Every Moment is Meaning Full
(Photo by Maggie Begley)
My application for Associate Polarity Practitioner (A.P.P), Submitted to the American Polarity Therapy Association (A.P.T.A.), 23 August 2004
What Polarity Therapy Means To Me
By Maggie Begley
Once initiated into the realms of Polarity Therapy, it becomes a way of life, a way of viewing the world. It is all about the energy. It permeates all that is within and around us: in our mind, emotions and physical body, in our relationships, in nature, food, music and art, in all of our interactions… It is the energetic, dynamic tension of polarized opposites which creates and sustains our universe. The five elements are merely manifestations of this energy, vibrating at different frequencies. It is especially fun, interesting and enlightening when trying to apply these polarity principles to everyday life. It is multi-sensory. It is about seeing, hearing, feeling, even tasting and smelling, the energy. It is about recognizing it, hopefully understanding it, resonating with it, possibly retracting from it or merging with it, at times manipulating it… It is always there in some way, shape or form.
Polarity Therapy is indeed wide in its scope. It is based on scientific principles and standardized protocols, yet greatly utilizes each practitioner’s special brand of creativity and intuition. Sessions are tailored to the individual and the situation in that point in time, and therefore, even though there are common themes, each treatment is unique. This keeps the work fresh and alive. And, although the focus always remains on the client, sessions often present a learning and healing experience, in some way, for both the giver and receiver. It can be mutually beneficial for both participants.
What I value most about Polarity Therapy is that it accentuates the fact our clients are really their own best guides. It our job as practitioners to educate and to assist them in assuming personal responsibility, while providing a safe and nurturing environment for this to naturally occur. When given the tools and the support to help them look within and go through their process, over time, with practice and growth, they will build trust in their own intuition. In addition to receiving bodywork, any opportunity we can give our clients to actively participate in their healing will also give them a feeling of empowerment, such as promoting diet, exercise, and verbal communication.
It is important to note, however, that the healing process is not dependent upon a conscious effort to understand it, or upon conceptualization or verbalization of the traumas that are seeking release. The movement of energy will eventually create some form of conscious awareness that will bring the healing to a new level. Such issues cannot be forced, as the body’s energy has its own sense of what is the appropriate pacing and timing. It is innately intelligent and knows what is best. This, I think, is a wonderful element of Polarity Therapy — that the bodywork is effective in and of itself.
I particularly appreciate that Polarity Therapy gives modern insight into the ancient practice of the laying-on-of-hands with an intention to heal. It is an age-old tradition, so I really feel part of something bigger. As a Polarity Practitioner I believe that I am merely a conduit for the transference of healing energy from a higher God-source. Therefore, I don’t see myself as a healer, but as a facilitator. My challenge is to be a facilitator who is able to maintain strong boundaries while approaching the work with a commitment towards love, compassion and the highest of intentions. From this point of view, practicing Polarity Therapy gives me the chance to perform “right livelihood”; to earn income while doing something I believe in. It aids in my personal growth and helps others to do the same. What could be better? That is a true gift.
My application was accepted, and I have been a member ever since: http://polaritytherapy.org/
The Spirited Soul 