Most of you know what happens to children who are constantly criticized or separated from a nurturing and loving environment; they fail to thrive, finding little good in themselves or others. Like poison, the criticism kills off their self-esteem replacing it with guilt or insecurity. This poison also warps their ability to make good decisions, and all but destroys their ability to function well and live a healthy life. But what you may not know is how the cells in your body are like children.
When you tell your cells repeatedly that you cannot do anything right, or that you can’t forgive your mistakes easily, you are changing the once healthy makeup of your cells. When you insist upon punishing yourself for some misdeed earlier in your life that is simply not forgivable, or neglect to love to yourself, you are directing all that critical and negative energy deep into your cells. Poison your cells over an extended period and they too will lose their ability to function well or live a healthy life. The body begins to age, you feel tired, apathetic, and without passion. Your self-esteem crumbles, you feel guilty much of the time, and suddenly your body becomes run down and unwell.
When you focus on your shortcomings or mistakes, your thoughts are toxic and toxic thoughts will poison the mind and eventually the body. Being unforgiving or hard on yourself separates you from the love and nurturing of others, even though you need and crave it. Refusing to forgive your past misdeeds makes it difficult to hear or feel the energy of God or Higher Power. This negativity and lack of love is actually a spiritual illness that needs attention.
Self-criticism and self judgment will literally break down your cells and then your health. Physical illness is not a mystery. Sometimes it is the manifestation of a long-standing spiritual illness caused by focusing on the worst parts of yourself, and forgetting who you really are. The precursor to spiritual illness is choosing negativity and becoming separated from God, unconditional love, forgiveness, and guidance.
Why would anyone choose negativity over love? Because of pride, and insisting that your mistakes define you, or that because of your mistakes, you do not deserve a second chance, happiness, or God’s unconditional love.
What has become clear to me over the years is that these prideful declarations lead to spiritual illness, which contaminates the mind, and eventually ages and injures our cells. Even in small amounts, negativity is terribly toxic.
The great news is that you can heal your spiritual illness today. Make a different choice and send a new message to your cells. Decide to nurture, love, and honor yourself. Try smiling at yourself in the mirror. Express gratitude frequently. Accept the offerings of love and friendship that come your way. Be done with your past and focus on living in the present. Start defining yourself by who you are today, not yesterday. If you don’t like who you are, then change yourself. Find someone that you admire or respect, and emulate his or her qualities. Be who you want to be, not who you were told you were. Each new day, be someone you can be proud of.
And if you can’t take that first step, or make a new choice on your own, or if the negativity seems overwhelming and stronger than you? Then it is time to seek help from the top. This is a matter between you and God. Pray [which is simply a sincere conversation] for help in forgiving yourself. Ask for help to change—learn to respect not criticize yourself, and focus on the parts of you that you like. Pray for the strength to purge the toxicity in your thoughts and remember what it feels like to love. Move beyond your mistakes and ask for guidance in your life. Choose to be of service and help others. Ask for the knowing that you deserve to be wildly happy. Treat your spiritual illness with all the importance it truly deserves.
Remember what your negative thoughts do to your cells. Changing your thoughts will support the health of your mind, body, and spirit. Choose differently, and your life and your future will change dramatically, because like the children, your cells are listening.
---Christel
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