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 ~
Ailment Underlying Cause

A

Abdominal Cramps Fear. Stopping the process.
Abscess Fermenting thoughts over hurts, slights and revenge.
Accidents Inability to speak up for the self. Rebellion against authority. Belief in violence.
Aches Longing to be loved or held.
Acne Not accepting the self. Dislike of the self.
Addictions Running from the self. Fear. Not knowing how to love self.
Adrenal Problems Defeatism. No longer caring for the self. Anxiety.
AIDS Feeling defenseless and hopeless. Denial of the true inner being, or sexual guilt.
Alcoholism Feeling of futility, guilt, inadequacy. Self-rejection.
Allergies Denying your own power. Who or what are you allergic to?
Alzheimer’s Disease Refusal to deal with the world as it is. Hopelessness and helplessness. Anger.
Amenorrhea Not wanting to be a woman. Dislike of the self.
Anemia “Yes-but” attitude. Lack of joy. Fear of life. Not feeling good enough.
Ankle Problems Inflexibility on what your stand is. Inability to receive pleasure.
Anorexia Denying the self life. Extreme fear, self-hatred and rejection.
Anxiety Not trusting the flow and the process of life.
Apathy Resistance to feeling. Deadening of the self. Fear.
Appetite, Excessive Fear. Needing protection. Judging the emotions.
Arm problems Represents the capacity and ability to hold the experiences of life.
Arteries Carry the joy of life.
Arthritic Fingers A desire to punish. Blame. Feeling victimized.
Arthritis Feeling unloved. Criticism, resentment. – Rheumatoid Arthritis: Feeling victimized. Lack of love. Chronic bitterness. Resentment. Deep criticism of authority. Feeling very put upon.
Asthma Smother love. Inability to breathe for one’s self. Feeling stifled. Suppressed crying.
Athlete’s Foot Frustration at not being accepted. Inability to move forward with ease.

B

Back Problems Represents 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 Breath Anger and revenge thoughts. Experiences backing up.
Balance, Loss of Scattered thinking. Not centered.
Baldness Fear, tension. Trying to control everything and not trusting in the process of life.
Bedwetting Fear of parent, usually the father.
Belching Fear. Gulping life too quickly.
Bell’s Palsy Extreme control over anger. Unwillingness to express feelings.
Birth defects Karmic. Dealing with unfinished business.
Bites Animal – Anger turned inward.
Bug – Guilt over small things.
Blackheads (Pimples) Small outbursts of anger.
Bladder Problems Anxiety. Holding on to old ideas. Fear of letting go. Being “pissed off”.
Blisters Resistance. Lack of emotional protection.
Blood Pressure High Hypertension – Long standing emotional issues gone unresolved.
Low – Lack of love, and defeatism. “What’s the use.” attitude.
Blood Problems Lack of joy or the lack of circulation of ideas.
Body Odor Fear. Dislike of the self. Fear of others.
Bone Problems The 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 Problems Fear of letting go.
Brain Represents 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 Problems Fear 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.
Bronchitis Inflamed family environment.
Bruises
The little bumps in life.  Self-punishment.
Bulimia Hopeless terror. Purging self hatred.
Burns Anger, burning up inside.

Bursitis

Repressed anger. Wanting to hit someone.

C

Calluses Hardened concepts and ideas. Fear solidified.
Cancer
Deep hurt. Longstanding resentment. Deep secret or grief eating away at the self. Carrying hatreds.
Candida Feeling very scattered. Lots of frustration and anger. Demanding and untrusting in relationships. Great takers.
Canker Sores Festering words held back by the lips. Blame.
Carpal Tunnel Anger and frustrations at life’s seeming injustices.
Cataracts
Inability to see ahead with joy. Dark future.
Cellulite Stored anger and self-punishment.
Cerebral Palsy A need to unite the family in an action of love.
Chest A lack of compassion. Not feeling that your emotions are valid or considered.
Chills Mental 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.
Colitis Insecurity. Represents the ease of letting go of that which is over.
Coma Fear. Trying to escape from something or someone.
Conjunctivitis Anger 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.
Corns Hardened areas of thought – stubborn holding on to the pain of the past.
Coughs A desire to bark at the world. “Listen to me!”
Cramps Tension. Fear. Gripping, holding on.
Crohn’s Disease Fear. Worry. Not feeling good enough.
Crying Tears are the river of life, shed in joy as well as in sadness and fear.

Cuts

Self punishment for not following your own rules.
Cysts Running the old painful movie. Nursing hurts. A false growth.
Cystic Fibrosis A 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.
Diarrhea Fear and rejecting. Running off or away from something/someone.

Dizziness

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

E

Ear Problems Not wanting to hear. Anger or too much turmoil.
Eczema Breath-taking antagonism. Mental eruptions.
Edema What or who won’t you let go of?
Elbow Problems Not being flexible, not able to change directions or accept new experiences.
Emphysema Fear of taking in life. Not worthy of living.
Endometriosis Insecurity, disappointment and frustration. Replacing self-love with sugar. Blamers.
Epilepsy Sense of persecution. Rejection of life. A feeling of great struggle. Self-violence.
Epstein-Barr Virus Pushing 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

Face Represents what we show the world.
Fainting Fear, can’t cope, blacking out what’s really going on.
Fat or Weight Issues Oversensitivity. 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.
Fatigue Resistance, 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 Problems Denial of the self and rejecting the feminine aspects within.
Fever Anger, burning up.
Fibroid Tumors Nursing 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 Poisoning Allowing others to take control. Feeling defenseless.
Frigidity Fear. 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.
Fungus Stagnating beliefs. Refusing to release the past. Letting the past rule today.

G

Gallstones Bitterness. Hard thoughts. Condemning. Pride.

Gas

Gripping. Fear. Undigested ideas.
Gastritis Prolonged uncertainty. A feeling of doom.
Genitals Represent the masculine and feminine principles. Worry about not being good enough.
Gland Problems Represent the masculine and feminine principles. Worry about not being good enough.
Gout The need to dominate. Impatience, anger.
Glaucoma Stony unforgiveness. Pressure from longstanding hurts. Overwhelmed by it all.
Gray Hair Stress, feeling under pressure and strain.
Growths Nursing those old hurts. Building resentments.
Gum Problems Inability 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 Fever Emotional 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.
Hepatitis Resistance to change. Fear, anger, hatred. Liver is the seat of anger and rage.
Hernia
Ruptured relationships. Strain, burdens, incorrect creative expression.
Herpes Genitalis Mass belief in sexual guilt and the need for punishment. Public shame. Belief in a punishing God. Rejection of the genitals.
Herpes Simplex Bitter 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.

Hives Small, hidden fears. Mountains out of molehills.
Hodgkin’s Disease Blame 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.
Hypoglycemia Overwhelmed by the burdens in life.

I

*-itis Any 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.
Incontinence Emotional overflow. Years of controlling emotions.
Indigestion
Dread or anxiety about a recent or coming event. Gut-level fear, dread, anxiety. Griping and grunting.
Infections Irritation, anger or annoyance about a recent situation.
Inflammation Fear. Seeing red. Inflamed thinking. Anger and frustration about conditions you are looking at in your life.
Influenza Response to mass negativity and beliefs. Fear. Belief in statistics.
Ingrown Toenail Worry and guilt about your right to move forward.
Injuries Anger at the self. Feeling guilty.
Insanity Fleeing from the family. Escapism, withdrawal. Violent separation from life.
Insomnia
Fear, not trusting the process of life. Guilt.
Intestines Represent assimilation and absorption.
Itching

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

Ailment Underlying Cause

J

Jaundice Internal and external prejudice. Unbalanced reason.
Jaw Problems Anger, resentment, having a need for revenge. Not letting go.

K

Kidney Problems Criticism, or shame. Feeling like you didn’t do enough.
Kidney Stones Lumps 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 body The feminine side. Represents receptivity, taking in, women, mother, love.
Leg Problems Fear of the future, not being able to carry things forward.
Liver Seat of anger and primitive emotions. Chronic complaining. Justifying fault-finding to deceive yourself. Feeling bad.
Lockjaw Anger. A desire to control. A refusal to express feelings.
Lump in the Throat Fear. Not trusting the process of life.

Lung Problems

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

M

Malaria Out 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 Headaches Sexual fears, or fear of being close, letting someone in too close. Feeling driven or pressured.
Miscarriage Fear of the future. Inappropriate timing.

Mononucleosis

Anger at not receiving love and appreciation. No longer caring for the self.
Motion Sickness Fear. 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 Sclerosis Mental 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.

Narcolepsy Can’t cope. Extreme fear. Wanting to get away from it all. Not wanting to be here.
Nausea Fear, 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.
Nephritis Overreaction to disappointment and failure.
Nerves Represent communication. Receptive reporters.
Nervous Breakdown Self-centeredness. Jamming the channels of communication.
Nervousness
Fear, anxiety, always rushing. Not trusting the process of life.
Neuralgia Punishment for guilt. Anguish over communication.
Nodules Resentment 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.
Numbness Withholding love and consideration. Going dead mentally.

O

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

P

Pain Self punishment, feeling emotional guilt.
Paralysis Paralyzing thoughts. Getting stuck. Terror leading to escape from a situation or person.
Pancreas Problems Not being able to enjoy the sweetness in life.
Pancreatitis Rejection. Anger and frustration because life seems to have lost its sweetness.
Parasites Giving power to others, letting them take over and life off of you.
Parkinson’s Disease Fear and an intense desire to control everything and everyone.
Peptic Ulcer Fear. A belief that you are not good enough. Anxious to please.
Phlebitis Anger and frustration. Blaming others for the limitation and lack of joy in life.
Pimples Small outbursts of anger.
Pink Eye Anger and frustration at someone/something. Not wanting to see.
Pituitary Gland Feeling out of control, or not in control of your own destiny.
Pneumonia Feeling desperate, not allowed to heal deep emotional wounds. “Drowning under it all.”

Poison Ivy/ Poison Oak
Feeling defenseless and open to attacks.
Polio Paralysing 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.
Psoriasis Fear 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 Ailments Fear of taking in life fully.
Rheumatism Feeling victimized, lack of love or chronic bitterness.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Deep criticism of authority. Feeling very put upon.
Right Side of the body Masculine energies, giving, putting out, the “do side”, or physical side. Men, or father.
Ringworm Allowing others to get under your skin. Not feeling good enough or clean enough.
Root Canal Root beliefs being destroyed. Can’t bite into it anymore.

S

Scabies Infected thinking. Allowing others to get under your skin.
Sciatica Being hypocritical. Fear of money and of the future.
Scleroderma Protecting the self from life. Not trusting yourself to be there and to take care of yourself.
Scratches Feeling life tears at you, that life is a rip off.
Seizures Running 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) Problems Breaking down your ideals. Not living up to your own standards, or not being able to meet your standards. Setting your standards to high?
Shingles Waiting for the other shoe to drop. Fear and tension. Too sensitive.
Shoulder Problems Carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Feeling like life is a burden.
Sinus Problems Irritation to someone, usually someone close to you.
Skin Problems Anxiety, fear, feeling threatened.
Slipped Disc Feeling unsupported in life.
Snoring Stubborn refusal to let go of old patterns.
Solar Plexus Ignoring ‘gut reactions’, or your own intuitions.
Sore Throat Holding in angry words. Feeling unable to express the self.
Spasms Tightening our thoughts through fear.
Spine Problems Not feeling a flexible support of life
Spleen Obsessions. Being obsessed about things.
Sprains Not wanting to move in a certain direction. Anger and resistance to change.
Sterility Fear and resistance to the process of life or not needing to go through the parenting experience.
Stiffness Rigid, stiff thinking.
Stomach Problems Dread, fear of the new, or not feeling nourished.
Stroke Giving up, rejecting life. “I’d rather die than change.”
Stuttering Insecurity, lack of self- expression. Not being allowed to cry.

Sty

Looking at life through angry eyes. Angry at someone.
Suicidal thoughts See 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) Problems Not accepting masculine principles, or the masculinity within.
Throat Avenue 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.
Thrush Anger over making the wrong decisions.
Thymus Gland Feeling 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, Twitches Fear. A feeling of being watched by others.
Tinnitus or Ringing in the Ears Refusal to listen. Not hearing the inner voice. Stubbornness.
Toes Represent the minor details of the future.
Tongue Represents the ability to taste the pleasures of life with joy.
Tonsillitis Fear. Repressed emotions. Stifled creativity.
Tumors Nursing old hurts and shocks. Building on remorse.

U

Ulcers Fear, 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.
Uterus Represents the home of creativity.

V

Vaginitis Anger at a mate. Sexual guilt. Punishing the self.
Varicose Veins Standing in a situation you hate. Feeling over worked and over burdened.
Venereal Disease Sexual guilt. Feeling a need for punishment. A belief that sexual intimacy is a sin or dirty.
Viral Infections Lack of joy flowing through life. Living through bitterness.
Vitiligo Feeling completely outside of things. Not belonging. Not one of the group.
Vomiting Violent rejection of ideas. Fearing the new.

W

Warts Little expressions of hate. Feeling or believing your ugly.
Weakness A need for mental rest.
Wisdom Tooth, Impacted Not giving yourself mental space to create a firm foundation.
Wrist Problems Not being flexible on an issue or situation. Not handling things with ease. Stubbornness.

X

Xenophobia Fear of acceptance, feeling unworthy or fear of rejection.

Y

Yeast Infection Denying yourself of your own needs. Not supporting self.

Z

Zoo phobia Fear of accepting life’s gifts and joys.