Hilary Farberow-Stuart, ND
Have you ever wished that we came with an operating system? Wouldn’t it be so much easier if we could simply look up in the instruction manual how to fix whatever appears to be “wrong” – a solution to our health problems, a way to manifest something that we want, or a method to change patterns of emotions and behaviors that haunt us or bring pain? Granted, there have been many who have tried to figure out “how we work,” especially in regard to the physical body. It is just becoming clear, even to the mainstream medical profession, that who we are goes far beyond the physical body. The energetic, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels, in fact, not only have great influence over the physical, but each level influences the others as well.
The Neglected Inside World
We are not generally taught how to know ourselves. The focus, rather, has been on the exploration of the external. The outside world with its accompanying environment is fascinating and captures our attention in a myriad ways. Even our understanding of the body relates more to the physical than the internal. We study symptoms as products of foreign invaders, or abnormal deviations, and try to eradicate them. But if we do not address true root causes of disease, our medicine has the effect of pushing symptoms deeper into the system, where they may reappear in other, often more serious, forms. Without the awareness of the interplay between our thoughts (the mental level) and our emotions (the emotional level), and how the energetic and physical levels then manifest symptomology as a result of this interplay, we are not able to effect change that is permanent and life-altering.
What if we were able to understand and learn an operating system that encompassed and incorporated all of the levels of the human being? By understanding what each level is, including its structure and how it functions, it’s possible to create a “map of the human system.” With a thorough understanding of the anatomy and physiology of each level, we can begin to navigate within the system. This generic map can then be individualized, taking into account not only the ways in which we are similar, but also the ways in which we have individuated into unique and separate selves.
Knowing Ourselves through the Map of the Human System
The basis of this operating system is really very simple. In fact, our name, “human being,” defines the levels of the map. That which makes us “human” consists of the physical, energetic, emotional, and physical levels. That which comprises the “being” part of the human being includes the spiritual and nondual levels. When we study the “human,” we find the intricate interactions that occur within the body, from brain function (including the creation of emotions from the chemicals that are generated from thought) to mental and emotional patterning held within the unconscious mind. We also see the external interactions – how the environment conditions our thoughts to create our belief systems, our ideals, and values – our personality. When we study the “being,” we find the spiritual qualities which are both individual and universal, and beyond that, pure awareness, and that which exists beyond all thought.
In learning the “map of the human system,” we can begin to intimately know ourselves. At the same time that we learn the theoretical aspects of the operating system, we can move beyond conceptual understanding to actual access and exploration of each level within ourselves. The deeper we immerse ourselves in this exploration, the more intimate we become with ourselves. We begin to create an attitude of profound appreciation for the incredible beings that we are. As we delve into the mental level, we may find old beliefs held in the unconscious mind that create unwanted emotions and pain. We can begin to correlate these thoughts, beliefs, and emotions with physical symptomology and realize that the symptoms themselves are an attempt on the part of the unconscious mind to speak for us. As we interpret symptoms and what they are saying, it is common to experience a relaxation and a relief of the symptomology itself. As we access the spiritual level, we may find a correction to our old beliefs. We can rest in the pure, expanded peace of nondual awareness.
The operating system of the human being is exquisite – simple, yet intricate, definable yet beyond description. As we become familiar with our own operating systems, we find an intimacy and appreciation for ourselves that begin to undo old attitudes of self-doubt and hate. The more we understand our own operating system, the more we understand the operating systems of others. We can begin to be of service to others because we know the territory from the inside out. We find ourselves judging less and having compassion for those caught in the patterns of old conditioning. Navigating through the “map of the human system” allows us to merge into our own understanding and ultimately, into the depths of our own, miraculous hearts.
Hilary Farberow-Stuart, ND, is a naturopathic physician. She has developed a multi-level system of working with people entitled “Wholehearted Healing – The Map of the Human System.” She works in private practice in Portland, Oregon, and teaches introductory and ongoing training classes for professionals and those interested in learning her system. She is co-founder and Secretary for the newly founded non-profit organization, the Naturopathic Psychospiritual Collaborative. For more information, go to www.wholeheartedhealing.org, or call 503 234-4639.
