Innate Intelligence
The concept of innate intelligence was expanded upon in the numerous chiropractic books Dr. BJ Palmer wrote. Palmer was a researcher of chiropractic care in the early 20th century. One of his writings says, “The fundamental cause of all dis-ease lies between the Innate Intelligence and the body; in the interference to the normal and natural quantity efferent flow between Innate Intelligence and the body; in the interference to the normal and natural quantity afferent flow from body to Innate Intelligence. This interference between can make either sick.”
Today, at the Palmer College of Chiropractic for which Palmer assumed responsibility in 1904, the definition of chiropractic care and innate intelligence is more simplified, “Chiropractic philosophy begins with the principle that the human organism has an innate power to maintain its own health.” It continues, “This unique health care approach views the body as having an innate, natural ability to adapt to changes in its internal and external environments and maintain itself in a state of health.”
As I was entering my fifth year of formal chiropractic education, we discussed healing and the sources of healing. One of the earliest things we spoke of was “where does this healing stuff come from?” We ended up calling it universal intelligence in an effort to encompass all religions and faiths. As we got further into our courses and moved towards our doctorate studies, we adapted a new phrase called innate intelligence. As our studies progressed, we were then so bold to say that “what created the body can heal the body.” A curious person would ask these questions of our bodies’ innate intelligence: How can the eyes see? How does the heart beat? Why does the adrenal system work? Why do the kidneys filter toxins? How is it we don’t get sick?
Here is a dramatic example of innate intelligence and how the mind and body works. A friend of mine nearly lost his leg during an explosion in Vietnam. He returned stateside for surgery and healing. His leg was saved and rehabilitated and he retired out of the military. Later while riding on a dirt bike, his repaired leg was struck by a drunk driver. It then required amputation. He came in to my office one day and said, “Bob, in the middle of the night I was scratching my leg that was not there, violently. The scratching relieved the pain until I awoke and realized what I was doing. Z, am I going nuts?” I replied, “No, quite the contrary. The brain still believes that structurally you are still there. It is the innate intelligence of your body that is causing chemicals within yourself to be released and comfort your pain.”
I have to remind individuals to have faith in themselves because truly you can do what you want to do. As I have written in bits and pieces in several other articles, when a person is happy, their system releases endorphins, the feel-good chemical. There are so many times we try hard to make someone responsible for his own health needs. Our goal as doctors is for people to get well. It is not necessarily that we make them well, but through our learned chiropractic skills we can attempt to position our patients’ bodies in order to best stimulate their bodies’ own innate intelligence and improve their healing and wellness. IBI
Today, at the Palmer College of Chiropractic for which Palmer assumed responsibility in 1904, the definition of chiropractic care and innate intelligence is more simplified, “Chiropractic philosophy begins with the principle that the human organism has an innate power to maintain its own health.” It continues, “This unique health care approach views the body as having an innate, natural ability to adapt to changes in its internal and external environments and maintain itself in a state of health.”
As I was entering my fifth year of formal chiropractic education, we discussed healing and the sources of healing. One of the earliest things we spoke of was “where does this healing stuff come from?” We ended up calling it universal intelligence in an effort to encompass all religions and faiths. As we got further into our courses and moved towards our doctorate studies, we adapted a new phrase called innate intelligence. As our studies progressed, we were then so bold to say that “what created the body can heal the body.” A curious person would ask these questions of our bodies’ innate intelligence: How can the eyes see? How does the heart beat? Why does the adrenal system work? Why do the kidneys filter toxins? How is it we don’t get sick?
Here is a dramatic example of innate intelligence and how the mind and body works. A friend of mine nearly lost his leg during an explosion in Vietnam. He returned stateside for surgery and healing. His leg was saved and rehabilitated and he retired out of the military. Later while riding on a dirt bike, his repaired leg was struck by a drunk driver. It then required amputation. He came in to my office one day and said, “Bob, in the middle of the night I was scratching my leg that was not there, violently. The scratching relieved the pain until I awoke and realized what I was doing. Z, am I going nuts?” I replied, “No, quite the contrary. The brain still believes that structurally you are still there. It is the innate intelligence of your body that is causing chemicals within yourself to be released and comfort your pain.”
I have to remind individuals to have faith in themselves because truly you can do what you want to do. As I have written in bits and pieces in several other articles, when a person is happy, their system releases endorphins, the feel-good chemical. There are so many times we try hard to make someone responsible for his own health needs. Our goal as doctors is for people to get well. It is not necessarily that we make them well, but through our learned chiropractic skills we can attempt to position our patients’ bodies in order to best stimulate their bodies’ own innate intelligence and improve their healing and wellness. IBI