The Principles of PNI have been summarised and form the basic building blocks of the PNI Awareness Test.
Important Notice
The interconnective nature of the mind and body means that we can inadvertently compromise a person's level of wellness when we deal with the body or mind independently.
Interactions
The main interests of PNI are the interactions between the nervous system, immune system, mental processes, physical manifestations, and our ability to manage the internal stress response, the chemical response of the Bodymind.
PNI is a systematic study of how the mind and body work in unity to enable us to attain optimal health.
These principles of Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) highlight the interconnectedness between the mind, body, and emotions and emphasise the importance of a holistic approach to wellness.
Stress is a fundamental component of life. Regardless of the cause, we are part of the effect.
In simple terms, PNI is looking at why people's immune systems go down when they are under stress and, from a PNI Personal Development perspective, how we can mitigate stress to recalibrate our immune response when it becomes compromised by the changes and challenges of life.
- Emotions and Physical Health: PNI recognises the bidirectional relationship between emotions and physical health. Our emotional well-being can impact our physical wellness and vice versa. Understanding and addressing emotional states is crucial for maintaining our overall well-being.
- Mind-Body Connection: PNI views the mind and body as a unified system. The thoughts, emotions, and beliefs of the mind can influence the functioning of the body and its organs. Recognising this connection enables a comprehensive approach to healthcare.
- Proactive Personal and Professional Management: Combining personal efforts and professional guidance is essential in managing health proactively. Taking an active role in self-care and seeking professional support when needed promotes overall well-being.
- Self-Healing Activation: PNI encourages a deeper understanding of oneself and the internal environment. Understanding our body-mind system can activate self-healing mechanisms and promote optimal health.
- Unified Mind-Body Approach: Nurturing the mind and body in a unified manner is essential for maintaining a healthy "Bodymind." This integrated perspective acknowledges the interplay between hormonal responses and the mind-body connection.
- Professional Support and Independence: PNI advocates for seeking support from wellness professionals while maintaining personal independence and self-supportiveness. It acknowledges the role of professionals in providing guidance while empowering individuals to take responsibility for their own health.
- Accountability for Choices: PNI emphasises personal accountability for the choices we make regarding our health. Our decisions and actions impact our well-being, and taking responsibility for them is essential for positive outcomes.
- Power of Belief: The placebo effect, where belief in a treatment produces a positive response, highlights the power of our beliefs on our health. Recognising the influence of our mindset and beliefs can significantly impact our well-being.
- Recognising Ineffective Thinking: PNI acknowledges that stress-related feelings can be signs of ineffective thinking. Stress-related emotions indicate potential maladaptive thinking patterns that may negatively affect health.
- Nocebo Effect: The nocebo effect is the opposite of the placebo effect, where negative beliefs or expectations can lead to adverse health outcomes. PNI recognises the influence of negative beliefs and attitudes on health and aims to address them.
- Self-Interventions: Understanding our ability to form self-interventions allows us to gain more control over our thoughts, emotions, and actions. We can promote better overall health by implementing positive changes in our mindset and behaviours.
- Personal Development From a PNI Personal Development perspective, it is crucial to comprehend the significance of fostering an upbeat mood as a bodily chemical response. This understanding allows us to recognise that generating positive emotions is pivotal in promoting a healthier immune system.
- Immune System The nervous and immune systems work in tandem, and by proactively cultivating positivity, we can positively influence the intricate interplay between our mental and physical well-being.
- Emotions and Chemical Responses: PNI acknowledges that emotions generate chemical responses within the body that can be measured. Emotional states have physiological manifestations, and addressing emotional health is crucial for optimal well-being.
- Holistic Wellness: PNI recognises that emotional illness is connected to physiological health. Mental and emotional well-being significantly impact overall health, and addressing emotional issues is essential for holistic care.
By embracing these principles, individuals can adopt a comprehensive approach to wellness by considering the mind-body connection as a form of self-care and personal development.
PNI CHEMISTRY AND SELF-CONNECTION:
- Self-Awareness and Health: Being conscious of ourselves and our thinking allows us to monitor our level of health proactively. By cultivating self-awareness, we can better understand our needs and take appropriate actions for our well-being.
- Thoughts and Brain Chemistry: Our thoughts profoundly influence our brain, which releases chemistry that aligns with our thoughts. Positive thoughts can trigger the release of beneficial chemicals, while negative thoughts can generate stress hormones that affect our overall health.
- Intellectual Expansion and Consciousness: Expanding our intellectual capacity enables us to become more conscious of our needs and find appropriate solutions. Continuous learning and intellectual growth contribute to greater self-awareness and overall well-being.
- Modern-Day Health Challenges: Despite advancements in medical science, degenerative diseases and cancer continue to pose challenges. Recognising the role of our thoughts, feelings, and actions in influencing our health empowers us to make choices that support our well-being.
- Influence of Thoughts, Feelings, and Actions: How we think, feel, and act can either help or harm us. Acknowledging the impact of our mindset and behaviours allows us to make conscious choices that promote health and well-being.
- Openness to Change and Self-Care: Embracing self-connection, change, and innovative forms of self-care.
- Being conscious of ourselves and our thinking is a proactive way to be aware of our level of health.
- Thoughts influence our brain, and the brain releases chemistry that matches our thoughts.
- The more we expand our brains intellectually, the more conscious we become of our needs and the solutions required.
- Despite the advances which have been made in medical science, degenerative diseases and cancer remain a modern-day challenge.
- We can help or harm ourselves by how we think, feel, and act.
- We remain open to self-connection, change and development, and innovative forms of self-care.
- We make time to slow down and combine our mind, body, spirit, and soul.
PNI SELF-INTERVENTION:
- Understanding Stress Duality: Recognizing the dual nature of stress allows us to develop a balanced approach to its management. We can differentiate between beneficial stress promoting growth and chronic stress negatively impacting our health.
- Support and Self-Support: Choosing to seek support from others while maintaining personal self-support is essential. Balancing reliance on professional guidance with personal empowerment promotes well-being and self-healing potential.
- Perception Management: Managing our perception of life and adopting a positive mindset can significantly impact our emotional and physical well-being. Cultivating a resilient and optimistic outlook enhances our ability to cope with challenges.
- Emotional Resilience: Building emotional resilience equips us to navigate life's challenges more effectively. Developing coping strategies, fostering emotional intelligence, and seeking support networks contribute to emotional well-being.
- Support Network: Building a support network, including friends, family, and professionals, provides valuable resources for overall health and well-being. A support system can alleviate stress and provide assistance when needed.
- Health-Promoting Emotions: Generating positive emotions, such as joy, gratitude, and love, has a beneficial impact on our health. Nurturing and cultivating these emotions supports our well-being and contributes to self-healing potential.
- Stress Management Techniques: Learning and implementing stress management techniques, such as relaxation exercises, meditation, and mindfulness practices, can help reduce stress levels and promote overall health.
- Accountability: Remaining accountable for the choices we make regarding our health empowers us to take ownership and actively participate in our well-being. Being responsible for our actions and decisions enhances self-care and self-development.
- Integrated Healthcare: Integrating different aspects of healthcare, including conventional and complementary approaches, allows for a comprehensive and personalised approach to support overall well-being.
- Targeted Support: Seeking support that is specifically tailored to our individual needs and desired outcomes enhances the effectiveness of interventions and promotes personal growth and development.
We can control how we think, feel and act by understanding a range of self-interventions.
- Understand the duality of stress.
- Choose to be supported while remaining self-supportive.
- Manage our perception of life.
- Build emotional resilience.
- Build a network of support.
- Generate health-promoting emotions.
- Learn stress management techniques.
- Gain the skill of relaxation, meditation and mindfulness.
- Remain accountable for the choices that we make.
- Amalgamate our healthcare.
- Attain support that is targeted and tailored to our specific outcomes.
PNI SELF-AWARENESS
Self-intervention and Self-awareness are closely integrated because stress can be both a motivator and a detractor.
Developing self-awareness empowers us to recognize the patterns and triggers that influence our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. By gaining this understanding, we can consciously choose to redirect negative thoughts, cultivate positive emotions, and engage in healthy actions that support our well-being.
Recognising the difference between beneficial stress and harmful stress allows us to harness the positive aspects and mitigate the negative impact on our Bodymind.
Choose to be supported while remaining self-supportive.
Seeking support from others is important for our well-being, whether it's through therapy, counselling, or talking to trusted friends and family. However, it's equally essential to develop self-supportive practices, such as self-reflection, self-care routines, and self-compassion. Balancing external support with self-nurturing helps create a solid foundation for personal growth.
We can learn to manage the perceptions of our life.
Our perception shapes our reality and influences our emotional well-being.
By consciously shifting our perspective to focus on the positive aspects of life, practising gratitude, and reframing challenges as opportunities for growth, we can cultivate a more optimistic outlook and improve our overall well-being. Build emotional resilience. Emotional resilience allows us to adapt to stress, bounce back from setbacks, and maintain mental and emotional well-being.
Developing resilience involves building coping mechanisms, nurturing a positive mindset, and fostering strong social connections, and attaining professional support.
Surrounding ourselves with a supportive network of individuals who share our values and aspirations is crucial for personal development. Building connections with like-minded people, joining support groups or communities, and seeking mentors or role models, and self-support workers, can provide valuable guidance, encouragement, and inspiration on our journey toward wellness and growth sections, and seek professional support when needed.
- Strengthening our emotional resilience helps us navigate life's challenges with greater ease
- Attain psychological care to identify your patterns and triggers
- Learn the difference between good stress and harmful stress; eustress
- Be innovative and self-creative
- Consciously shift your perspective
- Build emotional resilience
- Build your team of wellness, one-to-one and with a group
- Embrace creative innovations
Innovative and creative interventions activate new pathways in our brains, learning new skills and pursuing visualisation modalities such as hypnotherapy and bibliotherapy can add a new dimension to one's mode of thinking, feeling, and acting. The aim is never to override negative emotions but to let them find ways to be released from the mind, body and spirit
- Learn the difference between good stress and harmful stress; eustress
PNI PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Cultivating positive emotions, such as joy, gratitude, love, and compassion, contributes to our mental, emotional, and physical health. Engaging in activities that bring us joy, practising gratitude daily, and fostering healthy relationships are powerful ways to generate and sustain health-promoting emotions.
- Build a community of wellness.
- Promote hope, health, and happiness.
- Proactively manage our internal emotional environment as we deal with life's challenges.
- Activate the correct hormonal response so that stress does not accumulate and becomes chronic.
- Secure the emotional and physical support that we need.
- Aim to counteract negative emotions from the body and mind before chronic stress symptoms emerge.
- Understand the power of consciousness.
An interview with Bruce Lipton.
Bruce Lipton - 'The Power of Consciousness' - Interview by Iain ...
- When we review what we think, we can identify what thoughts we need to change to bring calmness and clarity to our lives.
- The body interprets our mental state, and any form of physical damage or neglect contributes to our emotional state.
Candace Pert PhD
'There are bi-directional communication links amongst the nervous system, the endocrine (hormone) system, and the immune system.'
Emotional Physical
The emotional aspects of ourselves determine our physical manifestations.
We don't evolve independently of our thinking.
Stress modulates the activities of the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems.
When we change the way we think, we change the way we feel.
Q1 Why do we need to care for our physical health?
Q2 Why do we need to care for our emotional health?
Q3 Why should we respect that they are combined?
PNI aims to attain a unified approach to health, knowing that the body and mind are connected.
- Whether we choose to raise our awareness regarding how our emotional health is affecting our physical health is a personal choice. Irrespective of this, our physical and emotional selves cannot and do not separate.
- Every emotion has a physical counterpart.
- Every physical ailment has an emotional attachment.
- Emotions live in the body, not just the mind.
- Professional care needs to amalgamate with personal care.
- Changing the way, we think changes us biochemically.
ILLNESS DOESNT JUST HAPPEN
If we combine inadequate nutrition, lack of emotional support, and financial challenges, together with a lack of hope, control, and purpose in life, we have created within ourselves an environment for illness and disease.
PNI PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SELF-CARE
- Building our awareness of the wellness options available to us is something we can do when we feel well to ward off sickness. We don't need to be sick to benefit from the range of wellness treatments available to us.
- Combining our personal and professional care can be achieved by taking responsibility for combining our mind and body care. We have access to a range of wellness modalities that can help us to release the emotional build-up of physically repressed emotions.
- Many professionals working with your emotional state will help you to understand the physical impact of emotional pain, strain, illness and disease. That said, we need not give up accountability for ourselves in the art of being and staying well.
- Self-care is combined care, and we are responsible for working with the mind and body directly at the same time.
- The nervous system is the immune system, and they do not function separately.
- The spotlight is on our internal environment and how it is affected by stress, highlighting what we can do to change the negative biochemical response that stress generates.
Organic Illnesses
PNI does not disregard the organic nature of illnesses such as bacteria and germs nor deny that some illnesses are genetically inherited.
Traditional
Traditional mind and body and alternative medicine can effectively alleviate the symptoms of many illnesses, but they are not the whole package. To fully enable emotional suppression to be released from the body, we need to ensure that the associated physical counterpart of the emotional pain is released through physical intervention. As professionals, we can offer a range of resources and support. This support needs to be combined.
We can be facilitators of support by helping each individual find the range of solutions they need to maintain wellness, which integrates mind and body care to calm the Bodymind.