DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid, thankfully referred to as DNA, is known as the genetic blueprint for all living things. Current research, however, has shown that our genetic makeup does not have to be our destiny. Environmental and lifestyle influences can actually modify our genes without changing the basic blueprint. It is important to know that any change to one individual DNA molecule will be instantly replicated by all the DNA molecules in the body. By most estimates, the human body contains at least 50 trillion cells. Every cell contains the 23 pairs of chromosomes that compose DNA. Thus, there are at least 2,300 trillion copies of DNA in our bodies.

Studies conducted separately by Russian biologist Vladimir Poponin, the U.S. Army and Rein & McCraty of the Institute of HeartMath, have shown that stress has a profound effect on our DNA. Each individual DNA molecule, which looks like a slightly twisted ladder called a double helix, winds & twists tightly when exposed to excess stress. This winding tension inhibits the flow of light energy which as we discussed earlier, any decrease in energy flow leads to tension, dysfunction, illness and dis-ease. The opposite was also true, any techniques that cause relaxation and more ease would in turn have an unwinding effect on the DNA molecule.

One of the most amazing aspects of the U.S. Army’s research was that even when an individual DNA molecule was separated from the body, its shape would change when stress was applied to the person. Even when separated by hundreds of miles, the DNA molecule would instantly react as if it were still connected to the body in some way. This goes to show that we are more interconnected than we know and no part of our body is independent from the whole. Also, this distant effect gives support to remote healing sessions that we will discuss in detail later.

Inflammation

Next, an inflammatory response will set in due to exposure to excess stress. While we typically think of the inflammation process only happening on the outside of the body in the form of localized redness and swelling, did you know that long-term inflammation inside of the body could lead to cancer, high cholesterol, diabetes, arthritis and other western diseases? Inflammation occurs in response to all kinds of stress, not just the obvious physical traumas. In fact, I believe most long-term inflammation is the result of chemical stress hidden within our way of eating.

The word inflammation originates from a Latin word that means, “to set on fire”. Inflammation is irritation, redness, swelling and heat that the body produces in an attempt to protect itself and to initiate healing. Short-term inflammation can be beneficial, however, an over-stressed body has a tendency to exaggerate this process creating quite a bit of destruction to the surrounding tissues.

The Peripheral Nervous System

Excess stress continues its journey through the body by next affecting the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS). The PNS consists of every nerve that extends out from the CNS, the nerve bundles of the Energy Centers and the ANS. This network of nerves is the link between the mind and virtually every organ, muscle, tendon, tissue and individual cell in the body. The PNS is the vehicle from which energy travels from the CNS to the body and back again. For example, in order for you to wiggle your toes, a message has to be sent from your brain (CNS) to your toes to create the movement. A message from your toes is then sent back to your brain via the PNS so you will then know that your toes a wiggling without having to actually look at them.

Every nerve in your arms originates from the brachial plexus of the upper back and lower neck and every nerve in your legs stem from the lumbar plexus and sacral plexus. Stress in these nerves of the PNS can manifest itself in a number of ways. Some will encounter tension in the joints and muscles of the extremities while several will experience weakness in these areas. An occurrence of pain, swelling, numbness or tingling in the limbs may also happen due to stress along this neural pathway.

Tension often reaches the PNS of the trunk of the body as well. Stress along these nerves has been shown to affect the joints, muscles and tendons of the spine and rib cage area. More importantly however, these nerves are the life supply to all of the internal organs of our thorax. It is a common finding to see tension in the organs that these nerves supply. The most frequent organ imbalances found using The Intention Method is in the thymus gland, liver, spleen, kidneys and reproductive organs.

Fight or Flight?

The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is known to be responsible for all bodily functions that do not require conscious thought. Homeostasis depends on a proper functioning ANS. Thanks to this system, your heart beats, you maintain a constant body temperature and you digest your food, all without you having to think about it.

When the ANS becomes overstressed, our body is quickly thrust into the “Fight or Flight” state. This survival mode status can play an important role in our life. For example, if you are out in the woods and you come across a grizzly bear, you will need to be able to fight that bear or run like the wind (flight). The ANS instantly puts your body through a number of physiological changes in order to prepare you to escape this dangerous situation to the best of your ability.

Using the above grizzly bear example, let’s look at these changes in more detail. Have you ever witnessed a scared dog curl its tail between its legs? Humans do something quite similar. The instant you spot the bear, a little bundle of nerves at the very bottom of the tailbone, known as the Ganglion of Impar, curls forward. Simultaneously, the sternum (chest bone) lifts up slightly towards the head. Adrenaline, Cortisol and other stress hormones are then released into the system causing an increased heart rate and blood pressure. Digestion slows or stops due to the blood flow being directed away from the internal organs and toward the arms, legs and brain to allow for greater strength, speed and quicker decision making. Breathing then becomes fast and shallow. And finally, your muscles tense up and you are now “On Guard” and ready to fight this bear or run from her at your highest efficiency levels.

These lightning fast changes work great for us in the short term as we are only designed to deal with excess stress for a relatively short period of time. Ideally, the bear leaves or you get away from her quickly and you are able to return to your natural at ease state, which is where we find optimal health. Unfortunately, as discussed earlier, in today’s day and age stress is constant or repetitive over a long period of time. Thus, we get into the Fight or Flight state and we get stuck there.

Getting trapped in this “On Guard” state for an extended amount of time causes a wide range of negative physical, emotional and chemical changes to us. A general state of dis-ease (lack of ease) and tension sets in making you susceptible to a wide range of ailments effecting everything from digestion to the muscular skeletal system creating emotional stress and hypertension just to name a few. A body under this kind of long-term stress does not use energy efficiently, thus causing a drain on the batteries or a decreased vigor. In addition, there is a constant hormonal imbalance throughout the body and instead of feeling the adrenaline rush that you would feel in the bear episode, anyone stuck in a chronic Fight or Flight state will feel low on energy.

In what may be the most important aspect of this kind of tension is the way someone in the Fight of Flight state will react to his/her surroundings in daily life. Case in point, living in Southern California has incredible upside, however, everyone that lives here has had to deal with traffic to some extent. Now, lets take a person who is quite tense and in a general state of dis-ease. Put this person on a busy SoCal freeway and watch how they respond. If another vehicle cuts them off, are they more apt to have an outburst toward the other driver or will they simply let it go? What about when this person gets home? Will they be more apt to be happy and nice to their family or ill tempered and grumpy?

Now, lets put a relaxed person who is completely at ease in the exact same situation as the above scenario. Is this person more apt to have an outburst toward the other driver or will they simply let it go? When this calm and at ease person gets home will they be more apt to be happy and nice to their family or ill tempered and grumpy?

The Fight or Flight mechanism has a much broader effect on a person than just physical tension and malfunction. Addressing and easing this issue is an important aspect of The Intention Method of Natural Healing.

The CNS & Energy Centers

Consisting of the brain and spinal cord, the CNS is our master system. Every cell, tissue, organ and structure of your body is controlled and regulated by life force energy released from your CNS. Your body naturally recognizes the importance of this system, thus, while in the womb, we encase the brain into the protective shell of the skull and place the spinal cord within the 24 moveable bones of the spine for shelter.

The CNS is also the main processing center for all information that our senses experience. Therefore, when stress reaches beyond our personal threshold, the CNS is the first part of the body to show signs. This extra tension can create imbalances throughout the entire CNS but more commonly this stress settles into the seven major energy centers of the body.

· Energy Center 7 is located at the top of the head and is composed of the Cerebral Cortex of the brain. Correlates to the 7th or Crown Chakra of the east.

· Energy Center 6 is the brain stem, which is the main transitional area between the mind and the body. The brain stem is the equivalent to the 6th Chakra (third eye) due to the proximity of the pituitary gland.

· Energy Center 5 is the brachial plexus, which is the major bundle of nerves at the base of the neck and top of the back. The brachial plexus is equal to the 5th or Throat Chakra.

· Energy Center 4 is named the “Ku” (Hawaiian for subconscious). It is located between the shoulder blades and is a match to the 4th or Heart Chakra.

· Energy Center 3 is the bundle of nerves of the solar plexus. It is identical to the 3rd Chakra also named the Solar Plexus.

· Energy Center 2 is the lumbar plexus. This large nerve bundle is located in the lower back just above the tailbone. Correlates to the 2nd Chakra of the eastern traditions.

· Energy Center 1 is the sacral plexus, which is the nerve bundle directly under the tailbone. This energy center is a direct match to the 1st or Root Chakra.

How do these energy centers respond to excess stress? They will become tense, winding occurs and they can lose their natural position. This extra pressure and twisting interferes with and filters the flow of light energy, like clouds in the sky, decreasing the ability for the mind and body to communicate at an efficient level. Thus, as we discussed earlier, if the quality of light decreases, the quality of life will diminish as well.

Step-By-Step

Lets run through a typical progression of how we respond to excess stress step-by-step. The first part of the body that reacts when stress reaches beyond our internal resistance is the Central Nerve System (CNS). Depending on the individual, the CNS will either stretch or compress every time the stress load becomes excessive. Tension will then move into the major nerve bundles found within the CNS (also known as the chakras or energy centers). The hemispheres of the brain and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) can also be affected. Next, the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) can become tense and the body is thrust into the “Fight or Flight” state. This reaction then extends into the the rest of the body, which includes the internal organs, glands, muscles, tendons, joints and surrounding tissues where inflammation may set in. Extra stress will even reach into the DNA molecules of each cell.  Finally, normal sleep patterns become disturbed, emotional states and behavioral patterns become imbalanced and the body moves into an unnatural posture. 

Please note: Although this is the most common pattern that I see in my office on a day-to-day basis, since we are all individuals and deal with stress in different ways, it is not unusual for someone to have portions of this stress pattern instead of the entire sequence. In the analysis portion of this book, you will learn how to find specific imbalances for each individual.