We all dread getting a serious medical diagnosis, but did you know that you can go into a limiting trance that can sabotage your health.
In this trance your attention becomes so narrowed that you lose many of your normal coping skills. All of this happens so quickly. You leave the doctor’s office in a fog.
This limiting trance can create ongoing problems. It can even limit your ability to heal.
Keep reading to find ways to improve your ability to heal.
How a diagnosis puts you in a trance
According to Raymond Francis, who wrote Never Be Sick Again (2002), “The stress from a diagnosis can do serious damage.”
Several things happen at an emotional level when you get a medical diagnosis. It does not even need to be a serious diagnosis. The diagnosis is delivered by an authority figure. Most people believe that doctors are knowledgeable and what they say is true. This is one step in narrowing your focus.
You feel fear. This is not just the fear from hearing the diagnosis. In that moment all of your past fears get triggered. You might even regress to a childhood trauma.
When all of this happens, you cannot use your adult skills. Your focus becomes so narrowed, listening becomes difficult. You can’t think of important questions to ask.
In a Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) class, I met a woman who was in a limiting trance from a cancer diagnosis. Even though she had gone through treatment and was now healthy, she still felt traumatized by the diagnosis. Our trainer helped her wake up from this trance. The change in her attitude and appearance was astonishing.
According to Stephen Wolinsky, (Trances People Live: Healing Approaches in Quantum Psychology (1991)) my classmate was constantly being pulled back into the past. She was living in a constant state of trauma.
Why do you need to get out of this trance?
When you are in an un-resourceful trance, you limit your healing options. You cannot be an active participant in your health care. I call this “doing your part”.
When you are doing your part you can use your knowledge, logical reasoning, and your intuition to take steps toward better health. In a non-trance state you are not waiting for someone to tell you what to do, you are taking action.
How can you do your part?
I can’t give you a specific recipe for doing your part. This depends on you and your diagnosis. You will want to get input and suggestions from your doctor.
Some basic steps include:
- Eat a healthy diet (check into diets for your specific situation)
- Exercise (with your doctor’s okay)
- Do some calming exercises, such as meditation or guided imagery
- Give up unhealthy habits, such as smoking
- Start a gratitude journal
For those of you who are open to alternative or complimentary treatments, here are a few more suggestions:
- Get a massage
- Find an energy healing practitioner (my favorites are Reiki and Quantum Touch)
- Learn Qigong (my favorite is Spring Forest Qigong)
- Take a yoga class (again with your doctor’s okay)
When you wake up from your diagnosis trance, you will be able to find more ways of doing your part. These might include spiritual practices, more social connections, or taking a vacation.
According to Raymond Francis, “Regardless of what your health practitioner says or does, getting well and staying well is your responsibility.”
How can you wake up?
There are a number of ways to wake up. If you want a self help method, my favorite is the poetry of emotion process.
First, focus on releasing childhood fears that have been triggered. Then work with any feelings of powerlessness, feeling not good enough, or undeserving. Finally, release the trauma from the diagnosis.
If you want to read more, click on “Are you new to the site?” You will find articles and basic instructions.
Do you need to wake up from a limiting trance?
(Image: Sergio Pani @ Flickr)
