In my quest to understand what causes human suffering and disease, I continue to stumble upon the impact that fear has on the mind and body. Fear in its truest form is something that helps an individual survive. For example, if you touch the stove and burn your hand, you establish a fear of touching the stove again in an effort to avoid the pain. While this is a classic example of conditioning that takes place in our everyday lives, this same principle applies to the suffering that happens within our world that creates disease in individuals.
How this adverse affect occurs is primarily through the impact a belief of fear has on our nervous system. When a fear reaction takes place, it stimulates the sympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system which is labeled the “fight or flight” response. The power of your beliefs and the impact on the body shifts prioritization of physiologic resources from healing, to survival. So instead of prioritizing the digestion and elimination of your food, the body will begin prioritizing the inflammatory process in case harm should come to it. Fear equates to harm within the body’s physiologic state. If you have not noticed lately, there seems to be a tremendous amount of fear going on in the world. I do believe that this correlates with the tremendous amount of inflammation and disease that we see as well. I do have to make note that there are many other factors that relate to disease and illness such as nutrition, toxicity, medications, vaccinations, population, etc… but as I stated above, the highest form of healing is the reduction of fear.
In order to begin understanding the steps that one can take to reduce fear in their lives, I believe that the starting point lies within evaluating the antithesis of fear. What is it? I believe it to be compassion and love. People often will use the term love in an inappropriate way. The love I talk about is not relatable to the feeling you have towards your spouse, your animal, your favorite shirt or even your favorite restaurant. I believe those feelings are more appropriately described as desire than love. The love that I speak of is closer to the concept and definition of acceptance. What does acceptance mean? Acceptance is the forgiveness that we create within our beliefs of fear. Without acceptance, fear will run the show trapping you in a inflamed state of “fight or flight”. This is disease. So what is it that we have to accept? We have to accept everything. Acceptance is not about what you agree with. It is not about what you prefer. It is not about what you desire. Acceptance is love and compassion for all individuals, even those who have harmed you or your friends and family. It is the acceptance of everything that occurred in your life. The acceptance of all choices you have made. Acceptance of choices that others have made. Acceptance of all choices you will make and all the choices others will make. Surround your belief system with acceptance and there will be no room for fear. And you begin to heal.
Dr.Buttler