Okay, okay, you got me. I am so not a physician. My last biology class was in high school. But it made such a snappy title. I’m about to go to California for some serious deep healing that I’d like to share. Not just for my regular readers, but also for those who are trying to decide about the healing center. I read every blog, watched every YouTube video before making the decision to head west. I hope this helps someone the way that others helped me.To make my decision to go so far away and spend so much money comprehensible, let me give you a little bit of my back story.
When I first got into alternative healing methods, it was as a patient. I needed help. In 2001, I went down the allopathic (MD) route. Lots of drugs, physical therapy, doctor bills, culminating in a shot in the neck. Nothing changed except my bank account. So I began going regularly to my chiropractor and practicing yoga and meditation. I still hurt all the time, but I could function.
I learned enough yoga that I began to teach. The interesting thing was that it kept me mobile, but I never really progressed and it didn’t fix whatever was causing the pain. I was a very good yoga teacher. If the student had the capacity, I could teach them anything. Not that I could demonstrate any of it, but I could talk you through it. The only bad classes I had were when I went with my preset plan rather than creating a class as I taught, basing it on the students who were there.
Still, though, I remained a constant at the chiropractor's office. Though it was not a role I’d choose, I was definitely his retirement plan. Over the years I tried eight different doctors searching for the best fit. The guy I see now really works for me, but unfortunately, since the adjustments never hold, he was just really expensive aspirin. Temporary pain relief. Darn it.
When I found reiki, I thought I’d found the answer. Starting to work at the Victory of Light festival made me realize that it was only part of the solution. Here was a large group of healers, using many modalities, and most were unhappy, unwell, or both. The few who were satisfied with their lives offered great insight. They all came to healing because they needed it, so I was not an anomaly.
Over the years I have done countless hours of reiki and other healing techniques on myself and my clients. I’ve learned and taught lots of other techniques. All helped on the surface. But there was some underlying cause that I just couldn't fix. It just kept getting worse.
It all came to a head about 2 years ago. My body was so bad that I had to stop teaching yoga, could no longer lift heavy things, no more gardening. Every time I tried to do a long walk, not to mention beginning run, I hurt myself. No kidding. I’d get about a quarter of a mile from the house then something would start screaming “If you keep this up, I’m becoming a serious injury.” My bones were so out of place the repetitive motion caused soft tissue damage that lasted weeks, from only that short distance. The worst thing was that the rest of me was completely healthy. I’d become a (mostly) vegan four years earlier. Any problems I had (mostly digestive) slowly cleared up. It felt like I had this amazingly healthy body covered by a malfunctioning exoskeleton. Crazy, right?
And yes, I got depressed. 47 is not the age to stop living, but that’s how it felt. All the obvious physical solutions had failed, so I needed to accommodate spiritually. I didn’t want to be a complainer, so I didn’t tell anyone except one friend. I’m sure it was painfully obvious to my friends and family, but in my pride I cried alone. Turns out, I picked the right person to tell. She offered me four bits of advice to find my own solution and two of them really worked for me.
First thing in the morning I lay in bed and rather than meditate or pray (which is what I always used to do) I imagine I’m God’s messenger, delivering miracles. I start with the people I’m praying for, then move on to let miracles rain down from heaven across the whole world. It totally changes the prayer. Rather than worrying about people as I pray for them, I’m giving help while remaining unattached. It’s great fun. Who wouldn’t want to work for the Big Guy?
The other suggestion that really works is setting aside a specific meditation time where I just hang out with God. I chose 2pm because I usually want a break then. I pull out my zafu or lay down on the floor (depending on how my back etc. feel) and spend twenty minutes with the Lord. Fitbits have a silent alarm system that works really well to give you start and stop times.
The results were amazing. Though the body stayed the same, the spirit was refreshed. Physical problems seldom tarnish my happiness these days. It is wonderful.
I was still searching for the solution to the physical stuff, but not too hard. Then a video was suggested in my YouTube feed. I watched it and was floored. I’ll tell you about what I found in the next post.
