by Connie Hernandez, ND

Want to get well?

People often mistakenly believe that the more complicated the cure, the more effective it must be.

They easily fall for the promise of modern scientific medicine.

They crave a relationship where the doctor becomes the all-wise guru, the mystic healer and medicine man.

“Oh, the doctor gave me these wonderful pills that make all my symptoms go away.”

It’s the common myth of magic in a bottle. It’s a nice idea; but unfortunately, it’s invariably expensive, usually temporary, and often causes more mischief than it cures.

Permanent relief for our body’s ailments can often be surprisingly simple to find – not to mention, relatively inexpensive, and close at hand.

As you may have guessed, I’m referring to the cures that Mother Nature offers us freely from her gracious bounty.

These cures have long been known. In our modern age, naturopathic medicine is among the healing arts that embrace nature’s healing power as the source of ALL well-being. (This power was anciently called vix medicatrix naturae.)

The teachings of spiritual masters and healers in all times have describeed a cosmic energy that secretly creates and sustains our bodies, patterns our being, and connects us with our divine essence.

We are, in fact, spiritual beings whose lives are linked to a fountain of limitless energy.

Pain, disease, and fatigue happen when that inexhaustible energy source is prevented from entering our bodies and keeping us healthy and whole, most often due to unfortunate lifestyle choices.

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been almost continuously blessed with access to a great deal of energy. A restorative afternoon nap isn’t something I’ve ever contemplated or needed.

I suppose it’s partly just the luck of the draw: good karma, great genes, a robust constitution, a love of health-promoting foods, and a complete lack of interest in sugary and other inflammatory foods. (Not to mention, a strong will – just ask my friends!)

Any fleeting bouts of low energy I might experience (alas, they’re more frequent as I age) is puzzling to me. It’s such a foreign departure from my usual happy state that I urgently seek the cause.

For those who may not share my everlasting high energy, let me share some simple methods I’ve discovered for accessing the energy that is our common birthright.

In the Orient, healers and martial artists have various names for the universal source of energy – chi, prana, ki, etc. I find it helps to have special words that make this energy seem real to my mind.

I personally like the term “conscious cosmic energy,” which I learned from the teachings of the great liberated yoga master Paramhansa Yogananda the author of Autobiography of a Yogi.

Contemplating “conscious cosmic energy” strengthens my intuitive sense of the intelligence and power that runs through my being and connects me to the entire created universe.

Once I’m mentally engaged, I practice an affirmation that helps me touch into that unlimited power.

While the simple repetition of an affirmation can serve as a gentle reminder, affirmations repeated with focused attention, determination, and force of will have great power to change our bodies.

The affirmation I use most often (again, it’s from Paramhansa Yogananda) is:

“Within me lies the energy to accomplish all that I will to do! Behind my every act is God’s Infinite Power!”

Here’s another affirmation of Yogananda’s that I love:

“O Infinite Spirit, recharge my body with Thy cosmic energy, my mind with Thy concentration, my soul with Thy ever-new joy. O eternal youth of body and mind, abide in me forever and forever!”

After repeating these affirmations with great power and conviction, I practice a set of “energization exercises” that Yogananda devised in the 1920s. These 37 exercises are designed to help us consciously tap into the infinite energy and direct it to all parts of the body.

(If you’ve visited our Pacific Naturopathic offices, you may have noticed the Energization Exercise poster displayed on the inside of the entrance door. For more information on the energization exercises, you can follow this link.)

Practiced daily, Yogananda promised that these exercises will give us the power to conquer all the ills of body, mind, and soul.

A senior female disciple of Yogananda’s said, “As a result of practicing these exercises daily for thirty-five years, I know beyond question that this body is directly sustained by God’s infinite power.”

The East has long specialized in exercises that help us use attention and will power to work with energy and move it where it’s needed. Depending on your personal taste, you may be more attracted to one of the many other energy-based exercise systems from the East: yoga, chi kung, tai chi, etc.

Another simple practice for increasing your personal energy is to consciously and dynamically accept each moment exactly as it is. In other words, to always “Say Yes to Life.”

An inner resistance to what simply is, or any negative emotions that take us out of the present moment, are sure to drain us. Many people believe they have no energy simply because they’re misdirecting a ton of energy to these downward-pulling emotions.

The Emotional Freedom technique is an effective method for freeing the energy of our hearts. (See Jane Hernandez’s articles in previous issues of our Pacific Naturopathic newsletter.)

In an article to follow, I’ll discuss some physiological conditions to look for when your energy is low, and specific treatments that can help free, restore, and increase your energy and vitality.

Read about the natural healing services Dr. Connie provides: http://www.naturopathichealthconsultations.com