somatic healing

The Body Remembers: How the Mind and Body Speak the Same Language

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Body, Soul and Spirit: Ley Mboramwe

“The body is the unconscious mind.” — Joe Dispenza, You Are the Placebo

Have you ever noticed how the body speaks when the mind has been silent too long?

  • The tightness in your chest after an argument.
  • The knot in your stomach when you dread a hard decision.
  • The headache that appears after a day of endless scrolling.

These aren’t random symptoms—they are messages.

For centuries, wisdom traditions have told us the body and mind are one. Today, modern science is catching up. Neuroscience, psychoneuroimmunology, and addiction research show us that our thoughts and feelings don’t just stay in the mind. They become chemistry. They become biology. They shape immunity, hormones, and even the way our DNA expresses itself.

As Dispenza (2014) reminds us, the body stores thought-feeling cycles so deeply that they become states of being. Entire scientific fields now measure how belief and emotion sculpt the body’s health.

The Science of Mind-Body Communication

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) studies how the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems dance together with our psychological states.

It began in the 1970s when Robert Ader discovered that immune responses could be conditioned just like Pavlov’s dogs (Ader, 2007). That single discovery shifted medicine: the immune system is not just biochemical—it listens to the brain and emotions.

Since then, research has confirmed what many already intuited:

  • Stress makes us sick. In a classic study, Cohen, Tyrrell, and Smith (1991) exposed healthy volunteers to the common cold virus. Those under high stress were far more likely to develop symptoms.
  • Depression fuels inflammation. Raison and Miller (2013) showed that depression correlates with higher levels of inflammatory markers like interleukin-6. Despair literally burns through the body.
  • Mindfulness heals. Black and Slavich (2016) found that meditation practices reduce inflammatory biomarkers and boost immune resilience. Simply changing thought patterns changes the body’s defenses.

Your immune system isn’t just protecting you from germs—it’s reflecting your inner world.

Fear, anger, and grief weaken it. Calm, hope, and love strengthen it.

Addictions: When Loops Take Over

What happens when emotions and behaviors become chronic cycles?

This is the story of addiction, and here the body’s voice becomes even clearer. Dispenza (2014) describes addictions as “neurochemical feedback loops.” Each time we repeat a thought or behavior, the body becomes more familiar with the feeling it produces. Over time, the body begins to crave that chemical state, even if it’s destructive. The addiction becomes a state of being.

Science confirms this:

  • Alcohol suppresses immunity and increases inflammation, leaving the body more vulnerable (Cook, 1998).
  • Pornography and social media flood the brain with dopamine, rewiring reward pathways (Kuhn & Gallinat, 2014). No wonder eye strain, headaches, and emotional numbness often accompany compulsive screen use.
  • Workaholism and over-responsibility elevate cortisol, creating chronic back pain, tight shoulders, and fatigue—the body literally “carrying the weight” of emotional burdens (Bair et al., 2003).
  • Comfort eating under stress creates abdominal fat and insulin resistance—the body “swallowing” emotions the mind refuses to face (Dallman, Pecoraro, & la Fleur, 2003).

Addictions aren’t failures of willpower. They are the body crying out in its own language: “Something in your inner world needs attention.”

The Body’s Metaphors: When Symptoms Speak

The body is a storyteller. When emotions go unacknowledged, the body often steps in to carry the message. Symptoms are not random misfires of biology; they are metaphors that reveal what the psyche is holding.

Eyes – Seeing Too Much or Refusing to See

Excessive screen use, pornography, or overstimulation often coincides with eye strain, headaches, and even deteriorating vision. Research links compulsive visual behaviors to altered brain structure in regions tied to visual processing and reward circuitry (Kuhn & Gallinat, 2014).
Metaphor: “What am I consuming that I cannot truly look at?”

Throat – Swallowing Words

Persistent throat issues often reveal unspoken truths. Stress weakens mucosal immunity, leaving the throat vulnerable (Cohen et al., 1991).
Metaphor: “What words am I holding back?”

Back and Shoulders – Carrying the Weight

Chronic stress tightens muscles, especially in the shoulders and lower back (Bair et al., 2003).
Metaphor: “What burdens am I carrying that are not mine to hold?”

Hands – Doing Too Much or Refusing to Receive

  • The dominant hand, our hand of action, may ache when we are overburdened or over-controlling (Atroshi et al., 1999).
  • The non-dominant hand, symbolic of receptivity, may hurt when we resist help (Newport & Tanner, 1999).
    Metaphor: “Where am I struggling with giving and receiving?”

Stomach and Digestion – Difficulty Digesting Life

Stress disrupts the gut-brain axis, leading to IBS and other disorders (Mayer, 2011).
Metaphor: “What situation can I not stomach?”

Skin – Boundaries and Exposure

Skin conditions worsen under stress (Arck, Slominski, Theoharides, Peters, & Paus, 2006).
Metaphor: “Where do I feel exposed or unprotected?”

Chest and Heart – Grief and Closing Off

Loneliness and grief are as dangerous to health as smoking (Holt-Lunstad, Smith, & Layton, 2010).
Metaphor: “What grief have I not allowed myself to feel?”

Immune System – Defenses Worn Thin

Chronic stress lowers immunity (Irwin & Cole, 2011).
Metaphor: “Where in life am I overexposed and undefended?”

A Philosopher Who Knew: Spinoza

Centuries before psychoneuroimmunology, Baruch Spinoza (1632–1677) argued that mind and body were not separate things. In Ethics (1677/1994), he rejected Descartes’ dualism. Instead, he claimed there is only one substance—God or Nature—and mind and body are just two ways of experiencing it.

Spinoza’s words remain startlingly modern: “The order and connection of ideas is the same as the order and connection of things” (Ethics, II, Prop. 7).

He defined emotions as bodily changes that either enhance or diminish our power to act (Ethics, III). For him, understanding our emotions was not about guilt or judgment, but about freedom. When we understand what drives us, we stop being passive victims of emotions and start becoming active creators of our health and destiny.

Spinoza saw clearly what modern neuroscience affirms: emotional clarity increases vitality. Confusion breeds suffering. Healing comes through integration, not separation.

Living the Connection

Understanding the mind-body connection is one thing. Living it is another. Awareness only becomes transformation when we take what the body is saying and respond with intention.

1. Listen to Symptoms as Signals, Not Malfunctions

  • Example: Maria’s migraines arrived every Monday before stressful meetings. Her body was signaling overwhelm.
  • Practice: Ask, “If this symptom could speak, what would it say?” Write the first words that arise.

2. Interrupt Addiction Loops by Changing Inner State

  • Example: James scrolled late at night, seeking numbing. His eyes ached, and his sleep suffered.
  • Practice: Pause before the addictive behavior. Take three breaths, imagine the feeling you seek (calm, excitement, connection), and ask, “What healthier action could give me this now?”

3. Practice Mind-Body Interventions to Reset Your Systems

  • Example: Aisha, a caregiver, kept getting sick. A daily 10-minute meditation restored her resilience (Black & Slavich, 2016).
  • Practice: Sit quietly, hand on chest and stomach. Inhale 4 counts, exhale 6. Imagine your breath sweeping tension away.

4. Honor the Body’s Metaphors with Gentle Action

  • Example: Lena’s back pain reflected financial burdens she was carrying alone. Sharing responsibility eased her pain.
  • Practice: Choose one symptom and ask: “What is this telling me?” Then take one gentle step to honor it—like saying “no,” journaling, or asking for help.

5. Follow Spinoza’s Invitation: From Passive to Active

  • Example: Daniel’s anxiety eased when he named its source—financial insecurity—and took steps toward clarity.
  • Practice: Ask, “Where is this emotion coming from, and what does it want me to understand?” Then choose one action that expands your freedom to act.

Integration

Living the connection is about shifting from ignoring the body to partnering with it. Each ache, craving, or illness is not just a malfunction but a messenger. When we pause, listen, and respond with awareness, the body and mind begin to align.

As Dispenza (2014) reminds us, “You are the placebo.” And as Spinoza (1677/1994) insisted, mind and body are one expression of the same truth. Healing begins when we learn to translate the language of the body into meaningful action.

References

Ader, R. (2007). Psychoneuroimmunology (4th ed.). Academic Press.
Arck, P., Slominski, A., Theoharides, T. C., Peters, E. M., & Paus, R. (2006). Neuroimmunology of stress: Skin takes center stage. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 126(8), 1697–1704. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jid.5700104
Atroshi, I., Gummesson, C., Johnsson, R., Ornstein, E., Ranstam, J., & Rosén, I. (1999). Prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome in a general population. JAMA, 282(2), 153–158. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.282.2.153
Bair, M. J., Wu, J., Damush, T. M., Sutherland, J. M., & Kroenke, K. (2003). Association of depression and anxiety alone and in combination with chronic musculoskeletal pain in primary care patients. Psychosomatic Medicine, 65(5), 772–781. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.PSY.0000088596.92653.49
Black, D. S., & Slavich, G. M. (2016). Mindfulness meditation and the immune system: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1373(1), 13–24. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.12998
Cohen, S., Tyrrell, D. A., & Smith, A. P. (1991). Psychological stress and susceptibility to the common cold. The New England Journal of Medicine, 325(9), 606–612. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199108293250903
Cook, R. T. (1998). Alcohol abuse, alcoholism, and damage to the immune system—A review. Alcohol Health & Research World, 22(1), 47–52.
Dallman, M. F., Pecoraro, N. C., & la Fleur, S. E. (2003). Chronic stress and comfort foods: Self-medication and abdominal obesity. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 17(4), 223–233. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0889-1591(03)00032-9
Dispenza, J. (2014). You are the placebo: Making your mind matter. Hay House, Inc.
Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., & Layton, J. B. (2010). Social relationships and mortality risk: A meta-analytic review. PLoS Medicine, 7(7), e1000316. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316
Irwin, M. R., & Cole, S. W. (2011). Reciprocal regulation of the neural and innate immune systems. Nature Reviews Immunology, 11(9), 625–632. https://doi.org/10.1038/nri3042
Kuhn, S., & Gallinat, J. (2014). Brain structure and functional connectivity associated with pornography consumption: The brain on porn. JAMA Psychiatry, 71(7), 827–834. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.93
Mayer, E. A. (2011). Gut feelings: The emerging biology of gut–brain communication. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 12(8), 453–466. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3071
Newport, M. L., & Tanner, S. M. (1999). Functional impact of hand injuries: A review. Journal of Hand Therapy, 12(2), 99–107. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0894-1130(99)80045-7
Raison, C. L., & Miller, A. H. (2013). The evolutionary significance of depression in pathogen host defense (the pathogen host defense hypothesis). Molecular Psychiatry, 18(1), 15–37. https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2012.2
Spinoza, B. (1994). Ethics (E. Curley, Trans.). Princeton University Press. (Original work published 1677)

Dreams as Messengers: What Nighttime Narratives Reveal About Your Inner Life

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Dream Time by Uttam Bhattacharya

What if the bizarre, vivid, or even distressing dreams you experience weren’t random at all—but were instead meaningful messengers, surfacing from the depths of your subconscious to guide, warn, or reveal? Across psychology, spirituality, and philosophy, dreams have long been viewed as more than nighttime entertainment—they are tools of insight, healing, and revelation.

The Brain’s Way of Working Things Out

From a neurological perspective, dreams are not aimless. Research suggests that during REM sleep, our brains continue to solve problems, regulate emotions, and consolidate memory. According to Carl Jung, dreams are a natural expression of the unconscious—the psyche’s effort to bring balance and understanding through symbolic communication. We might not be consciously aware of a dilemma, but our brains often are, and dreams are one of the ways our minds nudge us toward resolution.

That frustrating dream of being chased, failing an exam, or missing a flight? It may not be about the literal content at all, but a metaphor for stress, decision paralysis, or fear of failure that’s surfacing because your conscious mind is too overwhelmed or too distracted to process it during waking hours.

Messages in a Bottle: Montague Ullman’s Theory of Dreams

Montague Ullman (1916–2008) was a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst best known for his groundbreaking work in dream theory and group dreamwork. Ullman believed dreams were not merely products of the id or subconscious discharge but communicative acts—messages in a bottle sent from the self to the self. According to Ullman, dreams function as internal mail, offering emotional truth that bypasses our intellectual defenses.

He championed the idea that dream interpretation should be democratic and community-based. Through dream-sharing groups, Ullman emphasized the value of collective wisdom in decoding dreams. Rather than pathologizing or medicalizing them, he invited people to explore their dreams with curiosity and emotional honesty, viewing each dream as a meaningful commentary on one’s lived experience.

The Recurring Dream Loop

When dreams repeat—whether it’s being trapped, falling, or teeth crumbling—they’re like a psychological ping that something still needs attention. Recurring dreams often indicate unresolved conflict, trauma, or patterns that have yet to be integrated or addressed.

The 20th-century French philosopher Gaston Bachelard explored the poetic and recurring nature of dreams in The Poetics of Reverie. He believed dreams, especially recurring ones, served as invitations to revisit emotional truths hidden beneath surface awareness. Bachelard wrote that dreams are not only echoes of our past, but “images that ask to be born anew in consciousness.”

Processing a recurring dream involves journaling, emotional reflection, and noticing patterns across time. Ask yourself:

  • What emotions am I resisting in waking life?
  • What is the underlying fear or longing behind this dream?
  • Has anything about the dream changed since I last had it?

Bringing awareness to the dream’s emotional tone and symbolic content often softens its repetition. Recurring dreams rarely stop because we analyze them—they stop because we integrate what they’re trying to teach us.

Prophetic Dreams and the Role of Intuition

Some dreams seem to tap into something beyond time—an intuitive awareness of what is happening beneath the surface or even what is to come. This isn’t always about clairvoyance but rather the emergence of information not yet processed consciously.

Heart-based research supports the idea that the body—especially the heart—is a seat of intuitive knowing. According to the HeartMath Institute, the heart has its own intrinsic nervous system, sometimes called the “heart-brain,” which processes information independently of the cerebral brain. Studies have shown the heart responds to stimuli seconds before they appear, suggesting a form of intuitive foresight. In this sense, prophetic dreams may reflect the heart’s ability to sense subtle energy shifts in our relationships, environments, or health long before our conscious minds register them.

Trauma Revisited in the Dream Space

Unresolved trauma often finds its way into dreams, especially when waking life begins to feel safe enough to explore it. A woman who was cheated on may dream repeatedly of her spouse in new affairs, not because it’s happening again, but because her psyche is still trying to make sense of the betrayal, the loss of trust, and the fracturing of her identity.

Conversely, a man who has cheated and lost his wife as a result may experience nightmares of abandonment, rage, or seeing his family torn apart. These dreams aren’t about punishment but are a manifestation of unprocessed grief, shame, and guilt. The dream becomes a mirror—reflecting both what happened and what the dreamer still carries inside.

This scenario can also give rise to complex, layered dreams in which multiple timelines play out—alternate lives where the betrayal never happened, or where healing was possible. These parallel dream-worlds may point to the emotional ambivalence within the dreamer: regret, longing, and the wish to undo what cannot be undone.

Philosopher Søren Kierkegaard explored such internal conflict in relation to despair and the multiplicity of the self. He argued that part of being human is reconciling these opposing inner states—hope and regret, freedom and consequence. Dreams allow for this reconciliation to happen symbolically, playing out what the conscious mind cannot resolve.

Dreams in Addiction Recovery: Including Sexual Addiction

Freud famously interpreted dreams as wish fulfillment—a way for the unconscious to safely act out desires that the waking ego represses. In addiction recovery, dreams about using substances may reflect lingering cravings or guilt around past behaviors. But they are not signs of relapse. They are the psyche detoxing its internal landscape.

Carl Jung, in contrast, viewed dreams as part of the individuation process—a symbolic roadmap for the integration of the self. Jung would likely view dreams of relapse or destructive behaviors not as shameful, but as the unconscious presenting the shadow self, asking for attention, compassion, and transformation.

In recovery from sexual addiction, dreams may include imagery of past behaviors, unresolved desires, or even shame-inducing content. These are not regressions but reflections of healing-in-process. They may be an invitation to reclaim parts of the self that were numbed or fragmented during active addiction.

To process these dreams:

  • Reflect on what the dream may be trying to communicate about unmet needs or fears.
  • Practice self-compassion rather than shame.
  • Bring the dream into therapy or group work, where symbolic themes can be safely explored.

Philosophers on Dreams: Expanded Perspectives

  • Plato believed dreams were glimpses into the soul’s true desires. In The Republic, he described dreams as unchained expressions of inner impulses and argued that the just person could control dreams as a measure of moral integrity.
  • Aristotle, more empirical, saw dreams as physiological processes influenced by digestion and temperature, yet still acknowledged their capacity to reflect emotional states and signal bodily imbalance.
  • Descartes questioned the reliability of dreams entirely, using them to illustrate the fallibility of sensory experience and launching the philosophical query: How can we know we’re not dreaming now?
  • Nietzsche saw dreams as echoes of archaic human instinct. He believed dreams brought us in contact with primordial forces and the “Dionysian” side of the psyche—a vital counterbalance to rationality.
  • Krishnamurti held that dreams were a reflection of inner disorder and that true clarity arises only when the mind is silent, not cluttered with interpretation. He emphasized dream observation rather than analysis.

Each philosophical view adds nuance to the nature of dreams—whether as moral mirror, biological feedback, existential challenge, or spiritual insight.

How to Work with Dreams

Working with dreams begins in the present moment. Instead of chasing meaning, start where you are—with the feelings, symbols, or questions that arise when you wake.

Eckhart Tolle teaches the power of now—the idea that transformation begins when we fully inhabit the present moment. Dreams often point to the places where we’re not present—where we’re caught in old stories, regrets, or fears. Use them as anchors to return to yourself.

Tips:

  • Keep a dream journal by your bed and write as soon as you wake.
  • Look for patterns, symbols, and emotional themes over time.
  • Share dreams in trusted spaces—therapy, dream groups, or with a mentor.
  • Practice mindfulness to increase dream recall and integrate insight.

Dreams are not problems to solve. They are invitations—to feel, to remember, to imagine, and ultimately, to awaken. What messages are your dreams sending you tonight?