Managing Your Health

Hello folks! I wish you could be in class with me on Mondays. We have been discussing each of the books written by Eric Butterworth (EB). On May 5, we looked at Spiritual Economics led in our discussion by my classmate, Jackie. We discovered that EB did not talk about economics in the book, although he did offer his thoughts on prosperity. Jackie clearly enjoyed the book and showed us many places where EB’s ideas about spirituality and prosperity were especially inspiring.


This week Jenn led our group through the steps of creation from EB’s perspective in the book The Creative Life, 7 Keys to Your Creative Genius. It was a lively discussion! Jen did a wonderful job of showing us creation through EB’s words as well as some amazing pictures she found on the Internet.

If you are interested in reading some of EB’s works, the Eric Butterworth Foundation operates a website where you can purchase any of his books; there are a number of them. Here is the website: http://store.ericbutterworth.com/index.php?cPath=21 it is worth your time to check it out!

I am doing a presentation this coming Monday on Negatrends and PosiTrends. I will be using YouTube videos to help illustrate the trends EB says are plaguing our society. In this blog, we are looking at Chapter 3 which deals with managing your own health care. I plan to show only about the first 90 seconds of this first video. It was created by a health management organization (HMO), so it is biased in favor of their telling you what is good for your health. Look at it for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJX4wKbRwp8

EB says that as a society we have treated our health care as something that someone else looks after for us; that we no longer can afford to continue this trend. This first video clearly shows marketing by an HMO that presumes people always allow doctors and the medical system to dictate their health regimen. He believes this trend toward dependency upon others to take care of our health is a serious problem.

When I watched the video I noticed that I felt comforted knowing that personally I exercise, watch what I eat, and visit the doctor regularly. Could I be one of the people EB is describing? In my defense, I use what my doctor says as wisdom from someone who has studied medicine extensively. For the most part, I make my own choices and let my doctor know what I believe is best for me. I also have a regular prayer practice and I pay attention to what my body tells me about stretching, exercise, food, sleep, and stress.

The second video about health care demonstrates what our children are being taught about managing their health, as well as the idea that “bugs” are “going around.” (p. 28)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7u4zUQh1GE&feature=related EB describes how we use ailments that are making the circuit through our population as general conversation. He believes this contributes to “psychic infection” and “a contagion of fear” which keeps us from experiencing the Divine power within us.

What does EB tell us to do? “…we shall have to take charge of our physical life…we shall need to understand and practice the metaphysics of holism.” (p 29-30) In Discover the Power Within You, EB clearly states that we have the power within us to heal our bodies, minds, emotions, and spirits. Many chapters are devoted to sharing how we can do this healing. He has chapters entitled, Your Thought Is Your Life and Jesus’ Formula for Healing. He tells us to change our thinking, recognize that we are one with God and know that healing has already manifest, just as Jesus did.

So what is illness according to EB? He believes that the symptoms our bodies and minds demonstrate tell us what we “…need to eliminate in your thinking and feeling…telling you where and how you have repressed the energy that is life, blocking its free flow into expression.” (p 31) Our body is a perfect creation spiritually even though there may be imperfections in the way it looks or operates. If we remember this, it helps us focus on our wholeness, not our illness.

The medical community may prescribe medication, bind wounds and perform surgeries in support of the healing process; God does the actual healing according to EB. He invites doctors to let patients know about the power that is healing them. He uses the term “Cosmic Healing Flow” which he believes is “present in its entirety at every point in space.” (p 35) Attuning our consciousness to this power facilitates this wholeness. EB believes that fundamentally, time is the difference between medical and spiritual healing when we disregard techniques.

For EB, prayer touches this healing flow within us. Prayer releases it to renew and rejuvenate our cells, “reversing physical ills…the healing process is stepped up…like speeding up the recording of a symphony so that a full hour’s rendition is heard in one grand chord.” (p 37) Healing is not merely speeded up, it is rapidly manifest, in a holy instant. In the chapter entitled The Forgotten Art of Prayer in Discover the Power Within You, EB started us on the path of awareness of the massive power of prayer. In Negatrends and PosiTrends he is more focused in his description of how prayer impacts healing, the same message just more succinct.

Lastly, EB reassures us that there are no miracles in healing. None of nature’s powers is bypassed or negated. “God doesn’t deal in miracles. God is the wholeness of life, substance, and intelligence that is always present.” (p 37) This is what I affirm with people in prayer on the telephone during my Silent Unity shifts. The healing is present even as I pray. I affirm this with people and invite them to collaborate with Silent Unity in this affirmation of the Truth of their wholeness. EB would wholeheartedly agree!

EB reminds us that our bodies are our responsibility and we have all we need to maintain our health. One of EB’s PosiTrends says, “Real health is not a matter of defeating illness but of releasing wellness.” He tells us to remember that our bodies are “biased on the side of life” and that “There is always an Allness even within any seeming illness.” (p 39)