A few years ago, I received a kind e-mail from a friend, author Carol Ritberger, Ph.D., creator of a number of bestselling books, including Healing Happens with Your Help. Carol and I met through our association with our publisher. I love Carol's work and her fun, friendly, and happy disposition. As I thought about this week's message, I felt inspired to flip open her book and I turned to a section in chapter three (page 32) subtitled, "The Seven Universal Tenets of Healing." I reviewed all seven, and thought I'd share them with you (they are paraphrased).

1. You have the power to heal yourself. Whether or not you realize it, the physical body is designed to heal. Your body is equipped with a defense system that will ward off the external and internal contributors of illness. It's made for self- regeneration by creating new cells daily. This is quite exciting!

Try applying a balancing blend of essential oils to the bottoms of your feet, on your heart, or wrists. doTERRA’s blend of spruce, ho wood, blue tansy, frankincense, and blue chamomile will help establish a feeling of calmness, peace, and relaxation and may aid in harmonizing the various physiological systems of the body to promote tranquility and a sense of balance.

2. Only you can heal yourself. No one else can. Even though others can support us in our healing process by offering advice and suggestions, only we can apply them and choose to heal. Healing is a personal journey of self-discovery and spiritual evolution. While others may help us break free of patterns and unhealthy behaviors, only we can change them. 

3. Heal the soul first; then the healing of the mind and body will take place. All parts of the body have different needs, and if they get what they require, all remain healthy. If we neglect them, then there's a disconnection and all become unwell. True healing restores the connection among the soul, mind, and body.

4. Only love heals. The energy of love carries an incredible healing power. When you lovingly care for parts of your body that are hurting, it engages the restorative powers of the soul and mind. When there's a shift from focusing on a problem, to finding a solution, there's peace. The body loves living in the moment where healing occurs--rather than focusing on wrongs of the past or worries about the future.

5. Forgiveness creates the space for love in the heart. When our hearts of full of anger, fear, sadness, and despair, there's little or no room for caring. Forgiveness is linked to the mind, and when forgiveness occurs, the mind releases emotional charges that are attached to hurtful thoughts. Forgiveness heals!

6. Change is the only action plan. The evolutionary journey is one of change--there are no other options. Change is the only constant we can depend upon. Henri Bergson said, "To exist is to change; to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly."

7. Focus on what you want rather than what you don't want. Healing works with the Law of Attraction: What you think, you become. What you become, you think. There's a common ailment that plagues us from time to time--we seem to attract what we don't want because we're so focused on thoughts we don't want. It's like saying to oursleves, "Don't think about a hippopotamus," and the more we say it, the more we think about a hippopotamus. Change diverts the focus.

 Need help staying focused on the task at hand? Try rolling InTune on your temples and across the back of your neck. This oil blend contains oils that have traditionally been used to promote calmness, focus and a balanced state of mind.

For this week's personal development challenge,  review Carol's 7 tenants of healing and see how you may begin the healing process. Whether you're suffering from physical or emotional illness, apply these truths and see how they bless your life this week. Thanks Carol!