Mindset: You Are Your Own Healer
African medicine seeks to reunite the physical body with nature in a more meaningful, and holistic way. The Genees System™ was created from the love of herbal medicine, a longing to connect with the African diaspora and a vast knowledge of alternative medicine available today. Traditional African healing science helps to strengthen the energetic connections between the person and the soul itself, by re-balancing the mind, body, and spirit as one!
We are linked to the cosmos through our spirit body and react to changes in the planets as well as to the moods and the illnesses of others, to thought, emotion, sound, light, color, magnetic fields, the seasons, cycles of the moon, tides, thunderstorms, strong winds and even the spirits of the ancestors. When there is a change in the universe and the environment, a resonance is produced in the spirit of the human body which in turn affects the physical body. It is through our spiritual bodies that we "invite" contact with the divine.
The greatest task of healing ourselves using this system of medicine, lies in restoring faith in our body's ability to heal itself. The ancient healers referred to the healing benefit of plants not only for physical disease, but also for spiritual and conscious uplifting. The nature of the plant is connected to that of the human form because it is identical in cellular makeup. Given the right encouragement of the human consciousness, you are able to heal yourself along with the use of herbs, foods and therapeutic treatments as special inducements. True healing comes when the individual has learned to also develop & balance their character. This is the premise of true African medicine. The connection between one's consciousness and one's behavior is seen as a way of maintaining correct attitude towards nutrition and the holistic lifestyle changes in order to ward off sickness.
As with most holistic systems around the world, the Yorubic healers believe that most diseases have their site in the colon. It is believed that the colon can become infested with rotten food and gas pockets that can build up toxic wastes. If allowed to accumulate, the waste product will form into bacteria and parasites, which will reabsorb into bodily tissues causing many chronic illnesses.
According to African Herbology, Shango/The Root is considered the initiator of all change in the human ashe (nature of the body). Change is the movement of one of the energetic forces in relation to the others. Proper care of the digestive system and elimination organs is a very important aspect of African medicine.
Body Scan
If you are new to meditation don't worry. This exercise is more of an awareness tool that points your mind or focus to a particular place on your body in order to fully connect with your condition.
Before you begin the actual “body scan” you’ll want to make sure you’re relaxed and that your mind is focused. You might find it helpful to breathe in out for a while, taking longer breaths every time. Alternately simply lie down, close your eyes, and take five minutes to relax, unwind, and prepare your mind.
Once you’ve relaxed, take a moment to check your posture. Good posture is essential to the flow of energy in your body and to the balance and focus of your mind. Make sure you are comfortable and that your spine is in proper alignment. If you need extra support behind your back or under your legs, do it now. Plus, making sure you don't get cold is important too, so grab a blanket if necessary.
With your eyes closed, focus on the sensations throughout your entire body. Simply observe the way your body feels. It has a vibration and an energy. Get in contact with that energy. Feel it. Investigate it. Is it soft or hard? Warm or cool? Is the vibration fast or slow? Focus the mind on those sensations.
Now direct your mind to the crown of your head. Notice the sensations there. Focus on the way the crown of your head feels. Take a moment to connect the mind to that part of your body before continuing.
Now gradually begin to move your focus down your body, through your face. What sensations do you feel? Are your eyes jumpy? Is your jaw clenched tightly? Try to relax and focus on exactly what you feel. Take mental notes!
Continue to pass your consciousness down your neck, your shoulders, your arms, all the way to your fingers. Then proceed back up your arms to your shoulders, and then down to your feet and toes. Focus on each part of the body before moving on.
Once you’ve reached your toes, reverse the procedure until you are once again focusing on the crown of your head.
Now take five minutes to meditate on the sensations throughout your entire body.
Once you have finished, take a few moments to relax before returning to normal. This allows for a time of transition between the body scan and your normal state.
Grab your notebook and write down everything you can remember from your scan. Every little detail counts!
As you look over the physical sensation of your manifest symptoms, acknowledge them. Try to accept them and learn from them.
Whenever pain or dis-ease gets great enough, the internal energies turn our attention to it. That's the general first step in dealing with our ailment - we turn our sights upon it... not with condemnation, that's still NOT seeing it yet. What allows us to see it clearly is a gaze of acceptance, a letting go of our resistance to experiencing it.
Second, we look at what this is trying to tell us. Why is this pain or dis-ease here? What is it signaling? What is the gift it is trying to give me? I know, looking at disease as a gift is the hardest thing you could do... it is also the most liberating. Listen to this... you ARE going to come out of this better than you've ever been.
Third, redirect your attention to the positive focus, incorporating the lesson of the condition.
