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At last, hypnosis is shedding its bad reputation and entering mainstream medicine as a viable alternative to sedation, regulating anxiety and even in lessening pain.
When we think of illness and disease, most of us speak in terms of our bodies letting us down. We detach the physical, uncooperative or defective side of us from our conscious control. We consider these dysfunctions as being a purely mechanical breakdown. It’s almost as though our bodies have total autonomy over themselves, while characters, thoughts, and emotions are simply guests within.
Given that many feelings, both positive and negative, have a known cascade effect on hormone release, I find it harder than most people to differentiate between the physical and consciousness aspects. There have been too many sensational media stories, where strong will power alone has overcome massive physical limitations or injury; such as the tiny mother who lifted the rear of a car from her trapped child, or Tom Cruise who continued with a dangerous stunt, despite having broken his leg.
The adrenalin rushes experienced during extreme situations can account for the suppression of pain, but not for summoning massive strength. That can only be an instance of mind over matter. A dismissal of our own limitations to achieve the impossible.