With Dr. Mataji Kennedy- clinical psychologist, by Honor Tremain
Do you know yourself? Like really, truly know who you are? What makes you tic? What you love? What inspires you? What’s at your heart’s core? What all your true hidden talents and treasures are? What you really want? And are you allowed to be any of that? Do you let yourself?
What if I told you that not knowing yourself could be the starting point for both mental and physical illness?
Suicide and chronic disease are now the two biggest killers in ages of 15 and over.
Approx. 800 million people are now suffering with one form of mental illness. Approx. 4.4 million children between the ages of 3-17 years being diagnosed with anxiety. And 1.9 million being diagnosed with depressions.
Children as young as 12 are on anti-psychotics and anti-anxiety pills.
Something is clearly wrong. Could it be in our approach to life at the moment?
Before now, the most intelligent and enlightened scientists and sages encouraged us to look within and connect with ourselves in order to not just be happy and live well, but to understand the mysteries of the universe.
“To know thyself, is the beginning of Wisdom.” Socrates.
“Man (woman), know thyself. Then thou shalt know the Universe and God.” Pythagoras.
“Whoso knoweth himself, knows thy Lord.” Sufi saying.
Firstly, let’s look at why we don’t know ourselves anymore.
Today, it’s more normal NOT to know yourself because it’s celebrated as idealic by influential people like materialist poster-boy ex-president Donald Trump, who captures it perfectly when talking about looking within,
“I don’t like to analyse myself because I might not like what I see.”
And on contemplating the meaning of life. “No, I don’t want to think about it,” (Donald Trump, a 2014 audio interview with Michael D’Antonio)
While modern society supports the view further, it’s everywhere you look, on your phone, on ads, online, on TV, all showing us the supposed perfect life, the perfect family, what we’re meant to look like. Act like. Be like!
Many of us try, and in so doing, let go of who we really are, particularly if we’ve already been conditioned growing up to believe we don’t matter.
And so, we become driven, anxious, obsessed, workaholics, (sometimes alcoholics), in a desperate bid to achieve this pretend life we keep being shown we should want. And we begin to look for outside influences to tell us what and who we are.
So right now, human evolution is being dragged away from inner wisdom and towards materialism and vanity in our search for our identity through what’s exterior, how we look, what brand of clothes we wear, our money, our car, how many followers we have and what version of phone we’re using.
Essentially, we’re being conditioned to stop being us, and become fake, more like robots.
And all the while mental illness and chronic disease are skyrocketing.
I asked Noosa based Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Mataji Kennedy about this.
“Happiness, contentment and a happy life is about getting to know yourself. It’s foundational and vital to all.” Dr. Kennedy says, who sees multiple clients disconnected with who they are, and present with varying levels of anxiety, panic attacks and interestingly also chronic illnesses.
Dr Kennedy says that knowing yourself. Trusting yourself. Loving, cherishing and accepting yourself, and treating others with that same respect, are very helpful steps towards wellness on all levels.
“Get curious, listen and be kind, it’s ok if you don’t have all the answers. Let go of old ideas and assumptions that held you prisoner and look at life and your options not as black and white, but as an experimental, moving grey area of possibility, being ok to try new, different ways. And be a guide rail, not a severe control in yours and your child’s life where messy is ok. Life and people are dynamic and ever evolving, don’t try and change them or yourself. Just listen, observe and let yourself, and others, be.” Dr. Kennedy.
It seems like self-exploration, re-connection with your true self, and knowing who you really are, are at the very core of where health and happiness bloom from.
So, why not give it a go? Look within, find your perfectly imperfect yet beautiful and unique self. Let your true, glorious beauty shine through and guide you, even if it’s messy.
Listen to your heart and gut again.
And in these seemingly simple words of “Know thyself”, echoed from a by-gone era rich in wisdom, could it turn out to be the very keys to your health and happiness?
Next week, we’ll continue with Dr. Mataji Kennedy and look at complex trauma, mental and chronic illness and how this all stems from a disconnect with self. And what we can learn from it.
Contact www.beyondblue.org.au/ if you feel anxious or depressed, or myself, Nutritionist Honor Tremain on www.noosa-nutrition.com.au for nutrition, diet and lifestyle boosters for mental or chronic health support.
Reference: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/life-expectancy-death/deaths-in-australia/contents/leading-causes-of-death
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