There is so much illness in the world today that modern medicine is one of the most profitable industries that has ever existed. Industrialized nations spend billions of dollars each year treating diseases that, in some cases, are preventable. Though conventional wisdom has long believed that the body and mind are separate and that we have no control over most of the diseases we develop, it is becoming increasingly clear that these assumptions are incorrect.

In the past few decades, proponents of the power of vibration and the relationship between body, mind, and spirit like Louise Hay and Caroline Myss have spread an understanding that often we create our dis-eases. If that is the case, the first step to healing is to understand why we would do that to ourselves. What causes people to create disease within our bodies and minds, and how can we heal ourselves?

Understanding Dis-Ease

Before we dive into the psychological and energetic causes of disease, it is important to note that this is not about blaming the victim. Sometimes things just happen. Bad things happen to good people. Cancer-causing genes can be randomly activated. Viruses can be contracted from airplane ventilation systems. Sometimes we just get sick.

But on a subtle level, most disease is caused by a combination of behavioral, psychological, and mental habits. Our diets, exercise habits, living and work environments, recreation, and relationships all directly affect health. Many of our soft addictions like sugar and processed food wear away at our health and vitality bit by bit. Chronic low-level stress, which many people today eat for breakfast as the saying goes, suppresses the immune system, digestion, and fertility, causing severe autoimmune and gastrointestinal challenges over time.

Several diseases have been shown to have psychosomatic factors, which means they can be caused or worsened by behavior or thoughts: asthma, diabetes, chronic pain, tinnitus, high blood pressure, and heart disease. In all of our life choices and situations we are either bolstering our health or taking away from it.

But the most subtle, and perhaps most profound factor for developing or protecting us from disease is our energetic frequency. Our energetic frequency determines what type of energy is drawn to us, and what manifests in our bodies and minds. This may be a challenging concept to grasp, so we can understand frequency as a subtle combination of our feelings and attitudes.

As we have discussed in other articles, our bodies are very affected by our attitudes. Being chronically stressed, angry, judgmental, self-deprecating, or in a state of un-forgiveness all suppress the immune system and makes us more susceptible to developing diseases. People who are generally optimistic and authentically positive tend to develop fewer diseases and live longer lives. This has been proven by many studies that tracked the hearts and nervous systems of people in various emotional states.

Developing Disease

If we have so much influence over our health, why would we choose to be unwell? On the surface, very few people would choose to experience a devastating disease. But most of our motivations are unconscious. Many people carry a variety of wounds that keep them in a victim mentality. They look at life as something that happens to them, not as something in which they are participating. There is a kind of power in playing the victim, as it requires that other people care for that person. Someone with a debilitating disease needs to receive a level of care and contact that person might never have experienced when healthy.

We develop diseases for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it is an attempt to receive a need we did not get in childhood, like affection or attention. Sometimes it is a response to grief or living an unfulfilling life. Sometimes it is because we do not have loving relationships in our lives, or because we feel trapped by our work or family.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, each organ system is related to an emotion and an element. When there is an excess or deficiency of one type of emotion, it can lead to disease in that area. Sometimes we get sick because we do not have healthy outlets for our feelings.

Letting Go of the Need to Be Sick

Just as our thoughts and emotions are not the only factors in developing a disease, they are not the only part of healing. But they are important. If you are suffering from an illness, ask yourself what you like about being sick. Be honest, and be open to seeing some aspects of your subconscious that you may not like. Explore what power or pleasure you derive from needing others help or receiving their sympathy. What can you learn from your disease?

Often, our unconscious patterns simply need acknowledgment. Once you look at your motivations, and start to develop greater self-awareness, your frequency will probably begin to shift. Then will come the task of shifting your focus to how you can give yourself what you need from a place of wellness, instead of having to receive it from a place of disease.

Illness is physical, mental, and emotional. The causes for disease and the cure must be understood within this holistic context. Our bodies are greatly affected by our energetic frequency, which stems from our behaviors, attitudes, and feelings. To prevent and heal diseases, explore the reasons you might be creating them, and how you can shift into truly desiring perfect health in both your conscious and subconscious self.