Empowering outlook or limiting outlook? Your choice...

What do you choose to focus on?
In this photo...?
In your life...?



Until next time,
Dr. Mark William Cochran
Chiropractor, energy healer, lightworker
Sandpoint and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

PS: Remember to check out my new e-book, Oby's Wisdom! A Caveman's Simple Guide to Health and Well-being.

Oby is available as an instant pdf download as well as other electronic formats. Coming soon, Kindle, Nook and Sony! Stay tuned!

Visit www.ObysWisdom.com to learn more about the book, download a free excerpt, and read about the incredible bonuses available if you buy by Dec 26th.

You Are a Symphony!

A symphony is a beautiful musical composition performed by an orchestra made up of a large number of gifted musicians. These artists, with their diverse selection of instruments, play many different melodies in harmony with each other, bringing the symphony to life.

You are a symphony. More sophisticated than any orchestra, you consist of a vast array of complex systems, subsystems, organs, tissues, cells, and chemical and biomechanical processes. The adult human body is a thriving community made up of an estimated 75 trillion cells. These countless parts and processes work together to perform functions as obvious as the circulation of your blood, movement of your limbs, your thoughts and emotions, and perception of sensations such as heat and cold. They also include functions that take place on such a tiny scale that you are completely unaware of them. For example, the Kreb's Cycle—the cellular process that provides energy for cells to live and function—is generating energy in thousands of trillions of microscopic power plants throughout your body right now.

A thousand trillion looks like this: 1,000,000,000,000,000.

There are untold numbers of other functions, large and small, working in synergy in your inner universe, nonstop. For you to live—to express life—everything from your major systems to your countless intracellular processes must play in harmony. You are a wondrous and beautiful symphony.

Who conducts this magnificent symphony? Your life force. As long as your life force can express itself with no interference, you perform a harmonious and delightful symphony.

But what happens when there is interference? Let’s pretend that you are the world’s most gifted virtuoso violinist, performing with one of the world’s finest symphony orchestras. Suppose an audience member walks up onto the stage and stands in front of you, completely blocking your view of the conductor. Would you be able to play your part of the symphony? Of course you would. You are, after all, the greatest violinist in the world. You can still read your music, listen to the other musicians and play along with them. Even so, would your performance be flawless? Perhaps not; a bit of disharmony may result from the lack of communication between you and the conductor. Since you are such a gifted violinist, probably nobody but you will notice the disharmony. In other words, the life expression of the orchestra is diminished, but to such an insignificant degree that no “symptom” manifests.

Now, what if 25 more people joined the first on stage, each one blocking a different musician’s view of the conductor? Will these musicians be able to play their part of the symphony? Of course they will; this is the world’s finest orchestra. But will it be the orchestra’s best possible performance? Probably not, because so many musicians are unable to see the conductor. Now, because of all of the interference, the disharmony may become noticeable to the audience. We now have a symptom in the symphony.

For the orchestra to come back into harmony, an important factor would be for the musicians to be able to follow the conductor’s directions without the interference of the stage crashers. The first response would be an innate one—the musicians would simply shift their positions a bit so they could see the conductor. If the trespassers continued to block the musicians’ view, an usher might ask them politely to leave. If they remained, then someone could call security and have them forcibly ejected from the concert hall. Once they were gone, the orchestra would be able to play beautifully again, because that is what orchestras do. The point is that the orchestra is inherently capable of restoring the harmony it lost due to the interference. Even if the source of interference is removed by external means, ultimately, the orchestra’s ability to return to a state of harmony is due to the talent of the musicians and the conductor, rather than the security guards who removed the interference.


Until next time,
Mark William Cochran
Chiropractor, energy healer, lightworker
Sandpoint and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

PS: Remember to check out my new e-book, Oby's Wisdom! A Caveman's Simple Guide to Health and Well-being.

Oby is available as an instant pdf download as well as other electronic formats. Coming soon, Kindle, Nook and Sony! Staytuned!

Visit www.ObysWisdom.com to learn more about the book, download a free excerpt, and read about the incredible bonuses available if you buy soon.

The Secret to Healthy Nutrition: Never Go On a Diet Again!

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I sure did. It is such a wonderful holiday, celebrating one of the most beautiful and empowering states of consciousness there is: gratitude.

Thanksgiving is a day of feasting and it ushers in the winter holiday season. The holidays are fun and joyous time of celebration and fellowship, but they can also be a time of great challenge. The challenge I am talking about is, of course…

Food!

For many, food is a battle. Almost all of us have been on a diet at some point in time. Some people always seem to be on a diet—and usually not a consistent one. Opinions as to what comprises healthy nutrition change from time to time, and our eating habits usually follow the latest theory or fad. (How many people have stayed on their 1970’s low cal diet through the low fat and low carb eras?)

So here is a simple solution:

Never go on a diet again!

When I say, “don’t go on a diet,” I am referring to the intention, not to the behavior. Anybody can benefit from healthier eating habits. The important thing is the intention—to incorporate better nutrition into your life for the health benefits, and not to fight yourself.

So many diet plans, diet books and weight loss programs exist that it would be pretty much impossible to count them all. Low cal, low fat, low carb, slow carb, raw food, beer and cookies—the list continues to expand.

And they all work…

But none of them work…

That is, they all work if you stick to them, but virtually no one sticks to them over a lifetime. I’m not joking about the beer and cookies diet. When I was a college student, I had a good friend who was famous for his beer and cookies diet. He wanted to maintain a healthy weight, but he knew that beer and cookies, on top of everything else he ate and drank, would probably cause him to gain weight. He decided to do away with the unnecessary foods and just stick with the important stuff: beer and cookies! He stuck with it religiously for a good two months. His cookies of choice were home-baked oatmeal raisin cookies or, in a pinch, the occasional box of vanilla wafers. Whichever cookies he had on his plate, he washed them down with his favorite beer: “whatever’s cheap and cold.”

I would never suggest a strict regimen of beer and cookies as a healthy approach to maintaining your ideal weight. My friend never tried to pass his diet off as serious; it was just a fun college guy thing. But he did follow his diet for two months, and he met his objective. It supports the point I am trying to get across. In terms of weight management, lots of diet plans will work, no matter how kooky or unhealthy. The challenge is sticking to a regimen…for the rest of your life.

So often, a diet is process of doing something you don’t like, to fix something you don’t like. What are the odds of that succeeding?

It will be much more self affirming for you to remember The Basic Truth:

You are beautiful and perfect!

This is a more empowering way of thinking than the dieting mindset. Feel love and gratitude for yourself as a beautiful and perfect being, and live your life from that perspective. Then imagine what your life and health will be like in 5…10…25…50 years from now, compared to what it will be like if you keep loathing yourself. Just love yourself and do everything you do—including eating—from that place of self love.

Until next time,
Mark William Cochran
Chiropractor, energy healer, lightworker
Sandpoint and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

PS: Remember to check out my new e-book, Oby's Wisdom! A Caveman's Simple Guide to Health and Well-being. Visit www.ObysWisdom.com to learn more about the book, download a free excerpt, and read about the incredible bonuses available if you buy soon.

Make one commitment to yourself today – just one – just for today.

This photo is of the breathtaking view of the Cabinet Mountains from South Chilco Peak in North Idaho.
(I made a commitment, and traveled to the summit, one step at a time!)

The type of commitment you make is important. (More on that below…)

As I said in last week’s blog, the most effective way to make profound changes in your life is to go one step at a time.

Just one step at a time.

So today, take one step. Make one commitment – just one – without even committing to do it tomorrow, much less every day for the rest of your life. Make it an easy step.

Ideas:
Eat more green veggies for dinner.
Uprade one food purchase from non-organic to organic.
Spend more quality time with your kids, your partner, your pet or even yourself.
Go out for a nice walk, run, bike ride, swim or whatever you enjoy.
Meditate or pray.
Drink as much water as you know you should be drinking.
Go back to the yoga class you’ve been missing.
Read something that's been waiting in your "gotta read" stack for awhile.
Go out and play!

Now a note about what type of commitment to make to yourself. Notice that all of the items on the list above have one thing in common: They all add value to your life. None of them are about quitting, cutting down or avoiding.

My commitment for today: to enjoy a longer yoga session than usual.

It's that simple!

Tomorrow, make another commitment – to yourself – just one – just for tomorrow. Make it a commitment that adds value to your life. It can be the same as today, or something new. You get to choose. But don’t even think about it until tomorrow.

Until next time,
Dr. Mark William Cochran
Chiropractor, energy healer, lightworker
Coeur d’Alene and Sandpoint, Idaho

PS: Remember to visit www.ObysWisdom.com to check out my award winning new e-book. There are some great limited-time-only bonuses AND you can download a free excerpt.

You can go anywhere one step at a time...

This is a picture of the most recent lofty peak I reached, one step at a time.
www.ObysWisdom.com

Sometimes we have a goal or desire in life and set to work to achieve it. We are excited about what lies ahead for us and we know that we just have to set an intention, take some action, and - poof! - what we desire falls into our lap! Easy, right?

Sometimes...

But not always.

Achieving a goal can take longer - sometimes a LOT longer - than we expect, but as long as we keep taking the next step, we WILL arive.

There are two important things to keep in mind.

1. The road is usually not as smooth and straight as you expect.

I reached a major milestone this week. I just launched my new e-book: Oby's Wisdom! A Caveman's Simple Guide to Health and Well-being. When I came up with the idea, I thought I could complete the book in just two weeks. That was over 4 years ago. And I also knew that my idea was SO great that as soon I sent a book proposal to my chosen publisher, they would love it so much that they would snap it up and pay me a juicy advance. So I mailed off the proposal...and got it back, returned to sender, unopened, with a note scrawled on the outside of the envelope: "No unsolicited manuscripts accepted."

Sigh!

I could have given up right then, but I didn't. I kept taking steps. On the way, I took wrong turns, got lost, hit dead ends...everything you can expect on such an adventure. But I just kept taking steps, taking steps, taking steps...

And now, Oby's Wisdom is published by a real publisher!


2. Sometimes the destination you reach is different (and even better) than the one you planned.

At one point on my journey, I felt like I had exhausted all options. I wasn't moving. I couldn't see any new paths to try. At that point, I was invited to help start a new publishing company with several other authors. And now, I'm part owner of my own publishing company! Never foresaw that. And a couple of months ago, Oby's Wisdom won first place in the 2009 Idaho Writer's League nonfiction book contest. Never imagined that one, either. But here I am, an award winning author!


Whatever you want in life, go after it. Keep moving. Step by step. Keep your eyes open for new destinations. And always, take your next step!

Until next time,
Dr. Mark William Cochran
Chiropracrot,energy healer, lightworker
Coeur d'Alene and Sandpoint Idaho

From atop Mallard Peak, Idaho

Your immune system does not fight anything. Health is not about fighting; health is harmony!

Pause for a moment to contemplate the peaceful beauty in this photo. It's a photo I took several years ago from atop Maiden Rock overlooking Lake Pend Oreille in North Idaho. The scene is tranquil. Everything you see exists in harmony and synergy with everything else.

If you wanted to, you could look at all of this as a product of an endless succession of fights. Wind and rain have "lashed" the rocks, the forests have "succumbed" to fire, glaciers "gouged" the landscape and created the lake.

Of course there have been forces in opposition with each other. But opposition does not automatically mean combat. Opposition of forces also exists when a child (or an adult) swings on a swingset. No one would ever think of swinging on a swingset as a fight. Swinging is a state of harmony that brings joy!

It's the same with immune functioning and all other processes inherent in life. We exist in a dynamic state of balance and harmony.

Take a look at the photo below. This photo is one I took about a year and a half ago, looking up at Maiden Rock from the beach. Notice how the wind and rain have revealed magnificent rock formations, how the plant life is flourishing because of how fires have cleansed the land and enriched the soil, and how masterfully the glaciers sculpted beautiful Lake Pend Oreille.



Until next time,
Dr. Mark William Cochran
Chiropractor, energy healer, lightworker
Sandpoint and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Is the Swine Flu just a Self Fulfilling Prophesy?

Let me tell you a personal story about how words and thoughts can effect our physical bodies:

One morning, a couple of years ago, I was working on my computer, and I wasn't feeling very well. My son got up, got ready for work and walked out the door, saying he wasn't feeling well, either. The symptoms he described were the same as mine: a little bit of nausea, a bit headachy, some dizziness, and feeling quite lethargic. We had both been feeling that way for a couple of days. It occurred to me that, as best I could remember, those sounded like the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. I did a quick internet search and, yep, those were the symptoms. That HAD to be it. Why else would two otherwise healthy men be feeling like that? I immediately began to feel worse. I called the fire department and asked if they could come by and check my house for carbon monoxide. Then I went outside to get out of the danger zone. As soon as I got out into the fresh air I began to feel much better. Before long, a big ol'fire truck pulled up and three firefighters hopped out; one with a magic carbon monoxide detecting wand. They walked through the house, checking every nook and cranny, as well as my crawl space where my gas furnace is located. Nope...no CO. My abode was fresh as a daisy. One of them even checked the CO detector and found it to be in good working order. (I hadn't thought to do that.) I thanked these fine, brave public servants and went back inside feeling fine, and more than a little embarrased. I came to realize that I had been putting in some long hours and I was just run down. Same with my son. That's all there was to it.

The main point of the story is that my reading a set of symptoms on my computer screen, along with my preconceived suspicion that I may have CO poisoning, caused my symptoms to dramatically worsen almost immediately.

This illustrates the nocebo effect. The Nocebo efect is kind of like a reverse placebo effect, and causes a person to experience symptoms and other adverse effects based on their expectations. Nocebo, and not carbon monoxide, is what caused my nausea, headaches and dizziness to worsen on that morning.

Words are powerful. Consider how many times we have all heard the word, "pandemic," lately. We're being pummeled by it. We hear it on the news, in commercials, on the street, and even from our president. Is it unreasonable to suspect that, to a very significant degree, we are creating a pandemic with our consciousness alone? It's a possibility we all need to consider.

Because words are so powerful, I'll leave you with the same positive, empowering words I left you with last week:

You are beautiful and perfect.
Empower your potential, not your problems.
You are inherently healthy.

Until next time,
Dr. Mark William Cochran
Chiropractor, energy healer, lightworker
Sandpoint and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho