More than a decade ago, I spent a transformative year living at a yoga ashram. I often call it my "year of yoga college," immersing myself in yogic philosophy, the mind-body connection, and holistic living before stepping into the role of teacher.
During that time, I attended incredible workshops and lectures from leading voices in mind-body medicine — Dr. Joe Dispenza, Dan Millman, Donna Eden, and Joy Nischala Devi, among others. One homeopathic doctor shared a concept that stayed with me: all disease begins in the mind before it manifests in the body.
At the time, I found it fascinating, but I didn’t fully grasp the depth of what that meant — until I went through my own five-year healing journey. Now, with deeper understanding, I’m passionate about helping others explore the hidden connection between subconscious patterns and physical health.
Most of us are familiar with conscious thoughts — what we actively think and say. But underneath lies the subconscious mind: a vast storehouse of memories, emotions, and automatic responses that silently govern 95% of our behaviors.
The subconscious doesn’t operate with logic. It acts on past experiences, often formed in childhood, creating repeating emotional patterns. Healing chronic illness often requires healing the subconscious mind first — not just treating physical symptoms.
During my illness, I didn’t want to admit that wounded patterns lived within me. I thought of myself as hopeful, optimistic, and grateful. Surely, my mindset couldn't possibly be contributing to my health problems... right?
Wrong.
What I eventually discovered is that I had become an expert at spiritual bypassing — using positivity and gratitude to avoid fully processing the deeper pain and trauma I carried. I saw every hardship as a lesson but never allowed myself to feel the true emotions of fear, sadness, anger, or grief.
Unprocessed emotions don't disappear. They get stored in the body, quietly wearing down the immune system, the nervous system, and the energy body — until eventually, they surface as dis-ease.
Nobody teaches us how to be human. Schools teach us the Pythagorean theorem but not how to process emotional pain, set boundaries, or nurture resilience.
Instead, we’re taught to keep busy, stay distracted, and avoid discomfort. It’s no wonder so many turn to endless scrolling, addictions, or overworking — ways to escape the unresolved pain within.
The truth is: your subconscious mind remembers everything.
It’s awake even while you sleep.
Research shows that only about 10% of diseases are purely genetic. The other 90%? They are largely influenced by epigenetics — the environment you live in, the stress you carry, the emotions you suppress, the relationships you nurture, and the beliefs you hold.
Even if you carry a "bad gene," your internal environment determines whether it gets activated.
Our subconscious mind controls us more than we imagine. It remembers EVERYTHING!! It is always awake, even when we are sleeping.
Every illness has a subconscious correlation unless it is genetic. Genetic diseases are only about 10% of the health issues in the world.
Even if you have the breast cancer gene, epigenetics (your environment, nutrition, stress levels, relationships, subconscious thoughts, etc) play a bigger role than your genetics do.
Did you know there are four key psychological patterns associated with a higher risk of breast cancer?
Studies have shown that researchers could predict breast cancer with 94–96% accuracy based on the presence of these four traits:
- Emotional disconnection in childhood — A lack of nurturing or chaotic upbringing.
- Repressed emotions, especially anger — Difficulty expressing true feelings.
- Lack of strong, supportive adult relationships.
- Chronic caregiving tendencies — Always putting others' needs before your own.
This doesn’t mean if you have these patterns you will develop breast cancer. But it does mean these traits create internal conditions that may make the body more vulnerable to disease.
The solution? Inner healing.
- Addressing the wounds of the past.
- Allowing yourself to express emotions.
- Building nurturing, reciprocal relationships.
- Letting go of people-pleasing and reclaiming your authentic voice.
Prevention starts from within.
One of the biggest lessons from my healing journey is this: true healing is holistic.
You are a mind, a body, and a spirit. If you only treat the body, you’re addressing just one-third of the equation.
When I finally stopped obsessing about physical symptoms and turned inward — healing old beliefs, buried emotions, and childhood wounds — my body healed naturally.
This doesn’t mean that all disease is "in your head."
But healing the mind and heart absolutely creates the conditions for the body to recover faster, stay stronger, and thrive.
Examples of mind-body patterns I often see:
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People who get COVID but recover quickly vs. those who develop long-haul symptoms.
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Those who heal from Lyme disease after a short course of antibiotics vs. those who suffer for years.
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Lower back pain that is chronic and structural vs. back pain that is triggered by stress and resolves once emotional burdens are released.
Your body is always communicating with you. Illness isn't just a failure of biology — it’s often a call for deeper self-healing.
If you’re curious to explore the mind-body connection further, here are the five books that deeply supported my understanding:
You Are The Placebo by Dr. Joe Dispenza
Feelings Buried Alive Never Die by Karol Truman
The Body Says No by Dr. Gabor Maté
Mind Over Medicine by Dr. Lissa Rankin
Unlearn Your Pain by Dr. Howard Schubiner
Each one shines a light on the hidden relationship between subconscious patterns, emotional wounds, and physical health.
Healing the mind is just as essential as healing the body.
Through subconscious healing, inner child work, nervous system regulation, and emotional release techniques, we’ll create the space for your body, mind, and spirit to heal and thrive.
You don't have to walk this journey alone. I'm here to guide and support you. Don't forget, you are your greatest healer. All you need is the right tools to remember.
Please share this article with any friends that may find it intriguing or helpful, and always feel free to reach out and ask me questions! My email is info@healingwithhilery.com
