When the Body Catches a Cold

This is an article for the members of The Odyssey of Self, within The Body Codex, a growing library of distilled information and guidance taken from the work of Dr. Michael Lincoln, Messages From The Body. Join for only $8/mo. and learn the connection between beliefs, behaviours, and the body. Take a look inside with a 7-day free trial.

---

What if the common cold is not so common after all? What if its recurrence is a message, an invitation to confront what has long been held back, unspoken, or avoided?

The common cold often arises when we operate through false perceptions and ingrained beliefs that leave us feeling overrun, viewing life as chaotic, and believing we cannot keep pace with its demands. Congestion, sneezing, and fatigue are more than physical symptoms of a virus; they are the body’s message for recognition of suppressed grief, inner disorder, and the deeper truths we have avoided, now pressing to be illuminated.

A cold is the body’s way of forcing a pause. It draws attention to the misaligned patterns of trying to control an uncontrollable life, clinging to old beliefs, or denying one’s worth. It is the inner child’s quiet plea to slow down, listen, and face what you’ve been avoiding on a deeper level.

The Cold as a Messenger of Suppressed Truths

The common cold symbolizes unprocessed emotions and suppressed truths finally pushing into awareness. Often precipitated by emotional tension with those closest to us, it signals a need to acknowledge emotions and beliefs we have long held back, such as anger, grief, helplessness, or despair.

Behind the fatigue and congestion often lie:

• Mental confusion from too many competing demands and unresolved inner conflict

• Deep dissatisfaction and suppressed hostility from feeling controlled or powerless

• Avoidance of personal destiny, through patterns of chaos, instability, and short-sightedness

• Helpless grief over a sense that life is unpredictable and beyond our control

The cold can be seen as the psyche’s way of saying, “Now or never. Take it on.” It asks you to face the unspoken, to stop hanging on to outdated beliefs, and to see clearly where you feel trapped or overwhelmed by circumstances you have yet to address.

In this episode, we uncover the hidden messages your body expresses when a cold arises. I’ll share key passages from Messages From The Body, reveal the behavioural patterns and false beliefs behind the common cold, and guide you through practical micro-steps to break these patterns and free yourself from the unseen narratives that hold you back.