The Inner Game of Health

“Never affirm or repeat about your health what you do not wish to be true.”
– Ralph Waldo Trine

Your mind is your superpower. And I mean that literally.

For example, what do you think would happen if you visualized flexing your biceps as hard as you could 5 times per week for 12 weeks?

I’ll tell you what would happen. According to a study at the Cleveland Clinic, your bicep strength would increase by 13.5% and you would maintain this strength for three months after the “training” had stopped.

Still not convinced that your mind is your superpower? How about this from the book “Mind Over Medicine: Scientific Proof That You Can Heal Yourself” by Lissa Rankin, M.D (complete study here):

“Researchers in San Diego examined the death records of almost 30,000 Chinese-Americans and compared them to over 400,000 randomly selected white people. What they found was that Chinese-Americans, but not whites, die significantly earlier than normal (by as much as five years) if they have a combination of disease and birth year that Chinese astrology and Chinese medicine consider ill fated. The researchers found that the more strongly the Chinese-Americans attached to traditional Chinese traditions, the earlier they died. When they examined the data, they concluded that the reduction in life expectancy could not be explained by genetic factors, the lifestyle choices or behavior of the patient, the skill of the doctor or any other variable.

Why did the Chinese-Americans die younger? The researchers concluded that they died younger not because they had Chinese genes, but because they had Chinese beliefs. They believed they would die younger because the stars had hexed them. And their negative beliefs manifested in a shorter life.”


In another study a team of Harvard researchers had one group visualize playing the piano every day for five days with no finger movement whatsoever. Another group actually played the piano. Both groups created a dramatic number of new neurological programming in the region of their brains that controls finger movements.

Even more remarkable, studies of multiple personality disorders have shown that, depending on which personality is active, the same person may be severely allergic or not, or diabetic or not.

We are talking about the same body; just with a changed mind!

This is possible because your every thought creates a biochemical reaction in your brain causing a release of certain chemical signals. In this way, your immaterial thoughts literally become matter.

If you think fearful thoughts, you will feel fear. When you feel afraid, you tend to think more fearful thoughts. Fearful thoughts then trigger more chemicals that make you feel more fear. 

These loops between thinking-creating-feeling and feeling-creating-thinking go on all the time. They produce your state of mind, which is reflected in your physical health and body.

The typical person is only conscious of about 5% of what’s going on their minds; the rest is subconscious (just look at what your mind is capable of dreaming up during sleep). But your subconscious almost certainly contains sub-optimal stories related to your health. 

The greek philosopher Socrates even went as far as to say:

“There is no illness of the body apart from the mind.” 

Here is something you can do about that right now!

PRACTICE – THE INNER GAME OF HEALTH

With total honesty, complete the following sentences:

• My health is …
• My body is …
• My immune system is …
• My genes are …

What beliefs did your mind produce?

Choose one of these and ask yourself: How does this belief influence my experience of life? Really contemplate this for a moment.

Imagine clearing it from your mind. Who would you be without it? What shifts in your experience when you do this?

Now, bring the belief back in to see more clearly how it influences your experience.

Next, try on a new belief. Just make one up and pretend that you really believe it. Perhaps pick the opposite of your other one. What happens to your experience?

By now I hope this much is clear: your mind is your superpower. As you think and direct your attention, you’re signaling your brain to create new neural connections. 

You are doing this every day. 

The key is to learn to use this power deliberately.

Just imagine: If your most limiting beliefs were removed, what’s possible for you?

“Your thoughts matter – they literally become matter.” – Dr. Joe Dispenza