Have you known somewhere inside that physical symptoms like tennis elbow or coronary artery disease are actually messages from your Inner Wisdom. Symptoms are pointing the way for you to make a correction in the direction of your life. You can find theories to support this assumption in Traditional Chinese and Ayruvedic Medicine, as well as Native American traditions. Better yet, you can find what a symptom means to you by simply searching your own life for clues. Symptoms are your body's wake up call!

It's like a mystery. Sometimes you need a little inkling to uncover the secret. Sometimes it may take months of exploration, possibly with the help of a coach. When you finally say, "That makes sense!" you will be well on your way to alleviating the very symptom you are exploring.

Let's look at a typical complaint. Suppose you have a recurring bladder infection and want to stop having them. Of course there are things the western medical model will suggest about cleanliness and bathroom habits. But what if that doesn't clear up the problem? How else could you look at it?

Physical symptoms are often a metaphor. Like coronary problems often have something to do with the emotional heart. So, it's wise to look at what is really going on. In the case of bladder infection, usually the person has pain on urination and often can't seem to let go. You've heard the expression, "Pissed off!" How does this apply to the person with the bladder infection. Is there someone he or she is pissed off at? Or is it more that holding on to something until it burns. Is there something that he or she should be letting go of but is hanging on for dear life?

There are other ways to explore the problem. The bladder lies in the area of the first and second chakra. In the tradition of Yoga, the chakras are energy centers (see www.vibrancecoach.com. The first chakra is about family and tribal tradition and the second is about procreation and sexuality. So asking questions about these areas may be fruitful. For example, is the person holding onto a family member who is ready to flee the nest? Since bladder symptoms are often caused by irritation, is there a sexual relationship that is irritating?

When you explore the hidden meaning of a symptom, you can do it on your own or use some of the books that deal with these issues (Louise Hayes, Carolyn Myss, and Christiane Northrup are some of the best authors). If you want more personally support, you can hire a coach to help you stick with the search. Journaling and meditation are often fruitful. Whatever path you choose, congratulations on being willing to do the work. It's an adventure that will lead you to deeper personal knowledge and greater fulfillment. It will also begin to restore health! making sense of the symptom is answering the wake up call by turning off the alarm and getting out of bed.

(c) Jacqueline Hale, 2001