Intelligence
Symptoms of all kinds arise in our lives. The most common way to approach them is to try to fix them, as though they express some brokenness within. However, there are all kinds of health systems in the world that relate to symptoms as arising from an intelligent biological and psychoemotional system that functions as a whole, taking into account all kinds of information related to the inner and outer environment as well as other people. Relating to a symptom as a nuisance expresses a certain kind of relationship to our experience of life and self. It tends to create tension and restriction, energetically and emotionally. Relating to a symptom with care, attention, curiosity and respect is another way of coming into a relationship with ones experience, life and self. This allows not only greater growth of character but also greater odds of release of the symptom(s).
In the Osteopathic medicine tradition, many Eastern medicine systems and Gestalt Therapy (as well as other forms of psychotherapy) the entire person is treated as this whole and intelligent system. A system that unconsciously navigates the challenges of life situations and creates intelligent solutions, doing the very best it can to preserve its function and freedom of movement on all levels. A provider who comes into contact with this person’s physiology and/or psychology from this respectful position opens doorways for the system to access greater levels of integration and organization. This allows for significant and manageable change in the physiology and for psychoemotional changes that can be integrated fully, ones that don’t demand constant effort to uphold.
In clinical practice, relating to a human being from this perspective, in which the person is held as abundantly intelligent and capable of navigating life with success, opportunity is awakened for the person to grow and make significant change. The person’s symptoms are expressions of their creative and intelligent engagement with their life experiences, rather than as something broken, foolish or bad. This is the interface and integration of potent medicine and compassion. Relating to another through the lens of respect and honor creates a deeper sense of safety for the person’s brain and heart as it supports new experiences of self and other. As a person begins to feel a deeper sense of safety and possibility, they begin to free up their inner capacity for change and feel differently about themselves and their experiences. This is the place that people make new decisions about their lives and find that the old patterns and dynamics of relationship truly become things of the past.