You are the Ultimate Guru

Whether we experience headaches, insomnia, excess weight, skin issues, or any other imbalance in the body, we can tap into the health guru that lies within to heal ourselves. 

Our physical issues are the result of something we have been doing, exposing ourselves to or thinking, and the body is telling us we need to change. 

So, if the body is telling us we need to change, wouldn’t it make sense that the body could tell us what needs to change and how to do it?

Most of us tend to ignore the body or reach for the quick fix to make us feel better when we’re experiencing discomfort of some sort.  We often feel like the answer is outside of us, like a missing ingredient.  We know we need to do something, but what?

When we bring awareness into our imbalance and listen to our intuition, we are guided down a path of healing. You may feel inspired to: change your diet, stop eating sugar, get more exercise, start getting to bed earlier, etc., or someone may come to you and say, “Hey, I had the same problem you have and I remedied it by…”  If an answer comes while you’re asking, pay attention, this is often the answer we tend to ignore.  Or, it may come later in the day when you’re not thinking about it. Whatever it is you’re guided to do, when you listen and take action to do it, you will find the answers. Then check in again with your inner guru to decide the next step if needed.

If you don’t feel in tune with your body, a great way to get there is with a detox.  

When we remove the layers that we have developed through food, thoughts, and environment we often feel a little clearer.  When we feel clearer, we are in a better position to feel connected.

Adi Shankara, one of the great sage philosophers of India, taught the way to self-realization was through self-knowledge.  He also taught that the vast majority of the cells in our body are derived from the food we eat, and he named the physical body “annamaya kosha”, meaning “the covering made of food”.  Therefore, food is always a good first step since it’s what the body is comprised of.  It wasn’t until the Buddha began to care for his body instead of ignoring it, that he became enlightened.

The body is always working to return to health.  

When we take care of ourselves and only eat foods that nourish us, the body will heal itself.  An easy way to do that is by moving toward an organic plant-based diet; it’s easy to digest and loaded with nature’s healing superfoods. 

Also, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) tells us that medical error is the third leading cause of death in the US.  When we take responsibility for our health and make the lifestyle changes we are guided to make, we’re not merely victims of a broken system.

Most schools of health and healing teach: “First, do no harm.”  This rule of thumb is paramount to true healing and health.  When we only look outside ourselves for the answers, we may find solutions at a great cost. Most pharmaceuticals come with a price of liver or kidney damage and other serious side effects.  They don’t guide us to the reason the issue showed up, but instead stop it from happening by blocking the body’s innate healing mechanism and introducing new toxins for the body to cope with.

When we go within and use our minds we can tap into pure consciousness, which holds unbounded wisdom.  When we use the mind as the tool that it is, rather than letting past programming or someone else make our decisions for us, we have the greatest source of power there is available to us.  Of course, there are times to seek professional help, especially when your inner guru tells you to.  Many medical professionals are capable of helping us discover what it is we need, but ultimately it comes down to us.  It’s important to ask ourselves, do we follow someone else’s advice or does something else feel more appropriate? 

Here’s how to communicate with your inner guru: 

1. Get clear about what it is you intend to heal. 
2. Bring awareness into that place in the body.
3. Ask for guidance.
4. Listen and look for guidance to come to you.
5. Take action. 
6. Repeat as necessary.  There is a process that got you where you are and it may require time to undo, the key is to bring awareness to the issue, listen for the message from your inner guru and then of course take some action. It’s best to handle the issue while it’s small; don’t wait until it’s progressed into a chronic problem.

Personally, I’ve seen this work with the flu, eczema, a herniated disk, and lymphedema.  These steps may seem too simple, but remember the mustard seed can move a mountain.  The tiny tip of a root can break a boulder.  You have within you the greatest source of power you will ever need, for you are your ultimate guru.