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I apologize if this has been said here many times already, but I wanted to re-state it just in case. People often ask me how they know if, and when, they are healed? What is healing? I wanted to make a blanket statement.

Dr. Sarno defined healing as such:

1. Little or no pain.
2. No functional limitation.
3. No fear of any physical activity.
4. All physical treatments have been discontinued.

I agree with all those, of course. But I also use the "happiness measure." I ask people if they are happy again? If they say yes, then I consider them healed, because to me that's the goal in life.

Of course happiness includes all the above that Dr. Sarno stated. The person is back into life and doing what they want with no fear, and they've discontinued all treatments. They also have no limitations and never think, or obsess about their body.

But here's the catch, there always seems to be one. People are often healed and they don't realize it because they're constantly checking their body for something.

For any non-specific person, their main problem is often gone, but something else has come up. So they keep searching in this cycle, looking for anything, every day. And of course, within the body-focused searching, they will always find something. Rumi wrote, "That which you seek is also seeking you." The perfect body, and perfect day don't exist. We live, and so therefore will have something. We can't escape this life without pain ever again, or some type of emotional response to life-events.

The irony of course is that the constant obsession and focus and searching will keep things pulling toward you. So at some point....STOP.

STOP looking and checking everyday for something to be there. Something will always be there from a stiff neck, to vision changes, to a sore foot, to a nagging this or that. You may have already healed but you may be seeking a panacea that doesn't exist.

Of course there may be that day, that lovely day, when everything goes your way, and your mindbody feels sooooo goooood!! All the traffic lights turn green in front of you, people compliment you all day, and your spirit is light. I've had lots of those over the past decade and I cherish every one when I am graced to have one. But they are exceptions to a demanding life. If you go live on a mountaintop in India meditating every day in the yogic position, you may have many more of those days. But we live in a world of mothers and fathers and mothers and fathers in law, kids, bosses, politics and rules. DEMANDS

On certain days there may be a dry eye, or a hand or finger that may hurt a little, or a knee may be stiff. That's a part of life that comes with being alive. You are healed, IMO, when you no longer care about these things. If I wake and my thumb is swollen I don't give it any credence and I go to work, or lift weights, or play golf. If it doesn't keep me from doing anything, I don't worry about it, and I don't think about it the rest of my day. And it goes away.

So you've actually healed when you've STOPPED:
1) Looking for problems
2) Your limitations
3) All treatments
4) Worrying

You may be healed now, but you may be TMSing by seeking problems that are a normal part of a normal life. Then you need to ask yourself, "Am I happy right now?"

If you're truly and deeply happy, you're healed.

Steve