In my training with Paul Chek the first thing I learned about was The Four Doctors; Dr. Movement, Dr. Quiet, Dr. Diet, and Dr. Happiness. It’s simple enough to learn how important it is to apply each of these “doctors” into your life for optimal health and performance, and this is what we always embody into our programs, but the real practice comes in understanding the integration of all four and knowing that when one is out of balance; they are all out of balance. Even as a Level III HLC practitioner, I struggle in this area to keep mindful awareness of harmonizing what’s out of tune because life has a way of pulling you in many directions and throwing curveballs, and you have to do the same work over and over to get back on track. That’s taking ownership of your health, practicing self care and self love.
The importance of understanding The Four Doctors doesn’t end with knowledge. You must practice. Each “doctor” relies on the other three, so if you are not putting equal effort into balancing all of them, they each suffer. You cannot obtain good digestion simply by improving diet, for example.
Changing your diet to eliminate inflammatory foods and heal the gut will improve your digestion, but it will never function optimally if you are not exercising, getting healthy circulation moving through your body (Dr. Movement), or if you are not getting enough sleep or rest which disrupts important hormones that affect digestion (Dr. Quiet). And even if you get Diet, Movement and Quiet dialed in, what happens to your breathing, appetite, blood sugar, enzyme and stomach acid production – and thus digestion when you are perpetually unhappy and putting others’ needs, ideas and beliefs before your own (Dr. Happy).
Dr. Quiet is the one doctor I believe we all need to understand and learn to practice the most in our modern, fast-paced society that celebrates busy-ness, puking into buckets after a workout, and the “sleep when you’re dead” mentalities.
I know, too well, the struggle involved in maintaining a relationship with Dr. Quiet! In spite of living a holistic lifestyle and running a holistic health practice, Dr. Quiet often fades into the background of my daily routines as I get sucked in to the minute-by-minute race to accomplish so many things while running a business, writing courses, coaching clients, fitting in exercise and meals, and also raising three kids!
As I began to feel myself burning out, I knew I needed to take a look at my relationship with each of the Four Doctors. I had to ask myself the same questions my teacher once asked me, “How much can you accomplish without taking a break? How well does your engine perform always going top speed with an empty tank of gas? How long does your car last without proper maintenance? If you go years without and the engine combusts, how much is that going to cost?”and… insert dramatic pause…
“What is that going to cost you?”
These questions, especially that last one, drew me closer to my relationship with Dr. Quiet as they helped me understand that no matter how smart I am or how many books or studies I read to keep learning; what good is all the information if my brain is fried and I can’t even think clearly? No matter how efficient I am at multitasking, coaching my clients, writing curriculum and running a business- how good of a job am I really doing – and how much am I actually enjoying my job – if I’m rushing through all of it?
What value is a clean, organic diet if I’m not pausing to appreciate my food and use all of my senses to eat and digest it? How long do the benefits of modifying your workouts to be slower and restorative last if you can never return to the fun workouts you really dream of doing because you can’t store up enough energy to do what you love?
So I continue with these questions and I encourage you to reflect on each one and examine how they apply to your life:
🏎Can you eat with your foot on the gas?
🏎Can you digest with your foot on the gas?
🏎Can you meditate with your foot on the gas?
🏎Can you sleep with your foot on the gas?
🏎Can you see the beauty around you with your foot on the gas?
🏎Can you be aware of what’s going on in your body with your foot on the gas?
🏎Can you be aware of your environment with your foot on the gas?
🏎Can you connect with your partner with your foot on the gas?
🏎Can you make love with your foot on the gas?
🏎Can you see your own blind spots with your foot on the gas?
🏎Can you process your emotions with your foot on the gas?
🏎Can you work, and do good work that you enjoy; that you’re proud of with your foot on the gas?
🏎Can you listen openly to others with your foot on the gas?
🏎Can you be present with your foot on the gas?
🚨Can you take CARE of YOURSELF with your foot on the gas?
NOW SEE IF YOU CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION