The Body-Mind Connection

I usually hear talk of a mind-body connection, where stress, negative emotions, etc. affect the health of the body. A recent experience, however, makes me think the reverse can be true as well.

My emotional and energetic state was low since late March. I had some apathy, sadness, and a general lack of enthusiasm. I felt like I had reached a dead end. While there may have been things to look forward to in life, they did not excite me.

For a while, maybe since sometime in April, I had some earwax buildup that was not coming out, no matter how I treated it. This was in my left ear - I never really noticed any problem in my right ear. This week my ear started to ache. It went away after I had taken some aspirin to get rid of a headache, but now the earwax buildup was so bad that my hearing was greatly reduced. I tried a few more applications of earwax removal liquid you can purchase at the store, but it made no difference. So I made an appointment with the doctor.

Thankfully, they were able to remove the earwax without much difficulty. My right ear also had a bad buildup, though nowhere as bad as the left ear. It was amazing how much better my hearing was after that.

Not too long after my ears had been cleared out, I could feel an increase in my energy and mood. It's been a couple of days since then and I am still feeling good. Maybe it was just the removal of the earwax. Maybe it was getting more sound into the ear. Either way, it looks like a healing of my body also healed my mind.

The ABCs of Letting Go of Attachment

This evening I had a moment that passed by so quickly that I cannot remember all of the details of it. My mind interpreted an emotion as something negative and unwanted. But a moment of awareness bubbled up and I reminded myself: "It is okay to feel this way. Experience it. It will pass." It was only a small step and I realize that I have further to go, but it was very encouraging.

Zen Habits posted an article entitled Letting Go of Attachment, from A to Zen, bring short tips from A to Z on experiencing without attachment, letting go of attachment to people, letting go of attachment to the past, letting go of attachment to outcomes, and letting go of attachment to feelings. I've printed it out so that I might remember to read it when I am forgetting to let go.