Meditation - The Power of Pretence

Have you ever had the experience of being supplied with the information that you need 'just at the right time'? It could be that someone sends you an e-mail, telephones you, you hear the information on the radio or see it on TV (normally at a time when it seems like just pure coincidence). You know my definition of coincidence don't you? 'God's way of remaining anonymous'. My thoughts on why this happens is either because our thoughts are tapping into similar minded thoughts that are in the ether 'in the great 'Universal Mind' - this could even be called mind power, or that we are really focusing on this thought.

It was just such a situation that happened with me recently when I was pondering on “fears are just tricks of the mind”. (You are not really going to get crushed in a lift – you just think that you dislike confined spaces and this can get into your subconscious mind).

And then I heard the statement on ABC Radio’s AM Program: “New research suggests there may be a link between glandular fever and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), whereby the fever damages an area of the brain, which is then tricked into thinking the body is unwell and subsequently sends out messages of fatigue and pain.”

Glandular Fever and CFS Research

My research (on the internet) uncovered that both the ABC radio report and a Report in the Sydney Morning Herald were referring to an article in the “Journal of Infectious Diseases”. This article reported on a 12 month study of 39 Australians with glandular fever, including eight patients who had developed chronic fatigue syndrome, and it was found that neither the virus nor an abnormal immune response explained the difference between the two groups.

The researchers said the study found personality style such as neuroticism and psychological disorders like depression failed to predict long term illness. Lead researcher Andrew Lloyd, of the University of NSW, said the study was part of the on-going “Dubbo Infection Outcomes Study”, which was tracking the long term health of people infected with Ross River virus, Q fever infection and Epstein-Barr virus, which causes glandular fever. 700 people have been involved in the total study which began in 1999.

A long-term Australian study has found Chronic Fatigue Syndrome indeed may be all in the mind – it may be caused by brain injury. Local researchers now believe the syndrome is not caused by a virus, nor a problem in the body's immune system, but instead develops as the result of a type of brain injury caused by the onset of glandular fever. The study's authors say it won't necessarily make for an immediate cure, but it may re-focus research into the condition and lead to better treatments.

Professor Lloyd said “We don't think about this illness as being, you know, a malingering or imaginary thing that you're tricking yourself into saying you're tired or you're in pain, because ultimately it's a valid experience. There is pain, because your brain chemicals are saying you're in pain. And so if those brain chemical signals get out of control, then the subject, the individual experiences pain or fatigue, or disturbance of mood, etcetera.

Key Point

Have you ever had a dream that you are falling – heart beating faster, adrenalin running and hot sweats. What is the first thing you say to yourself when you wake up? That’s right – “it is only a dream”. This is the awake mind saying that – the subconscious or the dream mind didn’t know – it thought the falling was real. The subconscious mind does not know the difference between imagination and reality. Never under-estimate the power of pretence – fake it till you make it! This is why we can trick the mind when we are working with it, deliberately implanting new habits of say “I can easily walk long distances into caves” when in reality we have claustrophobia. To do this you use guided imagery, visualisation, positive self talk and active meditation, the new habit will prevail – and this can happen in a very short time (say a month).

Recently an elderly gentleman who found it extremely difficult to walk to the bathroom first thing in the morning (because of arthritis), lay in bed a little longer and meditated on visualising himself walking easily to the bathroom – then he got up and did just that. Tricking the mind – every morning !

A Possible Solution

A thought could be to combat the signals of pain and fatigue which the brain is falsely giving out, when one has the illness of CFS; we could work inside our subconscious mind, visualising the fact that we are well and able to do the things that we normally did before the illness took hold.

Remember to use only good, positive words and a lot of positive emotion – emotion being the language of the subconscious mind.

All The Best

Sandy MacGregor