The mystery of the mind-body connection. While neurologists, endocrinologists, physiologists and other scientists work on unravelling the mysteries of how the mind-body connection works, hypnotherapists and similar practitioners continue to develop techniques that allow us to harness the power of this connection in predictable ways, so that we can dependably utilize the mind to heal the body. So what we DO know that it DOES work—and in ways more powerful than we have thought in the past. Our brains and bodies have evolved over millions of years as an integrated system, so it only makes sense that our minds should be able direct processes in the body. Indeed, people adept at deep meditation have shown that they can change their heart rate and skin temperature merely by willing it while meditating. In states of meditation and self-hypnosis we strengthen the connection between the conscious and subconscious minds. Within these states of greater connection, we can consciously visualize the changes we want to achieve in our bodies. Since the subconscious communicates well using symbols and images, it receives the conscious direction and then somehow directs the body to make the appropriate alterations. It's that somehow that science is working on understanding.