Glossary of Terms

 

Holistic:  The word “holism” is defined by the theory that parts of a whole are so intimately connected, they cannot exist independently or be understood without reference to the whole. Furthermore, when it comes to medicinal terms, holism refers to treating the whole person. So instead of solely considering physical symptoms, practitioners focus on the balanced combination of a healthy mind, body, heart, and spirit.

Spirit-Soul-Body Connection:  Our body reflects our inner being, if our mind, body and soul are in balance then our body is in balance. The body is a complex machine designed by nature to serve the Spirit/soul. Without the soul or connection to the vital life force, the body is useless.

Practical Spirituality:  Bringing the sacred to our everyday thoughts and actions; not confined by the formalities and walls of churches, temples, religious congregations, or structured rituals. It is about being conscious and ultimately living each moment with purpose, power, vibrance and meaning.

Energy Psychology:  A collection of mind-body approaches for understanding and improving human functioning. EP focuses on the relationship between thoughts, emotions, sensations, and behaviors, and known bio-energy systems.

Cognitive Therapy:  A relatively short-term form of psychotherapy based on the concept that the way we think about things affects how we feel emotionally.

Energy Healing:  An alternative wellness practice founded on the belief that physical, mental, and emotional ailments can be eased by using the mind-body connection. This mind-body connection may be used to identify, access, channel, balance, and manipulate the energies that promote health and wellbeing. Unlike traditional Western medicine that tends to treat the symptoms of a disease or illness, energy healing is focused on all aspects of the patient’s life, body, and mind.

Kinesiology:  The science of human movement. It focuses on how the body functions and moves.  Applied Kinesiology (AK) is a practice of using manual muscle-strength testing for medical diagnosis and a subsequent determination of prescribed therapy.

Human Bio-field:  The field of energy and information that surrounds and interpenetrates the human body. The bio-field is composed of both measurable electromagnetic energy and hypothetical subtle energy, or chi.

Emotions vs. Feelings:  Emotion is energy in motion.  Emotions are event-driven, while feelings are learned behaviors that are usually in hibernation until triggered by an external event.

Trapped/Stored Emotions:  When an emotion is felt, there is a sensing of the vibration of a particular energy. Each emotion has its own vibratory signature, and when intense emotions are felt, they can become trapped in the body. Trapped emotional energy will typically result in physical dysfunction.

Response:  An excitation of a nerve impulse caused by a change or event; a physical reaction to a specific stimulus or situation.

Reaction:  An action performed or a feeling experienced in response to a situation or event.  The state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming.

Frequencies:  The rate of vibration and oscillation measured over a specific period of time; a repeating sequence. When we reach a high frequency in our personal energy signature, we attract more positive emotions and experiences. Love, for instance, is a very high frequency emotion. When we emit a low frequency, we drop into an ego-based mindset that can attract negativity, stress, anxiety, and depression into our experience.

Vibration:  A person’s emotional state, the atmosphere of a place, or the associations of an object, as communicated to and felt by others.

Blockage:   Any restriction or cessation of energy flow within the human bio-field.

Release:  Removal, shifting or clearing of unwanted energies.

Intention: A powerful force that combines desire, emotion and will; the vibratory initiation or thought toward a desired outcome; deliberateness. It is stronger and more powerful than wishes or simple desires.

Shift:  A change in the perceptions or awareness of a person, whether consciously or unconsciously, with a corresponding realignment of energies. Also referred to when energies move to a higher state of vibration.

Resistance:  Disharmony between desire and beliefs

Allowing:  Perfect alignment

Balance:  In biology, homeostasis is the state of steady internal physical and chemical conditions maintained by living systems; a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions. Basically means balanced or stable physiological systems within a normal range. The human body manages a multitude of highly complex interactions to maintain balance or return systems to functioning within a normal range. These interactions within the body facilitate compensatory changes supportive of physical and psychological functioning.

Imbalance:  Lack of proportion or relation between corresponding things.

Alignment:  A position of agreement or alliance.

Congruence:  Agreement or harmony; compatibility.

Autonomic Nervous System:  Responsible for control of the bodily functions not consciously directed, such as breathing, the heartbeat, and digestive processes. Stress Response = Fight/Flight/Freeze.

Brain:  The center of thought and understanding; intellectual power.

Mind:  The element, part, substance, or process that reasons, thinks, feels, wills, perceives, judges; the totality of conscious and unconscious mental processes and activities.

Subconscious:  Conscious existing or operating in the mind beneath or beyond consciousness; the totality of mental processes of which the individual is not aware; unreportable mental activities.

Conscious:  Aware of one’s own existence, sensations, thoughts, surroundings, etc.; fully aware of or sensitive to something; conscious of one’s own faults.

Unconscious:  Not conscious; without awareness, sensation, or cognition; temporarily devoid of consciousness; not perceived at the level of awareness; occurring below the level of conscious thought; not consciously realized, planned, or done; without conscious volition or intent; not endowed with mental faculties.

Neuroplasticity:  The ability of the brain to form and reorganize synaptic connections, especially in response to learning or experience, or following injury; the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.  It allows the neurons (nerve cells) in the brain to compensate for injury and disease and to adjust its activities in response to new situations or to changes in its environment.

Objectivity:  Impartiality, absence of bias/prejudice, fair-mindedness, justness, justice, open-mindedness, detachment, neutrality.

Subjectivity:  The quality of being based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.

Submissive/ Submitting:  To surrender or to agree to someone requests, will or demands; to present for the approval, consideration, or decision of another or others.

Dominance:  To subject to some kind of treatment or influence; the disposition of an individual to assert control in dealing with others.

Inhibited:  Overly restrained.

Double-minded:  Wavering in mind; undecided, instability.

Single -Minded:  Having or concentrating on only one aim or purpose; having one driving purpose or resolve; determined, dedicated.

Clarity: The quality of being coherent and intelligible; the quality of transparency or purity.

Intuition:  Direct perception of truth, fact, etc.; independent of any reasoning process; a keen and quick insight.

Worthiness/ Self-Esteem:  The quality of being good enough.

Identity:  A transformation that leaves an object unchanged; the qualities of a person or group that make them different from others; the qualities, beliefs, personality, looks and/or expressions that make a person.

Core Beliefs:  The changes that happen in our body and mind over the course of our life is largely determined by the core beliefs we hold. These core beliefs are deeper than the beliefs we generally think about.  They deal with issues of identity, a sense of fairness about life, and our beliefs about what is worth pursuing.  Core beliefs actively shape our every thought, attitude, feeling, action, and reaction. Positive, life-affirming core beliefs will promote the vitality of our body and mind, while negative, self-defeating core beliefs undermine our energy and well-being. – Chopra

Internal Dialogue/Critical Voice/Inner Voice:  A person’s inner voice which provides a running verbal monologue of thoughts while they are conscious. The critical self-talk is a well-integrated pattern of destructive thoughts toward ourselves and others. The nagging “voices,” or thoughts, that make up this internalized dialogue are at the root of much of our self-destructive and maladaptive behavior; communication that represents a split within an individual between forces that are life-affirming and those that are antagonistic to the self.

Conscious Language:  Pure speech.

Indwelling Shame:  A principle within that uses a person’s personal inner voice to disguise itself as their authentic self. Its main mode of operation is criticism of past mistakes, motives, etc., as well as the person itself.

Judgments:  An opinion or conclusion; a separation from love.

Vows:  A solemn promise or binding agreement committing one to a prescribed role, calling, or course  of action.

Forgiveness:  A conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they actually deserve forgiveness. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting, nor does it mean condoning or excusing offenses.

Reconciliation:  Resolution, settlement, resolving, mending, remedying; restoration of friendly relations, harmony, agreement, compromise, understanding, peace, harmonizing; the action of making one view or belief compatible with another.

Surrender/Making Peace:  Inner contentment; serenity; absence of mental anxiety; to become reconciled with.  By surrendering to an experience or emotion you stop trying to prevent or control it.

Family Systems:  A family functions as a system wherein each member plays a specific role and must follow certain rules. Based on the roles within the system, people are expected to interact with and respond to one another in a certain way. Individuals cannot be understood in isolation from one another, but rather as a part of their family, as the family is an emotional unit.

Co-Dependency:  Of or relating to a relationship in which one person is physically or psychologically addicted, and the other person is psychologically dependent on the first in an unhealthy way.

Cording/Soul Ties:  Commonly recognized as an unconscious energy connection between two people. Energetic “cording” can also connect people to places, objects and even organizations. The effect of such cords depends on the intent with which they were made. (A healthy “cord” would be a “heart to heart” connection with a loved one.)

Expectations:  A strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future; a belief that someone will or should achieve something.

Desires:  To long or hope for.

Addiction:  The state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.

PTSD:  Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that is triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it.