Exploring The 5 Levels Of Healing
Hello dear friends!
How many times have you tried a new diet or medication to try and fix a particular issue, and ended up disappointed? What about going to talk therapy for months or years, and come out still struggling with a damaging belief pattern or harmful habit? You’re definitely not alone. Our culture is one of compartmentalization- we separate and parcel out every problem and take one targeted approach to solving it. Most doctors still view the human body as a collection of parts, and we have medical specialties for each and every organ and system. If you’re overweight, you see a nutritionist or fitness trainer, just like if you’re living with clinical depression, you seek out a psychiatrist or counselor. But what if I told you that you’re only addressing one fifth of what you need to in order to fully heal?
More and more people are thankfully discovering that we are both complex and highly integrated beings, and that we need to address multiple aspects in order to heal from illness (mental/emotional/physical). But until that truth becomes fully accepted in our society, those of us who practice our healing this way will just have to settle for being radicals. Ha! For me personally, especially coming from my clinical science background, I know I focused solely on physical aspects of health and wellness for the first 5-6 years of my Lyme/CFS journey. I changed my diet, I tried different supplements and medications, and I deepened my yoga practice. But frustratingly, that only got me so far.
I came across the work of Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt M.D., PhD, a couple of years ago, but it resonated so strongly with my own experiences, that I knew I needed to share this with you. While he was not the first to realize this concept (he learned this from an ancient yogi in India, I believe), he was the first to really explain and illustrate the integrative model of healing in all 5 levels- from the physical body to the spiritual body, and his insights have helped thousands of doctors, therapists, healers, and patients like me find deep and lasting progress. When we can shift our focus to include all five of these levels, I know that we all have the power to heal from whatever is ailing us.
So, what are these amazing insights I speak of? Let’s dive right in!
Level 1- The Physical Body
The first and most basic level of our being is our physical self, and this is where probably 80% of our current cultural therapies are focused. This realm deals with our anatomy, biochemistry, and mechanics, and includes all the shifts we make through things like surgery, medication, diet, and exercise. The physical body is the lowest level in the 5 levels of healing pyramid, not because it’s the least important, but because it forms the foundation for the remaining 4 levels. Our physical selves allow us to engage with the world around us, connect with the earth, and includes our five traditional senses of seeing, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.
Ways that you can heal on this level: Eat more fresh fruit and leafy greens, move your body, take herbs and supplements that support your unique constitution, get restful sleep, use aromatherapy, detox heavy metals and pathogens, drink more water, cut out allergens in your diet, etc…
Level 2- The Energy Body
Everything is made up of energy. You, me, the food you’re eating, the chair you’re sitting on. Many alternative and complementary therapies these days include the energetic body, which is sometimes talked about as meridians or chakras, which have a “Western” basis in the physical nervous system or bio-electric field. This is something that can both be felt and measured by sensitive equipment, and chances are good that you are in tune with your energy body, whether you think about it in those terms or not. Emotions carry energy, and the choices we make for our physical bodies often manifest in our energetic bodies. The realm of Level 2 deals with physiology and physics, and can be explored through tests like the EKG and EEG, as well as modalities like applied kinesiology and TCM.
Ways you can heal on this level: Acupuncture, massage/touch therapy, yoga, Tai Chi/Qi Gong, meditation, Reiki, microcurrent therapies (like “earthing” mats), sound healing, and breathwork.
Level 3- The Mental Body
The third level, midway in the healing pyramid, is the mental body, which deals with both the conscious and subconscious mind. Here lies the domain of psychology and neurobiology, and this level entails all of our thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes. This is the area of focus of things like traditional talk therapy and counseling, as well as other alternative therapies like EMDR, EFT, and Body Talk. A lot of our mental activity is either helping or hindering our healing, so it’s an important aspect of therapy, especially to release limiting beliefs. I’m currently working on this level with tapping and mental reconditioning.
Ways you can heal on this level: Talk therapy, wellness counseling, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), hypnosis, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), homeopathy, other forms of tapping, affirmations, meditation.
Level 4- The Intuitive Body
Level 4 is one of the biggest and most mysterious of the 5 levels of healing, and is one of my personal favorites. This is the realm of the “6th sense” and where the bridge begins to form between our physical reality and the unseen reality. The fourth level encompasses the collective unconscious and the quantum field, and is tied to the principles of mathematics. This is where things like dream states, archetypes, symbols, angels, and deep meditation or trance-states come into play, and where things like curses or blessings get their power. You’ve probably tapped into your intuitive body many times, when you acknowledged a gut feeling, experienced a powerful dream, or received signs or symbols in your awareness.
Ways you can heal on this level: Shamanic work, ritual creation, tarot or oracle cards, psychic readings, art or sound therapy, guided meditations for astral travel/quantum field access, sacred geometry, dream analysis, visualization exercises.
Level 5- The Spirit Body
Last, but certainly not least, is the final and highest level in the healing pyramid- the spiritual body. As you’ve probably guessed, this relates to your spiritual beliefs or religion, and is connected to the Divine or higher consciousness. It’s hard to explain exactly what happens on this level, since it’s so abstract and highly individualized, but you can access this through your inner knowing, awareness, and spiritual practices. I believe there is tremendous healing to be had in this area, especially when we can drop into the state of bliss or Oneness with God/The Universe/Higher Power/Spirit. I think it’s hard to fully heal without this important connection to something bigger than yourself, and it’s time we give more attention and respect to the spiritual role in our health.
Ways you can heal on this level: Prayer, chanting, acts of devotion, contemplative meditation, asking for signs, understanding your own inner light, developing a personal connection with the Divine, allowing inspiration and guidance to flow.
I know this might seem like a lot to keep in mind when you are already overwhelmed with all the food restrictions, medications, and doctor’s visits that you’ve got going on. But, I promise you, if you start working on all 5 of these levels, you will see SO much more progress than you would if you only focus on 1 or 2 areas. It’s okay to go slowly, and find the therapies that work for you, so you can make them a regular part of your life.
Healing from whatever you have going on, whether that’s Lyme disease, an autoimmune condition, cancer, or something else, is possible. Always remember this, and feel free to use the guide of the 5 levels of healing to light the way!
Want to download the guide to the 5 Levels of Healing? Click Here!
Need some personalized guidance on your healing path? Reach out and let’s chat.
Take care, and be well.
