Harvard Medical School and Tufts University just published a study in which they used brain scans to confirm that it’s possible to learn to ‘like’ more wholesome foods, while losing the ‘addictive cravings’ for the less wholesome.
Brain scans have also been used to show measurable changes in the brains of experienced meditators.
The point is that you can change your brain … rather than having old programs running in your brain that control your behaviors and feelings.
Techniques from the field of Energy Psychology are something I’ve used for thirty years to support conscious change in myself and my patients.
Here’s a simple yet powerful technique for conscious change that involves intention, sensory awareness, and the breath.
- Choose something that you’d like to change. For example, you might think that less or no bread in your diet would be a good change … but would be very difficult because you ‘love’ bread.
- Become conscious or mindful. Notice how the thought of ‘no bread’ feels in your body … in your belly, your chest, your throat … notice too the thoughts that come. You can rate (1-10) the intensity of this experience. Allow all of this experience to simply bathe in your conscious awareness.
- Breathe. Breathe slowly and gently with a lot of awareness while you allow the ‘no bread’ experience to be fully allowed … not resisted. Spend 30 seconds to a minute breathing slowly.
- Shift gears. Now bring to mind a pleasing experience. Your favorite place in nature will do … and simply experience the felt dimension of that experience consciously … while you breathe slowly (30-60 seconds).
- Now … reintroduce the ‘no bread’ intention … experience how ‘all about no bread’ feels in the middle of your body and once again rate the intensity of the experience (1-10).
- If you’ve noticed a change for the better … a little or a lot … enjoy or savor the felt difference. Appreciate or be grateful for the positive change in direction.
This process is very simple … yet it takes quite a bit of practice for it to support you consistently. Learning to let go and trust consciousness to do most of the work takes a bit of practice.
The more we get out of our heads and experience directly … without judgment … the more consciousness is allowed to work more freely to support us.
Dr. Templin offers a mind-body program for addressing the underlying inflammation, toxicities, and stress-induced causes of most pain and illness. He places special emphasis on repairing adrenal and thyroid gland function naturally.
He translates emerging research in the fields of Epigenetics, Energy Psychology, and Functional Nutrition into effective practices that you can perform at home.
You can work with Dr. Templin online, or in his Lakeland, Florida office. He can be reached at 863-838-2779. You can visit his website at www.stevetemplin.com and contact him via email at drtemplin@gmail.com.
