How to Heal Yourself When No One Else Can

by Amy B. Scher

  When I realized this, I began clearing the beliefs that made me think I had to do it all. I cleared fears about letting my clients down if I took some time off. I took a few weeks off work to focus solely on writing. By not allowing time and space for my creative expression in the way that I needed, I had been suppressing energy in my sacral (second) chakra (governing the uterus), which you will learn about in more detail later in this chapter. I also explored and cleared some resistances to being vulnerable in personal relationships. It is not something I’ve ever been naturally good at, and it was hindering me at that time in my life more than ever. The second chakra is related to feelings, so this made a lot of sense in relationship to that time in my life.

  I didn’t beat myself up. I just went through the process of exploring and clearing, knowing that when my uterus was convinced I had gotten the message, it would relax again. And it did. The heavy bleeding subsided after that. Just a few more “spiritual barnacles,” I suppose!

  Another example of how our body sends us messages comes from a friend I worked with. Amelia couldn’t move her neck in either direction more than about fifteen degrees. I asked her when it started and she said just a few years ago. Of course, I then asked her what was going on at that time in her life. She talked a lot about her brother and his wife and how she disapproved of how they were disciplining their children. Amelia didn’t have kids herself but definitely had ideas about the “right” and “wrong” ways to raise kids. The neck is a very flexible part of our body, and if we decide to be “stiff” or narrow-minded about something, our necks will often show us what’s not working in our lives, through symptoms. We did some clearing on her not being able to allow her brother to take his own direction with his children. We released her fears about him doing it “wrong,” and resistance to being flexible in her relationship with her brother’s wife. Immediately she could turn her neck to each side about thirty degrees—already a huge improvement.

  Based on that initial improvement, I knew there was more to clear, and I had another question pop into my mind. I asked her, if she wasn’t so distracted by what her brother and his wife were doing, what would she be focusing on? She immediately said, “Dancing! I used to go to dance class all the time, but my neck won’t let me now.” Together, we discovered some fears she had about getting back into her passion, which, ironically, was being reinforced by her just being too upset and in pain to do anyway (funny how that works, right?). We worked on those fears, and what do you know, she could immediately turn her head about 50 percent farther on each side! We worked from these two angles over just a couple of sessions and she regained full movement in her neck.

  Her neck pain and immobility might have been metaphors for some of these things: fear around dancing and her self-expression, an inability to be flexible in her thoughts and relationships, and the “pain in the neck” she was allowing her brother and wife to be in her life, just by them being themselves. One symptom can be sending several messages, but if you simply explore whatever comes to mind, you’ll definitely have some solid ground to work on.

  Note: It’s very important to understand something here. We are in no way denying the existence of any medical or psychological condition. We are simply looking at a much bigger, holistic picture of your body and working to address any emotional imbalances that might have contributed to the issues in the first place. We are, in essence, asking the body, “Why has this issue manifested here?” “Why has this issue manifested now?” We are trying to use the body’s language to get answers that will help you heal. Furthermore, by releasing any extra emotional “burden” from your system, even if not directly related to the condition, your body will have more energy and strength to heal itself. This process is all about doing what we can to minimize stress on the body and maximize healing potential.

  Common Clues, Messages, and Metaphors

  I remember at one point in my own healing, as I started to uncover these messages and metaphors, I thought, T he human body is so interesting. I just wish mine wasn’t quite this interesting. You might feel the same; but as best you can, just try to remember that these symptoms are massive clues that will help you heal.

  In my work with clients, I see some common patterns in terms of metaphors, messages, and clues that certain types of conditions or symptoms are connected to. It doesn’t matter what name or diagnosis your specific collection of symptoms has been given. It is much more important to look at the area being affected and the possible message behind it.

  The lists in the rest of this chapter are grouped according to chakras (a part of the subtle energy body); organs, glands, and other parts of the physical body; systems of the body; and conditions you might be experiencing. For each, I will offer examples of what metaphors your body may be using to get a message across. This is my interpretation based on intuition, personal metaphors, energetic understanding, and experience with clients. My outline will give you a variety of ideas to explore. While this is going to be hugely helpful, please do not close yourself off to coming up with even more ideas. Remain open to what messages your own body is trying to give you.

  It is sometimes helpful to look at what was happening in your life just before these messages started to show up (in the year or two before). While it is useful to pay attention to the time before the symptoms began, that period might actually represent an issue that goes back to an event even earlier in your life. For example, let’s say you were going through a divorce the year before you started having panic attacks. It may seem that your divorce is the triggering incident, but the emotional energy could be even more closely connected to when your own parents got divorced during your childhood

  If, when reading these lists, a particular metaphor resonates with you or something “random” like an old memory or person from your life pops into your head, it’s likely a big ol’ clue from your subconscious mind saying pay attention to me! Stay open to whatever is trying to come up and I promise that you’ll see opportunities where you once saw roadblocks.

  On a final note, you may see the same symptoms, body system, or concept in various places within these lists with different suggested messages. That’s because the energy may show up in more than one place and may also mean a variety of things. Just see what resonates with you and leave the rest.

  After these lists, you will find a series of questions to help you explore even further. This will get you to start thinking in terms of clues and messages and will help you have a greater understanding of what energies need to be cleared in part three. You’ll probably be referring back to this section often while working through part three, using it as a resource for new ideas and direction, so it may be a good idea to mark the page at the start of the lists so you can easily find it.

  Chakras

  Chakras are spinning energy centers in the body. There are seven major chakras throughout the body. Chakras store “old stories” and early patterns in the body. Their energies are directly tied to early childhood programming and conditioning. Each chakra governs different areas of the physical body. Energy imbalances in the chakras often show up as symptoms in the related physical area. By noticing which chakras seem to be imbalanced, and studying the chakra’s corresponding organs, glands, and muscles, you’ll likely find some new clues to work with.

  Crown (Seventh) Chakra— The crown chakra covers the top of your head down to your eyes. It symbolizes spirituality and your connection to a higher force or power. It is tied to the energy of knowing you can trust life and that you are being taken care of and guided.

  Physical Coverage: Top of the brain and pineal gland.

  Focus: Purpose in life and connection to a higher source.

  The Seven Chakras

  Third Eye or Brow (Six th) Chakra— The third eye (or brow) chakra is located directly between the eyebrows. It represents intuition, imagination, reflection, and the ability to see things for what or how they are (interpretation). This chakra is responsible for your senses, both sensory and
extrasensory perception.

  Physical Coverage: Eyes, ears, nose, pituitary gland, hypothalamus, skull, and your brain’s frontal lobe—considered the emotional control center.

  Focus: Vision and inner guidance.

  Throat (Fifth) Chakra— Located in the center of the throat, this chakra is about expression, communication, and truth, both internally and externally. It is the metabolizer of the body, metabolizing information, expression, and more. It is often regarded as the most important chakra of all because it receives information from all the other chakras and processes it, helping to create your unique expression in the world.

  Physical Coverage: Thyroid gland, throat, tonsils, mouth, and brain stem.

  Focus: Communication and expression.

  Heart (Fourth) Chakra— The heart chakra is located in the center of your chest. It is linked to love, intimacy, forgiveness, and the ability to send and receive love. This chakra is also responsible for helping you manifest your heart’s desires by sending energetic signals of them out into the world. It spins over your thymus gland, one of the most important glands for the health of your immune system. All emotional conflict can affect heart chakra energy.

  Physical Coverage: Heart, thymus gland, lungs, upper rib cage and vertebrae, shoulders, arms, and breasts.

  Focus: Love, relationships, and inner healing.

  Solar Plexus (Third) Chakra— The solar plexus chakra, located just below the sternum, governs your sense of personal power, including your personal choices and actions in the world. Its energy is tied to self-confidence, self-esteem, and the feeling of having power over your own life. It stores your judgments and opinions about yourself and the world. This chakra is closely linked to your ego and identity and how you relate to the world—who you are in it, what you desire in it, and how you can manifest those desires.

  Physical Coverage: Kidneys, liver, adrenal glands, pancreas, spleen, stomach, gallbladder, and lower rib cage.

  Focus: Personal power and positive mentality.

  Sacral (Second) Chakra— The sacral chakra is located behind the navel in the pelvis. It relates to your joy, creativity, feelings, and childlike qualities. It also represents sexuality. It’s tied closely to your stories and conditioning from childhood. This chakra also governs the energy of self-nurturing and self-healing.

  Physical Coverage: Reproductive organs, bladder, intestines, ileocecal valve (controls and regulates the flow of fecal matter in your body), pelvis, sacrum, and the lumbar region of the spine.

  Focus: Feelings, joy, and creativity.

  Root (First) Chakra— The root chakra is located at the base of the spine. It represents your feelings of safety and your primal instinct for survival. It’s connected to early childhood beliefs, money, and identity. It deals with abandonment issues, unworthiness, and feeling insecure. It also relates to financial worries at a survival level. This chakra, when healthy, keeps you feeling grounded or rooted in life. What people often describe as “anxiety” is closely linked to root chakra energy imbalance.

  Physical Coverage: Genitals, legs and feet, and base of spine.

  Focus: Safety, security, and survival.

  Organs, Glands, and Other Parts of the Body

  Adrenal Glands— Adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system and are located at the top of the kidneys. They are in charge of producing cortisol. Cortisol is an adrenal hormone, called “the stress hormone,” and modulates many of the body’s reactions to stress. The adrenals can become fatigued when a person is in a constant state of fear, always feeling on edge or like the other shoe is about to drop. Adrenal glands are dominated by the triple warmer meridian, which is responsible for the fight, flight, or freeze pattern. General stress and feeling like you need to be defended will affect the adrenals.

  Adrenal glands are also related to your ability to manage your energy in a healthy way. Being unable to say no and having fears around disappointing others will affect the adrenals. The adrenals can be suppressed by feeling undeserving and feeling lost in relationship to what direction to take in life. Weakened adrenals can be linked to despair and feelings of “what’s the point?”

  Weakened adrenal glands can show up as problems with the left knee or low back. What people refer to as “anxiety” can be closely related to imbalances of the adrenal glands. Because adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system, their energies and imbalances can affect the thyroid and the reproductive system as well.

  Tip: Refer to the solar plexus (third) and root (first) chakras for more.

  Arms and Hands— Arms and hands can be metaphors for carrying too much for others, feeling like your hands are tied in a particular situation, like things are too much or too hot to handle, fear about letting go, holding on too tightly, grasping at straws, difficulty giving and receiving, feeling like you are holding everything together on your own, and fear about things being out of your hands.

  Tip: Refer to the heart (fourth) chakra for more.

  Back— Energy affecting your back can be showing you patterns of carrying everything on your back, being unable to stand up for yourself, being stabbed in the back, being afraid to turn your back, turning your back on someone (guilt), turning your back to something scary, living in the past (feeling like it’s behind you or following you), wishing you could go back and change something, being afraid that your past (all that stuff “back there”) will catch up with you, being unable to back away from a situation, feeling scared to stand up for yourself, and having no backbone with others.

  The lower back (root chakra) is usually linked to survival energy, such as family, personal safety, finances/money, and early childhood; the mid-back (solar plexus chakra) is often associated with guilt; and the upper back (heart chakra) may be a metaphor for feeling unsupported.

  Imbalanced kidneys can also lead to back pain (particularly low and middle), so it’s worth looking at aspects of fear, the primary emotion of the kidneys. Additionally, back discomfort can be connected to the bladder, reproductive organs, small intestine, and large intestine (colon).

  Tip: Refer to the root (first) chakra, solar plexus (third) chakra, and heart (fourth) chakra for more.

  Bladder— Bladder issues are often linked to fear and nervousness, being pissed off, or feeling insecure and unsure (wishy-washy). The bladder is connected to the nervous system, energetically. If the nervous system is imbalanced due to stress reactions, it can greatly affect the bladder (a “nervous bladder”). Always feeling on edge or on the fence about something can also irritate the bladder. Situations where we are constantly planning on how to approach someone or something can keep us suspended in nervousness. Imbalances in bladder energy can show up in the lower back, knees, and feet.

  Tip: Refer to the sacral (second) chakra for more.

  Brain/Head— Metaphors for this area can be linked to feeling dizzy with anger or fear, being hot-headed, spinning with confusion, feeling like your world has been rocked, feeling overwhelmed, being unable to clear your head, being a headstrong person, being overwhelmed, being clouded, feeling like you can’t stop thinking about something or can’t get your head around something. Are you “doing your head in” by ruminating over the same worry or thought?

  Your head is also linked to feeling connected to a higher source (God, the universe, the Divine) and your spiritual self. Not being able to trust life’s flow can create physical symptoms in this area.

  Self-criticism and over-thinking are also messages sent by symptoms in the head. Migraines are a common sign of being too hard on oneself.

  Headaches and dizziness are associated with the liver meridian’s energy, so looking at emotions that affect the liver may also be helpful. These are anger (self-directed or otherwise), resentment, bitterness, and frustration. Sometimes headaches can be linked to sexual fears and experiences or criticism.

  Dizziness is linked to the nervous system energetically, which is governed by the bladder meridian. As I mentioned when discussing the bladder, that energy can be linked
to nervousness, anger, feeling insecure, and more.

  Tip: Refer to the crown (seventh) chakra for more.

  Breasts— Messages that show up in the breasts most often relate to self-nurturing. This might be a message that you are ignoring your own needs. Symptoms in the breasts are often indicators of an inability to turn inward and take care of yourself first. The stomach meridian, or energy pathway, runs directly through the breasts. Because the emotion of worry is linked to the stomach meridian, energy around worry is something to pay attention to.

  Because of their location, breasts can be affected by anything that is unresolved in the lungs and heart, including unprocessed grief, inner conflict, and relationships about which you don’t have a feeling of inner peace.

  Tip: Refer to the heart (fourth) chakra for more.

  Cheeks/Sinuses— Sinus issues can be messages of being congested with old ideas, irritation, or old grief (unreleased tears and snot) or being “stuffed” full of worry. This can also be about feeling stuck in life, without the movement and flow you desire.

  The sinuses are connected energetically to your stomach, which relates to the emotion of worry. Many people who have sinus issues also have stomach challenges, and vice versa.

  Tip: Refer to the third eye (sixth) chakra for more.

  Chest and Lungs— Symptoms that show up in the chest might have the message of carrying a burden on your chest, having a heavy heart, fear of having an open heart, being in a suffocating situation, or being unable to get something off your chest. (As you can see, many of these are heart-related matters.)

  Energy imbalances in the chest area are often linked to energies such as heaviness, grief, depression, rejection, and confusion.

  Tip: Refer to the heart (fourth) chakra for more.

  Ears— Ears can be offering metaphors for not being willing or able to hear the truth, listen to yourself, or listen to others; being hurt by the words of another; or being overly sensitive to what others say in general.