Memories, especially unconscious memories, can trigger stress related illness as surely as a real event.
Mosquitoes. In our house in Florida mosquitoes are a common … and unwelcome experience. My wife Eileen and I, who are usually calm, sedate, peaceful recyclers, are transformed by the presence of a single mosquito. And not in a good way.
A mosquito sighting in our house is followed by shouts of “MOSQUITO! … MOSQUITO!” … and lots of extreme athletic movements and violent hand clapping. Like something out of a Marx Brother’s movie. From zero to sixty as if someone had fired a starter’s pistol.
I’m not sure what this says about us, but it scares the hell out of our pets. And the memory of these episodes is taking a toll. Juli, our Boston Terrier, now begins to shake and cower whenever we clap our hands while watching football. We do our best to console her.
However, it’s our Golden, Daisy’s response that originally prompted this post. Daisy runs for cover, usually under the dinner table, when she hears the word ‘mosquito’ … spoken in a conversational tone. In Daisy’s presence we have to spell M-O-S-Q-U-I-T-O. No kidding. So a single memory, a word for example, that’s associated with an emotional stressor can trigger stress related responses.
When we experience significant emotional distress our bodies are programmed to remember all about it. These memories, whether it’s the sound of a voice, the time of the year, or the music that was playing in the background, all serve to provide us with a protective ‘heads up’ the next time a similar emotional threat occurs.
These buried emotional triggers, once stimulated, spur the body on to defensive action. Feelings, brain relays, and then adaptive behaviors or changes in the body … symptoms and illness.
An example would be a rise in blood sugar caused by a feeling of threat, whether it’s a real threat in the moment, or a feeling of threat triggered by the activation of a buried memory. The extra blood sugar is the body’s meaningful solution … so you can run or fight more efficiently.
This solution is provided because the biological energy and feelings that are generated in response to threat aren’t being addressed consciously. So the body provides an unconscious solution. And if this ‘feeling – brain – body’ process becomes chronic we could find ourselves with an elevated blood sugar that may not respond as well as hoped to medication or dietary changes.
Of course, emotional programming isn’t the only trigger for illness. However, it is a powerful one, and one that you can do something about. Your emotional awareness, energy medicine techniques, and Self-Regulation practices are ideal tools for addressing buried memories and supporting yourself and loved ones.
Dr. Templin offers online courses and consultations, and sees patients personally in his office in Lakeland, Florida. You can learn more about his course Bio-Energetic Focusing: A Revolutionary Medical Model for Self-Healing! here.
Steven Templin, D.O.M., Dipl. Ac., is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, specializing in MindBody Medicine. He is a certified META-Medicine Health Coach and nationally certified acupuncturist. He shares the underlying science and more importantly, the practical tools for resolving the unconscious energetic and emotional roots of illness. In his online course Bio-Energetic Focusing: A Revolutionary Medical Model for Self-Healing! he provides training in Self-Regulation skills, that include Bio-Energetic Focusing, HeartMath and Energy Psychology techniques, Energy Medicine modalities, and Gastrointestinal repair for enhanced immunity, mood, and mental clarity. Dr. Templin is in private practice in Lakeland, Florida, at the Natural Medicine Center of Lakeland.
Steve is a retired Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture Physician, and HeartMath Trauma-Sensitive Certified Practitioner with over 35 years of clinical experience in the fields of Energy Medicine, Energy Psychology, and Biofeedback. 