions to life are recorded
in seven primary centers of energy in our body, known as the "chakras." These
chakras, or spinning wheels of energy and light, help to nourish our cells and organs.
In the energetic view of health, we possess bodies that are part of our whole energetic
being whose disease may be healed not just by surgery and traditional Western options
of treatment, but also by treatments that enhance and alter the body's energy patterns,
particularly in the chakras.
The body's health is also related to the meridians on the body, or energy pathways,
that are related to the body's organs. According to theories of traditional
Chinese medicine, illness may result from an imbalance in the flow of energy through
the meridians to the body's organs.
Treatments based on energy medicine, then, work with the body as a dynamic system
of energy. The body is not just the housing for the psyche. The body
and the psyche, according to many theorists, are one. Therefore, working with the
body is a powerful way to encounter the psyche.
Cynthia Bischoff is trained in breathwork, acupressure, Reiki, and bio-energy.
Click on the links at the top of this page to discover more about these treatment
options. Or call Cynthia at 625-6103 or e-mail at
heartliving@cox.net to discuss your situation
and goals and treatment options that may best serve you.
Cynthia's Background
Cynthia Bischoff
is a shaman, trained through the Michael
Harner National Foundation of Shamanic Studies. She has received extensive
advanced shamanic training through Dana Robinson, Shamanic Healer. Cynthia
is a also a Reiki Master trained in the Usui Shiki Ryoho method. In terms
of lineage, she holds a position of being “third from Master Takata” who westernized
Reiki in the U.S.
Cynthia is a life coach and certified
hypnotherapist who also holds an advanced certification in Breathwork from the School
of Spiritual Psychology. She holds additional certificates in varied alternative
therapies: a certificate of completion of 105 hours in Acupressure from the
Cayce/Reilly School; advanced certificate of training in Bio-Energy from Mietek
Wirkus; and a Medical Intuition Training Certificate from Caroline Myss, Ph.D.,
and Norm Shealy, M.D.
She is the developer of Leading from the Heart women’s and men's programs
and has worked with hundreds of individuals to find balance in their lives both
through coaching, workshops, and individual bodywork. Her passion is to assist
others in their transformation process.
Quotes related to the body
and healing...
"Feelings are composed of energy and occur in the body. When the energy gets
stuck in the body, in the chakras or energy centers, we experience emotional and
physical problems. Working with the body can be instrumental in loosening the stuck
energy and quieting the self-rejection of the mind. If you are working on integrating
your life, you will want to set aside time for incorporating breath and body work.
. . . [Bodywork] can be very instrumental in bringing about integration."
—John Ruskan, Emotional Clearing
"Your body houses your life experiences. Many of your emotions--from euphoria
to sadness--are held tightly in the recesses of your muscles and bones. . . . Tapping
into the wisdom your body holds will keep you keenly aware of the world around you
every moment of every day and help you use what your body already knows to lead
a healthier, happier life." —Renee Welfeld, Your Body's
Wisdom
