By Karen Borga
(Ailments excerpted from You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay)

Louise Hay has been a huge influence on my spiritual growth. In her 60’s, Louise was diagnosed with cancer and refused to follow what her doctor’s prescribed. She was determined to heal herself by changing her thoughts about herself. Now in her 90’s, she is the founder of the self-help movement.

 

Louise realized that your physical ailments had unlying causes. If you healed these conditions in your life, you would be able to heal yourself. Her healing techniques and personal philosophies have changed the lives of people all over the world. I am one of them.

 

Whether you are experiencing an ache or a break, you can look at the chart and see what is your emotional motivation for this issue. This chart has been a valuable tool in my healing practice. When I share it with my clients, they are able to see the blocks in their energy field allowing us to move through them more easily.

 

Please share & bookmark this page, and come back to it often.
I pray you find this chart a “God-Send” for you, as it was for me.

 

~ Alphabetical Index ~
~ A ~ B ~ C ~ D ~ E ~ F ~ G ~ H ~ I ~ J ~ K ~ L ~
~ M ~ N ~ O ~ P ~ Q ~ R ~ S ~ T ~ U ~ V ~ W ~ X ~ Y ~ Z ~
AilmentUnderlying Cause

A

Abdominal CrampsFear. Stopping the process.
AbscessFermenting thoughts over hurts, slights and revenge.
AccidentsInability to speak up for the self. Rebellion against authority. Belief in violence.
AchesLonging to be loved or held.
AcneNot accepting the self. Dislike of the self.
AddictionsRunning from the self. Fear. Not knowing how to love self.
Adrenal ProblemsDefeatism. No longer caring for the self. Anxiety.
AIDSFeeling defenseless and hopeless. Denial of the true inner being, or sexual guilt.
AlcoholismFeeling of futility, guilt, inadequacy. Self-rejection.
AllergiesDenying your own power. Who or what are you allergic to?
Alzheimer’s DiseaseRefusal to deal with the world as it is. Hopelessness and helplessness. Anger.
AmenorrheaNot wanting to be a woman. Dislike of the self.
Anemia“Yes-but” attitude. Lack of joy. Fear of life. Not feeling good enough.
Ankle ProblemsInflexibility on what your stand is. Inability to receive pleasure.
AnorexiaDenying the self life. Extreme fear, self-hatred and rejection.
AnxietyNot trusting the flow and the process of life.
ApathyResistance to feeling. Deadening of the self. Fear.
Appetite, ExcessiveFear. Needing protection. Judging the emotions.
Arm problemsRepresents the capacity and ability to hold the experiences of life.
ArteriesCarry the joy of life.
Arthritic FingersA desire to punish. Blame. Feeling victimized.
ArthritisFeeling unloved. Criticism, resentment. – Rheumatoid Arthritis: Feeling victimized. Lack of love. Chronic bitterness. Resentment. Deep criticism of authority. Feeling very put upon.
AsthmaSmother love. Inability to breathe for one’s self. Feeling stifled. Suppressed crying.
Athlete’s FootFrustration at not being accepted. Inability to move forward with ease.

B

Back ProblemsRepresents the support of life.
– Rounded shoulders: Carrying the burdens of life. Helpless and hopeless.
– Lower Back Pain: Fear of money or lack of financial support.
– Mid-Back Pain: Guilt. Stuck in all that stuff back there. “Get off my back!”
– Upper Back Pain: Lack of emotional support. Feeling unloved. Holding back love.
– Back Curvature: The inability to flow with the support of life. Fear and trying to hold on to old ideas. Not trusting life. Lack of integrity. No courage of convictions.
Bad BreathAnger and revenge thoughts. Experiences backing up.
Balance, Loss ofScattered thinking. Not centered.
BaldnessFear, tension. Trying to control everything and not trusting in the process of life.
BedwettingFear of parent, usually the father.
BelchingFear. Gulping life too quickly.
Bell’s PalsyExtreme control over anger. Unwillingness to express feelings.
Birth defectsKarmic. Dealing with unfinished business.
BitesAnimal – Anger turned inward.
Bug – Guilt over small things.
Blackheads (Pimples)Small outbursts of anger.
Bladder ProblemsAnxiety. Holding on to old ideas. Fear of letting go. Being “pissed off”.
BlistersResistance. Lack of emotional protection.
Blood PressureHigh Hypertension – Long standing emotional issues gone unresolved.
Low – Lack of love, and defeatism. “What’s the use.” attitude.
Blood ProblemsLack of joy or the lack of circulation of ideas.
Body OdorFear. Dislike of the self. Fear of others.
Bone ProblemsThe structures of life/universe.
Breaks – Rebelling against authority.
Deformity – Mental pressures and tightness.
Bone marrow – Represents deepest beliefs about the self. How you support and care for yourself.
Bowel ProblemsFear of letting go.
BrainRepresents the computer, the switchboard.
– Tumor: Incorrect computerized beliefs. Stubborn. Refusing to change old patterns.
Breast Problems
Left – Feeling unloved, refusal to nourish oneself. Putting everyone else first.
Right – Over protection, over bearing, difficulty in giving love.
Breathing ProblemsFear or the refusal to take in life. Not feeling worthy to take up space.
– Breathing Problems: Fear. Not trusting the process of life. Getting stuck in childhood. Fear of taking in life fully.
– Bronchitis: Inflamed family environment. Arguments and yelling.
BronchitisInflamed family environment.
Bruises
The little bumps in life.  Self-punishment.
BulimiaHopeless terror. Purging self hatred.
BurnsAnger, burning up inside.

Bursitis

Repressed anger. Wanting to hit someone.

C

CallusesHardened concepts and ideas. Fear solidified.
Cancer
Deep hurt. Longstanding resentment. Deep secret or grief eating away at the self. Carrying hatreds.
CandidaFeeling very scattered. Lots of frustration and anger. Demanding and untrusting in relationships. Great takers.
Canker SoresFestering words held back by the lips. Blame.
Carpal TunnelAnger and frustrations at life’s seeming injustices.
Cataracts
Inability to see ahead with joy. Dark future.
CelluliteStored anger and self-punishment.
Cerebral PalsyA need to unite the family in an action of love.
ChestA lack of compassion. Not feeling that your emotions are valid or considered.
ChillsMental contraction, pulling away and in. Desire to retreat.
Cholesterol
Clogging the channels of joy. Fear of accepting joy.
Cold Sores
(fever blisters)
Festering words of anger and fear of expressing them.
Colds Too much going on at once. Mental confusion, disorder. Small hurts.
Colic
Mental irritation, impatience, annoyance in the surroundings.
ColitisInsecurity. Represents the ease of letting go of that which is over.
ComaFear. Trying to escape from something or someone.
ConjunctivitisAnger and frustration at what you are looking at in life.
Constipation
Incomplete releasing. Holding on to garbage of the past. Guilt over the past. Sometimes stinginess.
CornsHardened areas of thought – stubborn holding on to the pain of the past.
CoughsA desire to bark at the world. “Listen to me!”
CrampsTension. Fear. Gripping, holding on.
Crohn’s DiseaseFear. Worry. Not feeling good enough.
CryingTears are the river of life, shed in joy as well as in sadness and fear.

Cuts

Self punishment for not following your own rules.
CystsRunning the old painful movie. Nursing hurts. A false growth.
Cystic FibrosisA thick belief that life won’t work for you. “Poor me.”

D

Deafness
Rejection, stubbornness, isolation. What don’t you want to hear? “Don’t bother me.”
Depression
Anger you feel you do not have a right to have. Hopelessness.
Diabetes
Longing for what might have been. A great need to control. Deep sorrow. No sweetness left.
DiarrheaFear and rejecting. Running off or away from something/someone.

Dizziness

Flighty, scattered thinking.
Dry eyesAngry eyes. Refusing to see with love. Would rather die than forgive. Being spiteful.
DysmenorrheaAnger at the self. Hatred of the body or of women.

E

Ear ProblemsNot wanting to hear. Anger or too much turmoil.
EczemaBreath-taking antagonism. Mental eruptions.
EdemaWhat or who won’t you let go of?
Elbow ProblemsNot being flexible, not able to change directions or accept new experiences.
EmphysemaFear of taking in life. Not worthy of living.
EndometriosisInsecurity, disappointment and frustration. Replacing self-love with sugar. Blamers.
EpilepsySense of persecution. Rejection of life. A feeling of great struggle. Self-violence.
Epstein-Barr VirusPushing beyond one’s limits. Fear of not being good enough. Draining all inner support. Stress.
Eye Problems
Astigmatism –
Fear of “seeing” the self.
Cataracts –
Inability to see joy ahead.
In Children – Not wanting to see what’s going on in the family.
Farsighted – Fear of the present.
Nearsighted – Fear of the future.

F

FaceRepresents what we show the world.
FaintingFear, can’t cope, blacking out what’s really going on.
Fat or Weight IssuesOversensitivity. Often represents fear and shows a need for protection. Fear may be a cover for hidden anger and a resistance to forgive. Running away from feelings. Insecurity, self-rejection and seeking fulfillment.
– Arms: Anger at being denied love.
– Belly: Anger at being denied nourishment.
– Hips: Lumps of stubborn anger at the parents.
– Thighs: Packed childhood anger. Often rage at the father.
FatigueResistance, boredom. Lack of love for what one does.
Feet Problems
Represent our understanding – of ourselves, of life, of others.
– Foot Problems: Fear of the future and of not stepping forward in life.
Female ProblemsDenial of the self and rejecting the feminine aspects within.
FeverAnger, burning up.
Fibroid TumorsNursing a hurt from a partner. A blow to the feminine ego.
Finger Problems
Thumb – Worry, always thinking. Being ‘under someone’s thumb’.
Index Finger – Fear of authority, or egotistical; abusing your authority.
Middle Finger –
Anger or insecurities of intimacy.
Ring Finger – Grief of love, issues with commitment.
Little Finger – Ignoring your own creativity, or issues with linking to family.
Food PoisoningAllowing others to take control. Feeling defenseless.
FrigidityFear. Denial of pleasure. A belief that sex is bad. Insensitive partners. Fear of father.

Flu

Responding to mass negativity. Putting too much faith in statistics.
FungusStagnating beliefs. Refusing to release the past. Letting the past rule today.

G

GallstonesBitterness. Hard thoughts. Condemning. Pride.

Gas

Gripping. Fear. Undigested ideas.
GastritisProlonged uncertainty. A feeling of doom.
GenitalsRepresent the masculine and feminine principles. Worry about not being good enough.
Gland ProblemsRepresent the masculine and feminine principles. Worry about not being good enough.
GoutThe need to dominate. Impatience, anger.
GlaucomaStony unforgiveness. Pressure from longstanding hurts. Overwhelmed by it all.
Gray HairStress, feeling under pressure and strain.
GrowthsNursing those old hurts. Building resentments.
Gum ProblemsInability to back up decisions. Being wishy-washy about life.

H


Hands

Hold and handle. Clutch and grip. Grasping and letting go. Caressing. Pinching. All ways of dealing with experiences.
Hay FeverEmotional congestion. Fear of the calendar. A belief in persecution. Guilt.
Headaches
Self-criticism. Not wanting to accept what is going on. Fear.
Heart
Represents the center of love and security.
– Heart Attack: Squeezing all the joy out of the heart in favor of money or position. Feeling alone and scared. “I’m not good enough. I don’t do enough. I’ll never make it.”
– Heart Problems: Longstanding emotional problems. Lack of joy. Hardening of the heart. Belief in strain and stress.
Heartburn (Ulcers)Clutching onto fear. Not trusting in the process of life.
Hemorrhoids
Fear of deadlines. Anger of the past. Afraid to let go. Feeling burdened.
HepatitisResistance to change. Fear, anger, hatred. Liver is the seat of anger and rage.
Hernia
Ruptured relationships. Strain, burdens, incorrect creative expression.
Herpes GenitalisMass belief in sexual guilt and the need for punishment. Public shame. Belief in a punishing God. Rejection of the genitals.
Herpes SimplexBitter words left unspoken.
Hip Problems

Carries the body in perfect balance. Major thrust in moving forward. Fear of going forward in major decisions. Nothing to move forward to.

HivesSmall, hidden fears. Mountains out of molehills.
Hodgkin’s DiseaseBlame and a tremendous fear of not being good enough. A frantic race to prove one’s self until the blood has no substance left to support itself. The joy of life is forgotten in the race of acceptance.
Hyperactivity
Fear. Feeling pressured and frantic.

Hyperventilation

Resisting change. Not being able to take it all in.
HypoglycemiaOverwhelmed by the burdens in life.

I

*-itisAny disease ending with ‘itis’ is often a representation of fear.
Impotence
Sexual pressure, tension, guilt. Social beliefs. Spite against a previous mate. Fear of mother.
IncontinenceEmotional overflow. Years of controlling emotions.
Indigestion
Dread or anxiety about a recent or coming event. Gut-level fear, dread, anxiety. Griping and grunting.
InfectionsIrritation, anger or annoyance about a recent situation.
InflammationFear. Seeing red. Inflamed thinking. Anger and frustration about conditions you are looking at in your life.
InfluenzaResponse to mass negativity and beliefs. Fear. Belief in statistics.
Ingrown ToenailWorry and guilt about your right to move forward.
InjuriesAnger at the self. Feeling guilty.
InsanityFleeing from the family. Escapism, withdrawal. Violent separation from life.
Insomnia
Fear, not trusting the process of life. Guilt.
IntestinesRepresent assimilation and absorption.
Itching

Desires that go against the grain. Unsatisfied. Remorse. Itching to get out or get away.

AilmentUnderlying Cause

J

JaundiceInternal and external prejudice. Unbalanced reason.
Jaw ProblemsAnger, resentment, having a need for revenge. Not letting go.

K

Kidney ProblemsCriticism, or shame. Feeling like you didn’t do enough.
Kidney StonesLumps of undissolved anger.
Knee
Represents pride and ego. Stubborn ego and pride. Inability to bend. Fear. Inflexibility. Won’t give in.

L

Laryngitis
So mad you can’t speak. Fear of speaking up. Resentment of authority.
Left side of the bodyThe feminine side. Represents receptivity, taking in, women, mother, love.
Leg ProblemsFear of the future, not being able to carry things forward.
LiverSeat of anger and primitive emotions. Chronic complaining. Justifying fault-finding to deceive yourself. Feeling bad.
LockjawAnger. A desire to control. A refusal to express feelings.
Lump in the ThroatFear. Not trusting the process of life.

Lung Problems

The ability to take in life. Depression. Grief. Not feeling worthy of living life fully.
LupusA giving up. Better to die than stand up for one’s self. Anger and punishment.
Lymph ProblemsA warning that the mind needs to be recentered on the essentials of life. Love and joy.

M

MalariaOut of balance with nature and with life.
Menopause Problems
Fear of no longer being wanted. Fear of aging. Self-rejection. Not feeling good enough.
Menstrual Problems
Rejection of one’s femininity. Guilt, fear. Belief that the genitals are sinful or dirty.
Migraine HeadachesSexual fears, or fear of being close, letting someone in too close. Feeling driven or pressured.
MiscarriageFear of the future. Inappropriate timing.

Mononucleosis

Anger at not receiving love and appreciation. No longer caring for the self.
Motion SicknessFear. Bondage. Feeling of being trapped.
Mouth Problems
Represents taking in of new ideas and nourishment. Set opinions. Closed mind. Incapacity to take in new ideas.
Multiple SclerosisMental hardness, hard-heartedness, iron will, inflexibility.

Muscles

Resistance to new experiences. Muscles represent our ability to move in life.
Muscular Dystrophy“It’s not worth growing up.”

N


Nails

Represent protection. – Nail Biting: Frustration. Eating away at the self. Spite of a parent.

NarcolepsyCan’t cope. Extreme fear. Wanting to get away from it all. Not wanting to be here.
NauseaFear, rejecting an idea or experience.
Neck
Represents flexibility. The ability to see what’s back there. Refusing to see other sides of a question. Stubbornness, inflexibility. Unbending stubbornness.
NephritisOverreaction to disappointment and failure.
NervesRepresent communication. Receptive reporters.
Nervous BreakdownSelf-centeredness. Jamming the channels of communication.
Nervousness
Fear, anxiety, always rushing. Not trusting the process of life.
NeuralgiaPunishment for guilt. Anguish over communication.
NodulesResentment and frustration and hurt ego over career.

Nose

Represents self-recognition.
– Nose Bleeds:A need for recognition. Feeling unnoticed. Crying for love.
– Runny Nose: Asking for help. Inner crying.
– Stuffy Nose: Not recognizing the self-worth.
NumbnessWithholding love and consideration. Going dead mentally.

O

OsteomyelitisAnger and frustration at the very structure of life. Feeling unsupported.
OsteoporosisFeeling there is no support left in life. Mental pressures and tightness. Muscles can’t stretch. Loss of mental mobility.
OvariesInability to express or accept your own creativity.
OverweightFear, feeling a deep need for emotional protection. Running away from feelings, insecurity.

P

PainSelf punishment, feeling emotional guilt.
ParalysisParalyzing thoughts. Getting stuck. Terror leading to escape from a situation or person.
Pancreas ProblemsNot being able to enjoy the sweetness in life.
PancreatitisRejection. Anger and frustration because life seems to have lost its sweetness.
ParasitesGiving power to others, letting them take over and life off of you.
Parkinson’s DiseaseFear and an intense desire to control everything and everyone.
Peptic UlcerFear. A belief that you are not good enough. Anxious to please.
PhlebitisAnger and frustration. Blaming others for the limitation and lack of joy in life.
PimplesSmall outbursts of anger.
Pink EyeAnger and frustration at someone/something. Not wanting to see.
Pituitary GlandFeeling out of control, or not in control of your own destiny.
PneumoniaFeeling desperate, not allowed to heal deep emotional wounds. “Drowning under it all.”

Poison Ivy/ Poison Oak
Feeling defenseless and open to attacks.
PolioParalysing jealousy. A desire to stop someone.

Premenstrual Syndrome

Allowing confusion to reign. Giving power to outside influences. Rejection of the feminine processes.
Prostate Problems
Represents the masculine principle. Mental fears weaken the masculinity. Giving up. Sexual pressure and guilt. Belief in aging.
PsoriasisFear of being hurt. Deadening the senses of the self. Refusing to accept responsibility for your own feelings.

Q

Quiver (Shake)Feeling hopeless, can’t regain control of ones life.

R

Rash
Irritation over delays. Immature way to get attention.
Respiratory AilmentsFear of taking in life fully.
RheumatismFeeling victimized, lack of love or chronic bitterness.
Rheumatoid ArthritisDeep criticism of authority. Feeling very put upon.
Right Side of the bodyMasculine energies, giving, putting out, the “do side”, or physical side. Men, or father.
RingwormAllowing others to get under your skin. Not feeling good enough or clean enough.
Root CanalRoot beliefs being destroyed. Can’t bite into it anymore.

S

ScabiesInfected thinking. Allowing others to get under your skin.
SciaticaBeing hypocritical. Fear of money and of the future.
SclerodermaProtecting the self from life. Not trusting yourself to be there and to take care of yourself.
ScratchesFeeling life tears at you, that life is a rip off.
SeizuresRunning away from the self, family or from life.
Senility
Returning to the so-called safety of childhood. Demanding care and attention. A form of control of those around you. Escapism.
Shin(s) ProblemsBreaking down your ideals. Not living up to your own standards, or not being able to meet your standards. Setting your standards to high?
ShinglesWaiting for the other shoe to drop. Fear and tension. Too sensitive.
Shoulder ProblemsCarrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Feeling like life is a burden.
Sinus ProblemsIrritation to someone, usually someone close to you.
Skin ProblemsAnxiety, fear, feeling threatened.
Slipped DiscFeeling unsupported in life.
SnoringStubborn refusal to let go of old patterns.
Solar PlexusIgnoring ‘gut reactions’, or your own intuitions.
Sore ThroatHolding in angry words. Feeling unable to express the self.
SpasmsTightening our thoughts through fear.
Spine ProblemsNot feeling a flexible support of life
SpleenObsessions. Being obsessed about things.
SprainsNot wanting to move in a certain direction. Anger and resistance to change.
SterilityFear and resistance to the process of life or not needing to go through the parenting experience.
StiffnessRigid, stiff thinking.
Stomach ProblemsDread, fear of the new, or not feeling nourished.
StrokeGiving up, rejecting life. “I’d rather die than change.”
StutteringInsecurity, lack of self- expression. Not being allowed to cry.

Sty

Looking at life through angry eyes. Angry at someone.
Suicidal thoughtsSee life only in black and white. Refusal to see another way out.

T

Teeth Problems
Represent decisions.
– Teeth Problems: Longstanding indecisiveness. Inability to break down ideas for analysis and decisions.
– Root Canal: Can’t bite into anything anymore. Root beliefs being destroyed.
– Impacted Wisdom Teeth: Not giving yourself mental space to create a firm foundation.
Testicle(s) ProblemsNot accepting masculine principles, or the masculinity within.
ThroatAvenue of expression. Channel of creativity.
– Throat Problems: The inability to speak up for one’s self. Swallowed anger. Stifled creativity. Refusal to change.
– Sore throat: Holding in angry words. Feeling unable to express the self.
ThrushAnger over making the wrong decisions.
Thymus GlandFeeling attacked by life. They are out to get me.

Thyroid Gland

Humiliation. I never get to do what I want to do. When is it going to be my turn.
– Hyperthyroid: Rage at being left out.
Tics, TwitchesFear. A feeling of being watched by others.
Tinnitus or Ringing in the EarsRefusal to listen. Not hearing the inner voice. Stubbornness.
ToesRepresent the minor details of the future.
TongueRepresents the ability to taste the pleasures of life with joy.
TonsillitisFear. Repressed emotions. Stifled creativity.
TumorsNursing old hurts and shocks. Building on remorse.

U

UlcersFear, a strong belief that you are not good enough. “What is eating away at you?”

Urinary Infections

Feeling pissed off! Usually at the opposite sex or lover.
UterusRepresents the home of creativity.

V

VaginitisAnger at a mate. Sexual guilt. Punishing the self.
Varicose VeinsStanding in a situation you hate. Feeling over worked and over burdened.
Venereal DiseaseSexual guilt. Feeling a need for punishment. A belief that sexual intimacy is a sin or dirty.
Viral InfectionsLack of joy flowing through life. Living through bitterness.
VitiligoFeeling completely outside of things. Not belonging. Not one of the group.
VomitingViolent rejection of ideas. Fearing the new.

W

WartsLittle expressions of hate. Feeling or believing your ugly.
WeaknessA need for mental rest.
Wisdom Tooth, ImpactedNot giving yourself mental space to create a firm foundation.
Wrist ProblemsNot being flexible on an issue or situation. Not handling things with ease. Stubbornness.

X

XenophobiaFear of acceptance, feeling unworthy or fear of rejection.

Y

Yeast InfectionDenying yourself of your own needs. Not supporting self.

Z

Zoo phobiaFear of accepting life’s gifts and joys.