How does one get started in the Healing Arts?

For me, it began with the desire to end suffering and discomfort; firstly, in myself, secondly, in my family and thirdly, in my friends. Years ago, I was inspired by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann's statement from one of his Homeopathy books;
' the best physicians were the ones who had suffered the most ailments.' I connect this to another old adage; 'physician, heal thyself.' As the physician heals herself; she gains knowledge, experience, compassion, humility and understanding. It's impossible to understand the suffering of others if you have not suffered.

Thankfully, the human experience is full of suffering, until you choose not to suffer, that is. Choosing suffering is like ' to be or not to be, that is the question.' Even in the midst of extreme suffering, we have a choice how to be and there are many examples of this in our present and past world experiences. I recently overheard a friend thanking another friend, who happened to be her audiologist; 'thank you for telling me 10 years ago that I needed to befriend my tinnitus; it was such a helpful idea.' Her tinnitus as a result is much easier to live with. She chose not to suffer.

Each person drawn to the healing arts is usually motivated by a deep desire to heal themselves. From that place, we are then able to show the way for others to do the same. Personal experience and observation of others on a similar journey have confirmed for me that there are certain opportunities we all face on this healing arts journey.

The most common first lesson is about boundaries; how to develop them, how to create them and how to stay within your bounds. Most of us learn what works in this department by first learning what doesn't. I will share some of my own history and my impression that most of us pass through these lessons.

My first high in the healing arts was through homeopathic medicines and witnessing the miraculous effect they had on my baby's teething pain. Soon, I was using homeopathic medicines for every ailment our young family suffered from and usually with great results. I bought books on the subject, took classes, enlisted the help of medical practitioners and then as I knew more; taught classes and led homeopathic study groups. I wanted everyone I knew to use homeopathy and I put much personal time and energy into trying to help my friends with all their families' ailments. I became very attached to the results and too invested in other people's lives and I felt responsible for their well-being.

Huge opportunity for boundary lessons abounded; and I eventually passed the course. Eventually, I realized that in order for healing of any sort to work, the person needing it needs to ask for the help. That is the first step toward healing anything; asking for help. Pushing help onto someone usually backfires...trust me on this one. Using homeopathy is a brilliant opportunity to step into your responsibility for your own health. It is so easy to learn from the books that are out there and there so few risks compared to numerous side effects of modern medicine.

Lesson number two goes a little deeper; when I feel sorry for someone, want to rescue them from their pain and view them as helpless; there are now two victims in the room--me and them (it's true, it does take one to know one.) This is a co-dependent perspective and one that is limiting for both parties. My personal golden rule now that I strive to maintain, is to envision limitless possibilities for others instead of narrow definitions. I choose to empower others, know that they are capable of making good choices and I will be happy to assist them; if they ask. I practice healthy detachment with good intentions.

So the healing journey actually heals the journeyer, go figure. I am grateful for the journey and the continued healing growth. There is always another mystery, it's what keeps life interesting.
A final thought on healing; I am a mentor in the healing arts and I invite you to heal yourself, with Divine help, Divine guidance, Divine intervention and of course, Divine miracles.

Historical Restoration

Re-alignment is my current middle name. I am in the process of historical restoration of my own mansion; my body.

Who knew how damaging it would be to break a tailbone at five years old, a collarbone at six, one wrist at seven and the other wrist at eight? Who knew the pain I would suffer in my forties and now my fifties as a result of all the old injuries? Who knew that the twenty years of bodywork were actually essential to undo the damage and to prevent worse pain?

It is a beautiful thing to watch the body find its way back to wholeness. I am in awe of it every day. I have learned to trust the process and have seen where I fall victim to my own state. When I don’t give up, when I listen to my inner voice suggesting healing treatments, then I am once again reminded how supported I am and to trust.

In my morning walk today these words came out of my mouth and the whole walk became a sacred prayer of thanksgiving.

I give gratitude and I receive Love.
I give gratitude and I receive Love.

Now, I am unraveling the pain, following the trail back through time and releasing what was absorbed and restoring what was lost.

I am restoring my virtue, I am restoring my virtue
I am restoring my purity, I am restoring my purity
I am restoring my alignment, I am restoring my alignment.

I am forgetting how to feel helpless, how to feel powerless,
how to give up and how to give in.

I am remembering how if feels to be whole and the glimpses of this new / old reality are rich and peaceful.

I am restoring my God given right to be a vessel of Light.
I am restoring my God given right to be a vessel of Light.

I am Light.

Four-Way Stop Savvy?

For those of you who may have missed our local paper's recent guest column from yours truly;

Are You Four-Way Stop Savvy?

Its dark out and you are approaching the dreaded, most congested part of your little town. You know the long wait that lies ahead of you. You also know you are completely dependent on that little understood quality that only few of us possess; “four-way stop savvy.”

This is not a quality that many of us are born with; it is a recent mutation in the genetic code that’s only showing up in a “naturally selected” few. It has been noted to show up in human clusters in random areas of the planet and our little hamlet seems to be one of these blessed locations. If you are one of the many who have not yet mutated this genetic characteristic into your code, you probably find yourself continuously nonplussed as you approach the harrowing four-way stop.

It’s amazing to think that road rage could even occur in our little burg; however, this is unfortunately commonplace at least twice a day in one section of our mini-opolous. Here at the four corners, much is at stake and much will be decided in a short amount of time. The bad news is, is that it is all out of your control. The good news is, is that it is all out of your control. It is a prime opportunity to practice all those self-help techniques; “I am at peace in the now and I have all the time I need.” Ahh, feel the tension melting out of your body as you exhale deeply. Or, if you are still on page 2 of the self-help manual, you might be unable to appreciate the beauty all around you as you sit in a line of twenty cars waiting for someone to master the four way stop.

Can’t you find that well of empathy that lies within you that has compassion for each and every driver as they navigate their way through the upcoming treachery? The quandary we each must address; “am I a failure or a success?” “Did I do it right or wrong?” “Did I make a fool of myself or how many people did I ____ off this time?” And my personal favorite, “how come everyone else seems to know when to go?” These are just some of the split-second angst we endure each time we enter the “crossroads of comradery.”

That’s right, every time you enter this “crossroads of comradery,” it is a good time to make new friends. Show some human interest in your fellow man and make…wait for it; eye contact. Eye contact is the great communicator; it says, “I know you exist and are you going to let me go first?” All in one quick connection, the pecking order is established. Which is it going to be? I can be nicer than you or I don’t have time for this and I am just going to go. This works great in the day time and when there are no clear answers for who really is on your right.

So where does the savvy gene come in, one might ask? There are moments at the four-way stop that seem almost choreographed and if we piped music into the intersection…. It doesn’t happen that often, but occasionally four people with this savvy gene will show up at the four-way stop at the exact same moment. What you are about to witness is the highest level of savvy and is not to be attempted by the neophyte. Four right turns at the same time? Is this really possible? It’s a wondrous event that only lasts a second. On a more regular basis, you might find two naturally selected experts arriving across from one another. Amazingly, they are able to go straight through the intersection at the same time or even take left turns simultaneously, regardless of who was there first. The savvy individual is able to appraise the scene quickly and shorten the wait time for all the less savvy behind them. Hooray for natural selection.

Here’s a general rule of thumb for the four-way; if each driver went through one at a time, there were no genetically enhanced folks in that batch and don’t feel like a failure. I’ve been told that those without the savvy gene can actually learn how it’s done through observation and practice, practice, practice.