‘Totally tubular‘. Okay, I’ve like SO outed myself as an 80’s chick. Couldn’t pass up a valley-girl colloquial ‘punny’, a sociolinguistic phenomenon, a title that fits. I used to be a pretty good valley-girl impersonator in my day. ‘Oh my gawd, like nooooo way’ you say? “Way!’ I AM a California native, after all, though not a southerner.
I decided to join the crowd and make a list of 23, like totally rad, 🙂 YouTube videos that I viewed during the last year. Of course, they are of my interests, befitting myself and the themes of my blog. Hopefully you will enjoy them too. Some have been widely circulated, and you might have seen a few in past posts of mine. For future reference, I have a YouTube account, called Maggie’s Picks @GentleBalancing, linked under YouTubin’ on my menu bar, where they and others, reside. It’s all set up so that someday, hopefully, I can post more of my own content (along with my cohorts Dr. Metz and Christina)…artistic, silly, serious, informative…Whatever 2012 has in store, I will buy. I’m such a sucker.
Something you love rarely gets tiresome. Though, I admit technology has spoiled me, and now I have attention deficit — see my ‘Funny (but technically true)’ pick below. Can’t seem to hold my attention for one video, let alone 23!! If you’re like me, you may not be able to absorb all this stimulus at once, but I highly recommend coming back, bit by bit. I’m biased, but I think the content is worth the time. You never know when something is going to ‘speak to you’.
Each video seems to represent all my interests at once. Even so, I’ve conveniently separated them into individual categories, cuz, well, I can’t help it. I just like to, like organize stuff and stuff. Dude, it’s like so TOTALLY bitchen. 🙂
Weight-Lifting, or Up-Lifting?!
(Photo by Maggie Begley)
“God is a fraud; Love His facade.God called me by name. He had me at hello. He cast me, into a vat; not of heaven, but of hell. Stuck, a prisoner of my own misery. In solitary confinement, rebellion is just a game I play. I am the fraud. I am the facade…
‘Existential Angst’. Sounds like a sweet-eating yeasty, an infection to which some sad sap succumbs. Uprising unbalance leads to soul-sickness, purification by fire, call me Phoenix.
This one’s a jawbreaker, not going to sugarcoat it. Life is no Candyland. The only cavity, a deep inner void, filled with grit. Waiting for a pearl. Feasting, but not satiated. Starving, but not hungry. No luster.
All ‘flowers and rainbows’ while shacking up with thorny weeds and blackened storm clouds. Wearing rose-colored glasses; basking in gratitudes and platitudes. Bit by a snake-in-the-grass; rendering me a bifocaled realist.
In a power-struggle to the finish, Higher and Lower Self. The former, constantly vigilant, patiently on the watch. The latter, threatening to move in and assume permanent title. Bankrupted. A temporary take-over. Sold out from under myself. The writing is on the wall, graffitied, scarred, tattooed.
A personal challenge, where darkness casts its shadow beneath my own roof?! An unwelcome, ungrateful guest bends below the smoky spotlight. Chase the gross-polluter round and about, out of town? Let ’em stay, succumbing to potentially toxic fumes? An ‘either-or’ proposition? Or ‘both-and’? You know where I stand.
Spiritual growth and personal healing, is a fight to the birth, not for the faint of heart. My brave fellow angsties, be forewarned: ‘Embrace yourself, wherever you’re at! God willing, you will never go too far astray, for too long, alone.’
Upon my platform I must belt out: ‘Compassionate Integration!’ That, is the winning blow.
But for His amazing grace…
Thank you God for being my life-line, and never letting go, even when I lose my grip, and bite the hand that feeds me.”
Just like this slide show, our life here is over in the blink of an eye: This is a little reminder, that although we go on and on, and on, in this lifetime we are not immortal! Like it or not, … Continue reading →
Several months ago, as I often do, I tuned in to my local PBS station to watch their Saturday night double-feature. I came in a little late on the first feature and I wasn’t particularly impressed with the dialogue, but it was better than anything else on TV that night. I find that older black and white movies are kinder and gentler, which is often their draw for me. So I hung in, and about half way through, things took a turn. Our main character was headed to India on a quest for meaning? This, from a movie likely filmed in the 1940’s? Now that got my attention. It wasn’t till after the movie ended that I learned its name was The Razor’s Edge. The name was familiar to me, as a friend had recommended the more recent version, filmed in the 1980’s, when it first came out. I never did see that one. This whole thing piqued my curiosity, so I looked it up on the internet. Thus, this, from today on Wikipedia:
The Razor’s Edge is a book by W. Somerset Maugham published in 1944. Its epigraph reads, “The sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass over; thus the wise say the path to Salvation is hard.” taken from verse in the Katha-Upanishad.[1][2]
The Razor’s Edge tells the story of an American pilot traumatized by his experiences in World War I, who sets off in search of some transcendent meaning in his life. The novel is supposed to be based on the life of Guy Hague, an American mining engineer.
The story begins through the eyes of Larry’s friends and acquaintances as they witness his personality change after the War. His rejection of conventional life and search for meaningful experience allows him to thrive while the more materialistic characters suffer reversals of fortune. The book was twice adapted into film, first in 1946 starring Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney, and Herbert Marshall as Maugham, and then a 1984 adaptation starring Bill Murray, with Tibet replacing India as the place of Larry’s enlightenment (the monastery to which Larry travels in the 1984 movie adaptation is in Ladakh, an Indian-ruled region sometimes called ‘Little Tibet’).[3]
How very interesting…I know that this is an age-old quest, so I shouldn’t have been surprised. The surprising bit was more at seeing it portrayed on the movie screen from this time period (I doubt it would’ve been made without the inspiration of Somerset Maugham’s book). The following clip is from one of the later scenes in the movie, when our main character ended up in India…Although this Holy Man seems more like a Jewish Rabbi, or a Catholic Priest, from my perspective…Maybe so Westerners could relate to him a little better? Or perhaps it was just the constraints of movie-making, etc., at the time:
This caused me to reflect on my own spiritual journey, a search for answers that were more satisfying than the ones I had been given. I think perhaps I always had spiritual leanings? Or maybe it was after my dad died, an event that changed me, even at my tender age of 8. We were a Catholic family, and the church was my saving grace in many respects. It anchored me. I enjoyed the community, the ritual, the quiet reflection, the music, the stories from the Bible. I liked it so much, I wanted to become a nun. I went to Catholic school and attended 7:00 a.m. mass every morning with my mom before classes. I think I was a seeker early on, and I’m glad I had this foundation of Catholicism.
One of my favorite parts of Sunday service was the singing. Guitars were popular in the 1970’s, but I was too shy to be up in front of everyone. So, I sang boldly from my seat in the congregation. The lyrics from one of my favorite songs were taken from this bible verse, and popularized by the Kingston Trio:
Matthew Chapter 7: 7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
If you are a seeker and you know it, clap your hands! And I did. 🙂
Of course I didn’t KNOW I was a seeker at the time, my Path found me. I was happily Catholic, though some of the beliefs left me questioning. When I started attending college, I was fascinated with what others thought. Who knew that some people thought of Catholics in a disparaging way? Not me! I had led such a sheltered, insulated life, which, as I said, I feel was a good thing. I took classes in cultural anthropology, world religions, philosophy. I loved, loved, loved it. What stood out to me was that humans have been mulling over these ideas since the beginning, and that there was a thread running through all the major religions, even though the dogma details were different. Of course they were, different cultures, different times. But I believe there IS a common Truth to everything. The dogma and its details, come from humans, and their particular cultures. What would happen if Jesus appeared today? I imagine a lot of folks would be skeptical, to say the least. I so wished I had been alive when Jesus was. It didn’t seem fair that only one group of people at that point in time and place got to be with him in the flesh. Just like the game of telephone, I’m sure so much has gotten lost, misinterpreted, or buried, along the way…power plays and politics usually take over.
Robert Lee Haycock: “The four Gospels weren’t written until a hundred years after Jesus ministry. Can you write a gospel of MacArthur or Ho Chi Minh a hundred years after their work without recourse to electronic media that did not exist in Palestine BC 33 and vouch for its veracity? Truth is not Facts. Truth is Truth.”
Soul Dipper: “Do not believe anything simply because it is spoken or rumored by many…found written in your religious books. …Do not believe in traditions just because they’ve been handed down to you…but after observation and analysis, when you find anything that agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.” ~ The Buddha
I naturally was fascinated with this expansion of my world, and I couldn’t get enough. To me, what connected East and West, different places and time periods, was that all religious/spiritual traditions have within them some form of Mysticism. Mystics place their value on direct experience of God, and that God is within in all of us. From the Bible:
“The kingdom of God is within you.” ~ Luke 17:21
“Ye are the temple of the Living God.” ~ II Corinthians 6:16
That is the ultimate Truth. I believe this is why enlightened beings, sons and daughters of God, have graced this creation since its birth…to offer us inspiration and guidance. (Little is spoken of women mystics, but they do exist!) The teachings from the East actually made the most sense to me, such as the ideas of Karma and Reincarnation. Once you get past the cultural associations, possible judgements and fears you have around these notions, they actually are quite reasonable. Also included in these belief systems are the practices of Vegetarianism (you’ll be astounded by these list of famous vegetarians from throughout history, I was! Nice to know I’m in such good company :)) and Meditation. I practice a devotional form of meditation, but there are many different reasons and ways to meditate, and they ALL have benefits. Unfortunately, there are many common misconceptions floating around which can make some folks shy away.
Back then my best friend was also instrumental in opening my eyes to other possibilities (the early twenties are indeed an exciting age of exploration). He was exploring a spiritual path that he learned of from a fellow classmate, in photography class. He saw her developing photos she had taken in India, and wanted to know her story. She said she followed a spiritual path, based in India, where her Spiritual Teacher lived. If you are curious about it, here are two links: Radha Soami Satsang Beas and Science of the Soul Research Centre.
She suggested several books to him that he (and I) could most relate to, given our fiercely Catholic background. Such as the book, Yoga and the Bible, by Joseph Leeming, 1963. Here is an excerpt about spiritual seeking (pages 5 & 6):
“For most people the first step is the search of which Jesus spoke, a seeking for something in which one can believe without a doubt; something that does not have to be accepted on blind faith alone; something that will not only uplift and spiritualize the heart, the mind, and the soul, but will also satisfy to the fullest the most rigorous demands of reason and intelligence.
As a consequence, there are many who can no longer find satisfaction in the tenets of the organized religions. Evidence of this fact can be found in the very great numbers of people — many thousands in all of the major nations of the world — who have been moved to search for spiritual knowledge and a way of salvation that they cannot find by conforming to the doctrines and rituals of organized religious bodies. In the world at large, the seekers are not numerous…
The seekers have realized that the material world is not the only world. They realize that the unaided intellect of man alone can never provide answers to their questions. They sense that what we see is only a fraction of what really is. Glimpsing the truth, haunted by the pettiness and emptiness of life, they are driven to search for the spiritual reality and purpose behind the seeming lack of meaning in ordinary human existence.”
Another suggestion by her was the book, Light on Saint Matthew, by Charan Singh. This excerpt (pages 64-65) is in reference to one of the most well-known Christian prayers, the Lord’s Prayer. It is now my favorite version:
“Oh Father, You are in heaven. I just want to merge in You, to live in Your Name, in Your Will. In whatever way You want to keep me in this world, I am happy. What I want is just Your love and devotion in my heart, that is all I need. Give me what You want to give me. Take from me what You do not want me to have. I have absolutely and unconditionally surrendered to You, because you have eyes and I am blind. I do not know what is best for my soul.”
My friendreluctantly shared this new and “radical” information with me, said he was interested, and that there was a local chapter of this group nearby. Intrigued and upset, I knew immediately that it was for me, but I wasn’t quite ready to change just yet, though I was winding up. My underpinnings were completely knocked out from under me, which was very disorienting. I eventually started to attend meetings with him and we slowly began making new friends, but kept it quiet with most of our other friends and family. We were lucky enough to see the head of the Society, the Spiritual Teacher, here in the States on his annual visits, numerous times. I then was able to travel to India on three separate occasions thereafter. I feel so fortunate to have realized my dream: To have the rare opportunity to see for myself, first hand, a Holy Man, to feel what it was like, and to hear what he had to say. He was like a father-figure, the best role-model you could ever imagine: Wise, loving, patient, realistic, relatable, firm, funny, jovial…the very best of what humans have to offer, never mind God :). What made my friend and I comfortable on this path is that this lineage of Teachers is, and has always been, entirely self-supporting. There was NO money asked of us at anytime, for anything. Food and gatherings with him are provided free to the masses. Selfless service is encouraged and desired. Charitable contributions are made in the occurrence natural disasters, and free healthcare is provided at their hospitals in India. There was no self or group promotion. There was no ritual, no ceremony. It was well-organized, neat, and clean. It sounds cliché, but most of all, there was definite and enveloping LIGHT and LOVE.
This form of yoga, called Surat Shabd Yoga, teaches that God is an Energy that consists of Celestial Light and Sound (also called the “Word,” or the “Holy Spirit” in the Bible.) I appreciated these associations, not only with the Bible, but with science. We have all heard, from the study of physics, about the principles of light and sound waves. Energy!! It’s everywhere, in everything. This is where spirituality and science can agree, no? Not yet, I guess, but it seems so straightforward to me.
I had found all the answers that I wanted and needed, and they made perfect sense to me. And I had experienced the first step, with my own being. This was quite a shock for me, remember, I wanted to be a Catholic nun?! “Shoot, this really complicates things!” In a worldly way, it did seem rather complicated, but on a deep level, “What a relief!! No more seeking!” (Although my Spiritual Teacher says, “We are all seekers until we make it [to the top]. Now the hard work begins…Self-realization before God-realization.”) Initially, it was hard wrapping my head around what would be perceived as crazy New-Agey stuff. It was hard enough for me, let alone most of my friends and family…just like the character in The Razor’s Edge had experienced. No wonder my friend had recommended that movie to me those many years ago. Knowledge of this Path didn’t prohibit my Catholicism, it enhanced it for me.
I feel I need to point out that even though it might not seem like it, I am NOT making this, or any post, to try to convert anyone to spirituality or religion in any way shape or form. Rather, I simply wanted to tell my story. My wish is to promote understanding, acceptance, tolerance, for the right of each individual to hold and to practice his/her beliefs, whatever they may be (unless against their will and/or destructive to others). I also wish to offer support for those who CAN relate to my experiences in any way, and who wants to hear them. That being said, just so you have an idea of the things he might say, the following quotes are some helpful advice that I’ve heard over the years from the Spiritual Teacher, paraphrased by me. They are words that any wise and enlightened Soul might speak. 🙂 Like anyone knows who has ever been to a live event of any kind, there is no substitute for being there, amidst the energy that is generated and exchanged when people gather for a shared interest and purpose. So of course, hearing the words directly from his mouth, in that sort of setting, has a special power all its own. And like anyone who’s ever been in love, that makes it all the more special. Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder.
We are our own worst enemy.
We fight against ourselves instead of letting go.
Everything has a purpose in life, even if we don’t see it.
Relationships are not defined by words and labels, but rather by the intensity of emotion and experience.
Be a good friend, if the other is nice to you, reciprocate double.
We need more objectivity and introspection, instead of reactivity.
The further we get from nature, the more out of balance we become.
Be Natural. Be Yourself. Focus on your strengths. Everyone is different. There is so much pressure internally and externally, but don’t compare and try to be like someone else. We need to relax. We need more balance. We are intellectualizing too much.
None of us are worthy, but He loves and accepts us, so why worry about anything else?
All we need is a pair of clothing, two square meals, and a roof over our head. Everything else is extra.
Practice gratitude. Be happy, don’t worry. Just enjoy yourself. Accept yourself.
We are all links in the chain. One missing link compromises the whole chain. The person who cleans the toilets and mops the floors, is just as important as the CEO.
Experience makes the old feel young, and the young feel old.
Prayer is for inspiration and putting you in touch with the Divine. Meditation is about experience.
Practice makes Perfect.
The Giver is also the Knower, so why doubt, or have to ask?
My answer can’t be a precondition of your question. 🙂
Surrender = Freedom.
Gather Knowledge => Develop Concept => Take Action => Gain Experience => Leads to Understanding => The Strength and Confidence to Handle Anything.
Speaking of the love,I have also been in the presence of other such Holy Men (and one Woman), attended ceremonies, and visited other Holy Places revered by Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Baha’i, and Hinduism, both in the U.S. and abroad.The love, beauty and devotion I saw was the same, in all. Every place I went I was welcomed with open arms, as it should be.
“God has made different religions to suit different aspirations, times, and countries. All doctrines are only so many paths; but a path is by no means God Himself. Indeed, one can reach God if one follows any of the paths with wholehearted devotion”. ~ Ramakrishna
However, also recently, I wasn’t quite “feeling the love.” It was brought to my attention that some folks might not only think I’m New-Agey, but that I am engaging with the Devil?! Another eye-opener. They think this about ME?! I could see people thinking I’m crazy…but evil?! (From my own kind, no less: Catholic perspective on Energy Medicine, and how some interpret what the Bible says about Energy Healing. But, here’s a nice rebuttal by an M.D., who is also an Episcopalian minister, speaking in defense of Energy Medicine).
Just for the record, I understand that people take umbrage with the fact that a lot of practitioners of energy therapies do call themselves healers. I for one was never comfortable calling others, or myself, such a thing. I always say that I am more of a facilitator, using the gift that God gave me, not attached to ego results, asking God that my client and I be receptive to their highest healing good, direct from the Source. We are all servants of God, angels on earth. Just like in this story about the man and the flood.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and there are many. We just have to take it in, investigate, and figure out for ourselves what we will call ours. I think I’ve pretty much covered my position in this rather long-winded tale…But I’m not finished yet! 🙂 In addition to this, just the day after The Razor’s Edge was on I tuned into an ABC television episode of Primetime Nightline on modern day exorcism. The discussion amongst the interviewees led to comment that, “Entities possess all of us and we invite the Devil into our bodies with the activities we involve ourselves with.” I would agree with that, but I have a different way of viewing it and describing it. There was a Baptist preacher, who conducts deliverance exorcism as part of every service. He said that things like mediation and martial arts open the barn door to evil. Hmmm…I do all those things, so by association, I am evil? My Spiritual Teacher also says it can be treacherous to meditate without a Guide (as all the Masters were, Jesus was one), to lead and protect you. I believe that. But to make a claim, as the preacher did, that things he doesn’t understand are evil? I don’t like that. Or, maybe he understands (?), but just doesn’t agree? Either way, he has no right to make such a presumption. I think once we start making generalist claims like this, out of fear and wanting to control, it is a dangerous and slippery slope. I can see why he feels that way; it’s because we obviously have different world views, but I am a lover of God, AND Jesus, as well!
What was happening here was obviously disturbing, and had a darkness to it, but it seemed to me that the exorcisms the Priest was conducting were releasing energy patterns of trauma, from the unconscious mind. I have experienced this personally, and with my work. It is more psychology and spirituality, than religion, and it is best to have someone, who is supportive, with you when you are going through it. I don’t have judgement around what the preachers and priests do, as they feel it works for them, whatever they call it, and however they go about it. However, I do have my own insights and opinions as to what’s going on. (You saw that one coming, didn’t you? :)). My view on this is slightly different, as I feel that none of us are healers per se…But, we can heal our self, in fact that is our mission, with the help of God, the Creator, the Energy Source of Love…Along the way, we lose track of our own Divine Essence. It’s no wonder to me that it is such a crazy-making adventure to find our way back. And our Western culture doesn’t do a very good job of supporting this process, I think because it is so mysterious, and therefore scary, to most. The evils that they are wanting to expel, are all a product of our mind. I don’t think we are necessarily “possessed” by any outside entities, but rather by the constraints and traumas, the energy fields of our own poor minds. Although, I would agree that our individual energetic make-up can make us more vulnerable to certain outside entities, as with the energy fields of other people, places and things we encounter — such as a stressed-out partner, a frenetic traffic jam, a flu virus, certain foods or medications — which can destabilize and disrupt our own weakened systems in the process. So I suppose, why not other more psychic and/or spiritual entities? Regardless, I think the same would hold true, you do have to be an energetically receptive host in the first place for anything outside of yourself to take hold. That’s why you have to see things in a bigger context of your life.
We are our own worst enemies. In the end, our own internal demons are part of us, not something to be exorcised away, but understood. And forcibly removing any part of the system, without knowledge/understanding of the whole, leads to problems. Not just in this instance, but also with cases of sudden smoking cessation, extreme weight loss, cleaning up the hoarder…When someone else swoops in to solve these problems for us, out of a larger context, the problem will inevitably return, or manifest itself other ways. There is no getting around healing ourselves into authentic completeness, from the source, via a mind-body connection. By mind-body connection, I mean UNCONSCIOUS MIND-Body connection. Most people describe the mind-body connection as more of a conscious one, that we can control. Our unconscious mind and emotions, our psychology, is tied up in our bodies in more dramatic ways than we know. The pain is energetically held in cells and tissues, until it is healed from all angles, not just the conscious mind angle. It is a very necessary and important component, as it’s a beginning towards self-empowering behavior and being mindful of how acting and reacting effects our body.
Here’s what my Energy Medicine mentor, Dr. Richard Metz, had to say on the subject of exorcism:
“Exorcism is ultimately not in the best interest of the person. It is driving the dissociated traumatized and difficult aspects of the personality deeper into the unconscious. The person may feel relieved initially, but the problem will manifest in a different more pathological way that usually appears unrelated to the original problem. This manifestation could be revealed in a health problem (such as cancer), and accident, trouble at work, school, relationships. In order to see these hidden cause-and-effect associations one must have a sense of the deep connectedness of all aspects of the person and their life. The more complex the system, the further away cause-and-effect are in time and space, making it hard to see these associations. And we ARE complex systems. Traumatic experiences, and difficult aspects of the personality, don’t need to be expelled, and they really can’t be anyway, they need to be integrated and resolved, coming from a place of love and acceptance, not of judgement and fear. This acceptance does not mean denial of negativity, or the need to control it, it means holding the person accountable as the problem being a part of them. They have to realize it’s a part of them and they have a part to play in dealing with it.”
The healing process, our “Soul-work,” cannot be forced, but allowed to unfold with intention and attention. As Mae West said about growing older, this process is not for sissies. 🙂
SoulDipper:“If spiritual work does anything, it challenges and disturbs with just as much force and surprise as it illuminates and enlightens. In fact, if our spiritual work does not challenge what we know, if it does not disturb our habitual patterns of thought, perception, and action, then, it is not spiritual work at all; it is merely a form of self-medication.” ~ Robert Rabbin, contemporary mystic and founder of Radical Sage
“Healing is a spiritual experience. The word health is related to the word holy. Healing is the return to wholeness.” ~ Deepak Chopra
Each path is unique to each individual, that’s why tolerance and compassion are called for, from all of us. I didn’t appreciate the “guilt by association” and ignorance from whence the blame of fraternizing with the devil came, but it did get me thinking again about what I believe about evil and the devil. Again, I tend to agree with the Eastern version of darkness and light. There is an opposite to everything that exists, a polarity. We have higher mind, and lower mind. And it is all a part of a bigger context. Every one and every thing in the universe has its role to play.
This concept is further explained in the following link from Wikipedia:
“The lord of the lower three regions of Creation is in Hindi referred to as ‘Kal’. This is a Soul that spent a great deal of time in meditation and achieved a very high level of Spirituality, and was appointed as lord of the three lower regions of Creation [the Causal level, the Astral level and the physical plane] by God. Kal is often called the devil or Satan, but in point of fact Kal is the administrator of the Law of Karma, and the administrator of the MIND realm…of which each Soul has an aspect of that MIND as a personal MIND.
The nature of the MIND is duality, and the Soul requires a MIND to enable it to explore and experience duality. The Soul is itself Neutral Spiritual Energy [in my opinion since this will never be proven by anyone on any plane other than the Spiritual plane] and thus, God and ones Soul are absolute energy and thus permanent, unchanging and Neutral. The MIND is ‘negative’ in that it is not actually Spiritual Energy, and thus it it ones own MIND that directs ones negative thoughts and actions for ones ultimate growth.
The only ‘Satan’ there is, is Kal, and this is the role of Kal, not the nature of Kal.”
Source: The Path of the Masters, by Julian P. Johnson.Read more.
Viewing the Primetime Nightline segment brought up some personal issues for me as well. With all due respect, it dawned on me that both science AND religion had failed me, in terms of my health problems. Doctors always told me they didn’t know what was wrong with me, wanted to give me pills or surgery, or that I would outgrow it. And my religious community, of progressive Catholics, just wanted to pray over me, as if enough prayerful begging would do the trick. Both mindsets were coming from their own worldviews, separate from one another, and separately could do me no good. The sad part is that both approaches were well-meaning and had my best interest at heart. As I’ve said before in this Blog, my only relief came when I became a patient of Dr. Metz, whose Fundamental Field of Life-Energy theory and therapy is founded on BOTH. In our work, we see the human body as an interface between science and spirituality, in real, practical ways. Spirit follows the fundamental forces of nature as it manifests in the creation. Nothing is separate from one another, and this is how we should view ourselves, our life, our health. That I know for sure. The path that one takes to that end is individual, and one of free-choice. In the end though, we each are our own responsibility! No one can do our work for us!
Ona final note, the following quotes further illuminate that in dealing with ourselves, our world, and one-another, everything really begins and ends with us:
“The divine purpose is that men should live in unity, concord and agreement and should love one another. Consider the virtues of the human world and realize that the oneness of humanity is the primary foundation of them all. Read the Gospel and the other Holy Books. You will find their fundamentals are one and the same. Therefore unity is the essential truth of religion and, when so understood, embraces all the virtues of the human world.” ~ Baha’i Faith
“If there is light in the soul, Therewill be beauty in the person. If there is beauty in the person, Therewill be harmony in the house. If there is harmony in the house, Therewill be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, Therewill be peace in the world.” ~ Chinese Proverb
As I am often want to do, I’m going to take us out with music, thanks to the lyrical stylings of artists, India Arie and Idan Raichel:
Making this slideshow posed a question for me: “Do I have actual memories of actual memories? Or just photographic memories of photographic memories?” (Both are blurry!) After all, I’ve poured through family albums for most of my life. One snapshot I … Continue reading →
Every one and every place has an Energy dynamic of its own. And I love this place where the confluence of energies, people with shared interests, art, history, environment (and yummy food), come together in timeless beauty. I have been … Continue reading →
“All men and women are connected by an energy which many people call love, but which is, in fact, the raw material from which the universe was built. The energy cannot be manipulated, it leads us gently forward, it contains all we have to learn in this life. If we try to make it go in the direction we want, we end up frustrated, disillusioned, because that energy is free and wild.” ~ Paulo Coelho
Universal Directions (Photo by Maggie Begley)
Sometimes, there’s a signpost right before our eyes, if we choose to heed it. This one says to me, “Yield to Love, give it the right-of-way, and keep heading in THAT direction!”
Every day I am presented with a choice. Do I choose the way of Fear, or the way of Love? To name a few, Fear’s byproducts are: Negativity, Misery, Judgement, Anger, Guilt, and Anxiety; while Love’s byproducts are: Positivity, Hope, Acceptance, Joy, Freedom, and Serenity. Fear is invested in expectation and outcome; Love is not. That’s the energetic polarity of Lower Mind vs. Higher Mind. Here is an old tale which demonstrates this not-so-new concept:
An old Cherokee told his grandson, “My son, there is a battle between to wolves inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, jealousy, greed, resentment, inferiority, lies and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy and truth. The boy thought about it and asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?”. The old Cherokee quietly replied, “The one you feed”.
The path of self-help, and self-love, is an interdependent enterprise which begins and ends with me. And by “begins and ends with me”, I mean taking adult responsibility for my own choices and reactions to situations, people and things, even when I get graffiti-ed on. 🙂 Fortunately, since Universal Love has no beginning and no end, I might as well start tapping into that ever-present Energy Source right here and now, and never forget that it never ceases…to be an option. 🙂
“Faith came singing into my room, and other guests took flight: Fear, Anxiety, Grief and Gloom sped out into the night. I wonder that such peace could be. But Faith said gently, ‘Don’t you see? They really could not live with me’.”
Energetic Bodywork ~ An Avenue for Lasting Change…
On one of Oprah’s final shows, she was reflecting on lessons learned. Oprah was interviewing an anorexic woman who was being given the advice, by a celebrity guest, to “Just change the way your brain works,” in other words, to just change her thoughts. And the woman replied, “But HOW do I do that? I’ve tried and it hasn’t worked.” Oprah said it was at that moment that she realized that she not only had to show people different possibilities for change, but she also had to show them HOW to accomplish that change in their own life, by giving them the tools to do so.
I agree, we do have to have a tool box of resources that we can go to for support. Such basic information as to the “care and feeding” of our own body: HOW to eat and exercise right, how to lose weight, how to meditate, how to have better interpersonal communication, organizational and personal make-over skills, as well as how to awaken politically and philosophically to new ideas. But some things go way deeper than the how-to basics, like with this poor anorexic woman, who felt helpless and eventually succumbed to her disease.
We don’t have to stay victims. If we can manage to get help, we can get to the undercurrents of psychological trauma that’s going on, which often influences all else that we try to accomplish. I, and many of my clients, have asked the same question: “But HOW can I change? What can I DO?” It is never as easy, nor happens as quickly as we’d like. We just want it fixed, and NOW! But it takes awhile to unravel those things, most of which have been with us, at least initially, since birth. Like unravelling necklaces that got intertwined in the jewelry box, it takes gentle patience, not force. Pulling and tugging just makes the knots tighter. But if we are not DOing, we feel like we have no control, and we don’t like that! Sometimes no matter how much our Conscious Mind wants something, our Subconscious/Unconscious Mind may not be ready, it’s just not up to speed with the rest of us yet. Those energetic blockages in the Subconscious/Unconscious Mind, are what need to be dealt with first, or at least in conjunction with that which we are already conscious of.
“A real solution comes only from within and then only because the patient has been brought to a different attitude.” ~ Carl Jung
Energetic Bodywork is one of the best things you can DO to facilitate this movement of energy towards a “different attitude.” I can personally attest to this. The Fundamental Field Bodywork portion (Gentle Balancing Touch), is one of the most important things I have participated in. That (largely Unconscious) Mind-Body connection is what helps integrate disparate parts of our Selves, thus making the “different attitude” an obvious and welcomed by-product of the process. You can’t just think or will your way to changing those deeper unconscious dysfunctional un-truths, those learned thought patterns that compulsively drive you to feel or act the way you do, even when you try your best not to. Eventually you will embark on a journey of personal and psychological processing. As I said, energetic bodywork has been my preferred route. (Click here to investigate other avenues of psychological processing/change. Though I know nothing else of the mudrashram.com organization, theirs was the only other post I found on the internet today that spoke of psychological processing in a way in which I could relate, and thought very interesting as well).
This inner attitude is not so much about DOING, as it is about BEING…patiently waiting for our own information to be revealed as our own Innate Intelligence permits and deems it so. Certainly another thing that we can DO is to consciously maintain a positive and open attitude of surrender about going through the painful process of returning to a healthy, authentic place, finding a lesson in every situation and learning from it, with gratitude. This is easier if you have a spiritual belief/community, and/or a practitioner/loved ones to support you during the tough times. The Mind-Body connection healing process of awareness is a very visceral experience, sometimes without words, only FEELINGS and sensations (like shivering, shaking, stomping, kicking, anger, crying, and familiar physical pain/discomfort). I’ve heard many a therapist say, “You have tofeel it to heal it,” and “Breakdown equals break through.” I’ve learned to trust and honor every feeling, sensation, thought, and vision I have, as it always speaks to me. Even though I may not understand what is happening at the moment, I eventually notice a pattern and make a connection (over time, with help from Energy Resonance Scanning, and from my own intuition and experience). All those things you think are crazy are trying to communicate something to you that you are holding in your Unconscious/Subconscious Mind. All I can say is, it is a process, unique to everyone, but with the same disconcerting components…Growing Pains!!! All of us who are going through the deep healing that is born of integration and purification tend to feel majorly crazy, like we are going bonkers, and losing it.
To give you another perspective on the process, from another culture, read the following excerpt, which is just a portion of a bigger article:
The Shamanic View
of Mental Illness (featuring Malidoma Patrice Somé)
by Stephanie Marohn www.stephaniemarhon.com
(Excerpted from The Natural Medicine Guide to Schizophrenia,
pages 178-189, or The Natural Medicine Guide to Bi-polar Disorder)
What a Shaman Sees in A Mental Hospital
In the shamanic view, mental illness signals “the birth of a healer,” explains Malidoma Patrice Somé. Thus, mental disorders are spiritual emergencies, spiritual crises, and need to be regarded as such to aid the healer in being born.
What those in the West view as mental illness, the Dagara people regard as “good news from the other world.” The person going through the crisis has been chosen as a medium for a message to the community that needs to be communicated from the spirit realm. “Mental disorder, behavioral disorder of all kinds, signal the fact that two obviously incompatible energies have merged into the same field,” says Dr. Somé. These disturbances result when the person does not get assistance in dealing with the presence of the energy from the spirit realm.
One of the things Dr. Somé encountered when he first came to the United States in 1980 for graduate study was how this country deals with mental illness. When a fellow student was sent to a mental institute due to “nervous depression,” Dr. Somé went to visit him.
“I was so shocked. That was the first time I was brought face to face with what is done here to people exhibiting the same symptoms I’ve seen in my village.” What struck Dr. Somé was that the attention given to such symptoms was based on pathology, on the idea that the condition is something that needs to stop. This was in complete opposition to the way his culture views such a situation. As he looked around the stark ward at the patients, some in straitjackets, some zoned out on medications, others screaming, he observed to himself, “So this is how the healers who are attempting to be born are treated in this culture. What a loss! What a loss that a person who is finally being aligned with a power from the other world is just being wasted.”
Another way to say this, which may make more sense to the Western mind, is that we in the West are not trained in how to deal or even taught to acknowledge the existence of psychic phenomena, the spiritual world. In fact, psychic abilities are denigrated. When energies from the spiritual world emerge in a Western psyche, that individual is completely unequipped to integrate them or even recognize what is happening. The result can be terrifying. Without the proper context for and assistance in dealing with the breakthrough from another level of reality, for all practical purposes, the person is insane. Heavy dosing with anti-psychotic drugs compounds the problem and prevents the integration that could lead to soul development and growth in the individual who has received these energies.
My view on this is slightly different, as I feel that none of us are healers per se, though we can heal our Self; in fact that is our mission, with the help of God, the Creator, the Energy Source of Love. Along the way, we lose track of our own Divine Essence, it’s no wonder to me that it is such a crazy-making adventure to find our way back. Unfortunately, our Western culture doesn’t do a very good job of supporting this process, I think because it is such a foreign concept, so mysterious, and therefore scary, to most. I so agree with this sad misinterpretation that people who are struggling in this way are dismissed, instead of supported. Later on in the article the Shaman refers to possession by outside spiritual/psychic entities being problematic. To this I would say, I don’t think we are necessarily “possessed” by any outside entities, but rather by the constraints and traumas, the energy fields of our own poor minds. Although, I would agree that our individual energetic make-up can make us more vulnerable to certain outside entities, as with the energy fields of other people, places and things we encounter — such as a stressed-out partner, a frenetic traffic jam, a flu virus, certain foods or medications — which can destabilize and disrupt our own systems in the process. So I suppose, why not other more psychic and/or spiritual entities? Regardless, I think the same would hold true, you have to be a energetically receptive host in the first place for anything outside yourself to take hold. That’s why being grounded in your self is so important. Reel it in. Ask for Divine protection and guidance, and highest healing good, for whatever you do.
Here’s some further insight, from an acquaintance of mine who asked to remain anonymous. This was she and her husband’s experience with the benefits and challenges of receiving psychotherapy. I give this example, and the one above, so that if you are going through this, you don’t feel quite so alone:
“BOTH my husband and I have been working on these things during the past couple of years…Last year, because of the work he and I had been doing with therapy, he TRULY got in touch with his authentic self. This resulted in a break-down, of sorts. He had severe anxiety attacks – not realizing what they were initially, and seeking medical ‘solutions.’ His therapist said he had seen this many times and, while it was scary to watch, he had never had anyone who hadn’t landed on their feet. My husband did. As he now says, be careful going into therapy and digging deep – the end result is INCREDIBLE, but the process can be challenging.”
This was also my personal experience as a patient, under the care and guidance of my mentor Dr. Metz, as well as witnessing it with a few of my own clients. Just for clarification, Dr. Metz and I are not psychotherapists, but we do deal with the psyche as an energetic field, from an Energy Medicine point of view. There is no doubt that the psyche and the body are an intertwined, interconnected system, with the Unconscious Mind largely in control of the show! The goal is to bring the entire cast of characters to center stage, so that they can be fully revealed, and dealt with in the light of day! You can then write a new and improved script for yourself.
I also must emphasize that the healing process is ultimately about love, compassion and acceptance, not about assigning blame or judgement. Even if we go there first, for valid reasons, we eventually learn to look beyond and deeper. It’s about connecting to the ENERGY of the emotion, feeling, or thought. Relationships create their own dynamic which become an entity of their own. Ultimately, we are angry at situations, not people. Reflecting on our relationships with other people is our way in to discovering the pain. Working through that emotion we feel towards another is part of discovering the trauma. Eventually we will be able to be more objective and to forgive the person, ourselves, and the situation. Remember, we are all at least half responsible for every adult dynamic we are part of. In this way, we are all students, and teachers, of one another.
The connections and realizations of the Conscious Mind usually come last, as the final step, not the first. Or in a series of slow unfolding, as often the pain is too much to bear and/or the information is too much to integrate all at once. That’s why it’s called a “process,” of processing. We are healed from the trauma once that energy is able to circulate freely through all the three Poles of the Fundamental Field: Positive Pole (Conscious Mind – Central Nervous System), Neutral Pole (Subconscious Mind -Parasympathetic Nervous System), and Negative Pole (Unconscious Mind – Sympathetic Nervous System). I myself have suffered from many illnesses. Energy Work has helped me get in touch with the dissociated emotional pain that got displaced into my body, making me ill. Once I healed the emotional pain, the illnesses diminished or ceased altogether. I only have a few left now, maybe three…believe me, there used to be many more, at least a dozen.
I realized along the way that stress, from holding those emotions, plus all the new triggers, was one of the largest culprits (and I think that’s true for everyone). When I took a 5-month trip abroad, my illnesses disappeared after a week or two. To me that was no coincidence! Not that the trip was easy breezy, it was not. But it allowed me a temporary reprieve from my limited sense of self and the expectation and overwhelm of responsibility that I was feeling at home. For me, travel has always been a welcome drug of choice. In Polarity Therapy terms, it supports my Ether Element, the Element that governs identity, self-expression, communication, boundaries, personal space, freedom and beauty. Ahhhhhh, just the thought of it makes me breathe easier.
What is your pain? And what is your “go to” place? What information can you learn to incorporate, to DO? And then, can you learn to just BE with yourself, and your emotions, from a place of acceptance, in a way that is honest and supportive? You can start by asking for Divine Guidance and Protection, set a healing intention, ask questions, contemplate and reflect on the answers that come to you. Trust the process that unfolds…for better or for worse, in sickness and in health. Make a commitment to love your Self, as you would love another.
Client #1 is making good progress! I just got a phone update from her and here’s a post-treatment update on our last visit. As I’ve spoken of in Parts One and Two, Client #1 was re-associating with a past unconscious trauma that she had experienced at the time of her birth. This trauma was dissociated (a.k.a. disassociated), and displaced into her physical body, and her psychology, though she wasn’t aware of the source. The unconscious emotional trauma of the original event caused her a lot of grief, guilt, anxiety, anger…and it was affecting her, still, decades later.
This is what Wikipedia had to say on the subject of dissociation, and Jung, my favorite Psychologist:
“Carl Jung described pathological manifestations of dissociation as special or extreme cases of the normal operation of the psyche. This structural dissociation, opposing tension, and hierarchy of basic attitudes and functions in normal individual consciousness is the basis of Jung’s Psychological Types.[19] He theorized that dissociation is a natural necessity for consciousness to operate in one faculty unhampered by the demands of its opposite.” Client #1 is a case in point, as her process has demonstrated in these three posts about her.
I had sent her home with instructions to do a self-treatment, which she did. The first night, she said she miraculously fell asleep during the very first hold. She said she had her hands on her hips/buttocks (Ether/Water contacts), felt a little bit of anger, and the next thing she knew… it was morning! The second night, she made it through the entire self-treatment, with not much emotional feedback, and she was worried that she wouldn’t have a repeat performance of the previous night when she escaped to dreamland…but she did fall asleep, about 5 minutes later.
On the third night, she was starting to feel the anger and anxiety build back up again, so she decided on her own to do another round of Energy Awareness Integration therapy (see previous post for definition). She said she was kind of dreading it, it gets tiresome. It started out in the usual way with anger and anxiety, but then changed course as it went along. But as she soon discovered, not all gestalt therapy has to feel bad. You know when you’re coming to the end of resolving an issue when you see things playing out differently, with a positive spin. She did her gestalt therapy again, but this time she saw herself as an adult, after coming out of the womb, and each family member she saw as a baby.
She was able to say to them, one by one:
“I am not responsible for meeting your needs, they are not my responsibility. I can have love and compassion for you, but your issues are yours, yours to deal with in an appropriate way. It is not appropriate that you make me responsible for the motherly bonding and nurturing you feel you are lacking from your actual mother.”
Client #1 started out feeling angry as usual, cursing at them, but when she stood up for herself and did so in an conscious way (instead of reacting and acting out from an unconscious place), this freed her to feel her innate compassion and love. The milestone was being able to do this, while maintaining a healthy and appropriate boundary, not a codependent one. She had to become secure enough within herself to be able to withstand abandonment, if it were to happen as a result, and she was no longer willing to tolerate the overwhelming need of taking on the emotional responsibility of trying to make everyone else feel better. That is an impossible task. No one can fill a void within another person. They have to fill themselves up, by treating their own self like they would their own treasured infant, or greatest love. It sounds selfish and narcissistic, but I’m talking about the healthy kind of self-love, which should be our greatest priority as when we achieve this, we actually have a broader and deeper love for everyone, and everything else.
Due to the (Ether/Water) energies moving and the traumatic pattern releasing, that evening she was consumed by her physiological urges. Her libido was calling, as were her obsessive cravings for food. The physical urges felt disconnected with reality, she was full-up, didn’t see the physiological need to satiate, so she explored in her mind and emotions, her relationships to sexuality and food. All during her life she ate copious amounts of food, she had to eat often or she would suffer the effects hypoglycemia. In spite of this, visually she was anorexic looking. Per my Energy Resonance Scan, she seemed to be eating as a way to self-soothe, for love and support. And she metabolized it so quickly, burned it up you could say, as a result of her anger, frustration and feeling powerless in being nourished. She thought that did resonate, given her situation. As an adult, she is still very protective of the food she does have, does not like sharing, and doesn’t like to see waste. She is always stockpiling, needs to have a full pantry, quick and easy access to food, or she gets panicky. Although, sadly and strangely she says there are times when she is so stressed and overwhelmed with the needs of others, that she can’t even feed herself, even if the food is ready to go, in her hand even. This makes her feel like a crazy person. I said she’s not crazy, she’s just behaving from a disconnected perspective, based on trauma. Her system was doing the best it could to take care of her, this is true for all of us, and instead of being disgusted with ourselves feeling gratitude and compassion is a better approach. But you still have to go through the gunk, “feel it to heal it”, you can’t just think the “crazy” away. She still regularly has dreams of food, usually at a time when she is not feeling nurtured. Dreams are a valuable tool for getting clues into our unconscious/subconscious reality. (That’s a whole other subject, but I can recommend my favorite book on the subject, The Dream Book: Symbols for Self-Understanding by Betty Bethards. You will see the link on my sidebar under the category “Psyche, Spirituality, & Well-Being).
Her psychology affected her physical body, her bust never really developed and she was “straight up and down”. I think this was a response by her body to her (Ether/Water) birth trauma, that is, the lack of being able to identify with and embrace her female self, as well as a defense mechanism to keep boys, and sex, far far away. When she did bloom, it was a very late onset. This anorexic look highly affected her body image, and her mother’s response to it didn’t help. Her mom never bought her a bra and felt that the only option was to shop in the boys department, both VERY traumatic for a young pubescent girl.
She never felt comfortable with her body or any of it’s functions, especially in public. She would never go swimming because it meant wearing a bathing suit, and risk being teased. She could never use public bathrooms. She said that as a child, she never had any trouble sleeping, quite the opposite, she required huge amounts of sleep and was never any fun at slumber parties, where one never ‘slumbers’, for all these reasons. Poor girl. Per my scan, I got that she needed to have the Ether support of sleep, to be able to cope. Now that she’s older and it’s time to heal, all her processing is contributing and interacting with other things to cause her insomnia. My sense is that all these symptoms of trouble with her physiological processes are the result of the issues we discussed in Parts 1 and 2. As we can see, she is well on her way to recovering her lost self! I feel encouraged by her progress, and am very proud of her for facing her ‘demons’ head-on. You go girl…You’re now an empowered woman!!
“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.” ~ Louisa May Alcott
The insomniac is back! In my previous post, I gave you a “fly on the wall” view of what happened during one of my treatment sessions, with an un-named woman known as Client #1. That was last week…Let’s revisit her case and see how she is now. She has been a patient of Dr. Metz for almost 20 years, but in comparison she is relatively new to me. She is aware that I am sharing her information here, and gave me her blessing. I am very grateful to her for being so open, honest and revealing, as she shares her healing journey with me, and you:
Well this week the client reports that after her last visit, she took my advice (who knew? :)), and continued her processing around the issues we had discussed. Her insomnia abated that night and for several nights thereafter. She managed to get some of her other physiological needs met, which probably also helped: Sex and physical nurturing, followed by a lovely indulgent picnic with her partner in the redwoods, during which she connected to the enjoyment of her food and really felt nurtured. Together they visited the coast for a couple hours of Etheric uplift, laid on the beach and dozed, relaxed in the warm sun. Her best night’s sleep was that night. The insomnia and restless legs did creep back later in the week, especially when she got her period. She is on her third day now and is thrilled that her menstrual cycle is going so well, not even any PMS this time! Though still chronic fatigued, given her psychologically demanding week (internally and externally), she is so pleased with how she’s feeling. Since we’ve been working on these issues for quite some time, she is happy to be noticing results.
So like last time, I perform an Energy Resonance Scan in order to discover what her system is dealing with at the moment. This is the “match” that resonated with her the most: Parenting/attachment issues (to be, or not to be?); enmeshment issues around her female identity and expression thereof (feeling responsible to be the person others need or want her to be); and conflict in her Conscious Mind around old thoughts/beliefs/attitudes about what it means to be a parent (responsibility overwhelm vs. abandonment grief). This trauma came in with her, unresolved, from a past life AND re-surfaced again in this one, to be dealt with. This conflict is due to sensitivity around these issues (as opposed to projection or transference). Resolution of this old energy pattern is slowed (as opposed to blocked, or stalled) due to the sensitivity around the alternatives (to be, or not to be?…Neither, she says!). She needs to work on acknowledging this conflict within herself, seeing both sides, and then waiting to see what emerges from doing so. Her conflict is a consequence of the trauma itself (as opposed to a defensive mechanism, although that has come in to play, or another purpose being served). The status of the conflict has taken a positive turn and is headed in the right direction, in other words her energy around this issue is improving, coming more into a balanced healthy state.
The psychological trauma that most of us encounter retreats to the Unconscious Mind (though that doesn’t necessarily mean we are unconscious of it), as a result of being little sponges for the unspoken energies in our personal environments. The Unconscious Mind, in turn, affects the Subconscious and Conscious Minds (though, when the trauma is so intense that it gets disassociated, we are not conscious of it at all, making us at times feel/act “crazy”). The Mind is like a river; the texture of the river bed, its obstacles if there are any, affects the surface flow of the river water, even when you can’t see to the bottom, to what’s causing the pattern on the surface. What lies beneath…the rocks, the logs, the jigs and jags…results in the tumultuousness and power of the water’s flow. In this analogy, the Unconscious is the river bed, the Subconscious is the water current, and the Conscious Mind is the river’s surface.
As we’ve discussed in previous posts, there are three components to Dr. Metz’ Fundamental Field Therapy (used individually/simultaneously, and not necessarily in the following order): Energy Resonance, Gentle Balancing Touch, and Awareness Dialogue. As for the second, hands-on therapy, this is what I will be working on today: I will have Client #1 start by laying face down on the massage table; I begin with tracing the Fundamental Field Pattern using both hands, in a Yang direction from head to coccyx (more on Yin/Yang energies in a future post); I move to reflex areas of the Negative Pole, a.k.a. the Autonomic Sympathetic Nervous System (associated with the “fight or flight” stress response), at the Water Element (feet, hips, buttocks, sacrum, upper back, spleen) and the Ether Element (top of head, throat, midline, thumbs); then, I move to reflexes in the Neutral Pole, a.k.a. the Autonomic Para-Sympathetic Nervous System (associated with the “relax and renew” return to equilibrium), at Jin Shin Points #26 (back of the armpits), as well as at the Acupuncture Fire Element – Triple Warmer Meridian (outside of the ring fingers/top middle of the wrists), and the Wood Element – Liver Meridian (outside big toes/lower foot tops) and – Gall Bladder Meridian (outside ring toes/outside lower ankles); lastly I go to reflex areas in the Positive Pole, a.k.a. the Central Nervous System/Cerebrospinal Nervous System, and end with massage (of cranium/sacrum). I fill in the therapeutic gaps by making other intuitive hand contacts/movements during the entire course of the session.
As with last time, I tell her when the session is finished and allow her to rest alone in the room for several minutes while I conduct a post-Bodywork Energy Resonance Scan. Within my framework, the resonance scan of her system now points to the recommendations of: Meditation for a half hour a day (ideally every day, but especially for the next two) to help her Neutral Pole do its job of “relax and renew”, in addition to helping yet another issue that is connected to her Ether trauma, as she recapitulates her early life by re-living that trauma in her spiritual life. She sees her relationship with God as “just one more person making demands on her, requiring her to be a certain kind of person” in order to get His love and support. (I have often found this to be the case…God becomes our parent as we project and transfer our traumas onto our relationship with Him, as if He were our parents). I sense that “change is coming” for her in regards to all her relationships, including her spiritual one. It would also be beneficial for her to focus on being more Yang, to keep from shifting into a PMS state. Such Yang activities would include: Maintaining more boundaries and lower connection, having assertive/aggressive motor action, being externally-referenced, physically active, independent, rational and consciously-motivated in her approach to things. On a more tangible note, keeping away from caffeine, eating more complex carbohydrates, fermented foods (i.e. yogurt), more Water foods (leafy greens and squash) and fiber, would positively support her biochemistry through this process. Unless something changes, I suggest she have a return visit with me in 3 weeks.
Last but not least, I recommend that she “gestalt”, (which I use here as a verb). The definition of the word “gestalt” per Wikipedia is as follows: “[It is] a German term meaning ‘essence or shape of an entity’s complete form’…The phrase, ‘The whole is greater that the sum of the parts’ is often used when explaining Gestalt theory”. Wikipedia further defines “Gestalt Psychotherapy” by saying that: “[It] is an existential and experiential form of psychotherapy that emphasizes personal responsibility and that focuses upon the individual’s experience in the present moment, the therapist-client relationship, the environment and social contexts of a person’s life and the self-regulating adjustments people make as a result of their overall situation. It was developed by Fritz Peris, Laura Peris and Paul Goodman in the 1940’s and 1950’s.” (See the link in my sidebar, under the category “Psyche, Spirituality, & Well-Being”). When I ask a client to gestalt, I mean that I’d like them to initiate a process whereby they close their eyes, go back in time with their mind’s-eye, and actually “be with and experience an earlier you”. Gestalt is a psychological term for processing which we use within the context of an Energy Framework, making mind-body connections that we refer to as Energy Awareness Integration. We use the totality of one’s gestalt experience in the context of Energy.
The area of concentration for Client #1 is to re-associate with this conflict that she developed (of need and enmeshment vs. bonding) at the time of conception, while in- utero and birth, for five minutes. She should do it here with me right now, so that I can be a witness for her. It can be helpful if we have another trusted person with us during a time like this, who is capable of being present, to hear and acknowledge what we are going through. I find it is best not to touch the person or say much, except maybe a “yes, I hear you”, or something to that effect. For her, that person is me, but I also think that she should do this again, alone before bed, for the next two nights. (Note: Everything I have described here about our conversation together, during her appointment, is an example of the mindfulness of Awareness Dialogue).
We commence, and the following is a paraphrase of what she experienced:
She says aloud, with her eyes closed, “I feel so disappointed and defeated, at the get-go, right out of the gate. This isn’t going to be the life I want. I don’t want to go back into the world. I wish I could kill myself and abort myself like the other fetuses. I’m going to have to be a mother to everyone in my family, right out of the womb. The doctor is using forceps to get me out, and I don’t even let out a cry…I’m trying to “hide”, I feel I have no voice, no say in the matter. I’ve been down this road before, and I don’t want to do it again”.
Afterwords, she said to me, “I never wanted to have children, and I think this is the reason why. The overwhelm. The abandonment. I think I have experienced this in a past life as a mother, with a death of a child, helpless, a pain I don’t want to go through ever again. If I never have children, I want it to be a conscious choice that I make from a healthy, balanced place; not one of fear of overwhelm or loss. I’m angry, like with so many other things in my life, I feel like I have no choice. All my mothering mojo and adaptive strategies feel like they are used up, my fate decided before I even had a chance. Frankly, I don’t know where I am around this issue. I hope this week I’ll find out more about myself. Physically I’m feeling uncomfortable and disturbed while re-experiencing this stuff. Since being in a new romantic relationship, because of our dynamic, I’ve been kind of feeling the urge to have a baby. Before I had always ruled out the idea, not even an option. So just thinking about it is really strange”.
Moving on to the second “last but not least”, is that she give herself a Negative Pole (Ether/Water) treatment, once right now, and again for the next two nights at bedtime. We proceed with her self-treatment, which surprisingly (?) brought up so much more. I instruct her to begin by holding both sides of her hips/buttocks at once; then moving her left hand to her throat and her right to her sacral belly; keeping her left hand to her throat, quickly working her way up to the top of head one chakra at a time along her midline; and finally grasping each of her thumbs, one at a time, and hold. I recommend that she stay on each of these reflex area holds for 3 minutes (~ 15 minutes total).
Again this is a paraphrase of her words describing the very visceral response to what was happening to her, then and now:
When she was at her hips, I heard her say over and over again: “NO!!! NO!!! NO f***ing way you are going to EVER get me to do that again! NO f***ing way! Women are supposed to have babies? Well this woman isn’t, and that’s okay!” I’ve had to spend almost my whole life painfully reminded of that fact, every 22 days…’You are designed to make babies, and that’s what the church and your parents expect of you as a female…make babies. Oh yeah, but be a virgin too and don’t enjoy it if you do do it.’ Afterwards, she told me she had a real sense of relief after she said that aloud.
When she was at sacral belly to throat, I heard her say: “Awww, so sweet! Beautiful bundle of baby love. Could be one of the best, most loving things I’ve ever done. It’s so completely normal and natural. Maybe I COULD handle it, I am an adult now, no longer operating from that infant place.
When she was at the throat to top of her head, she said it brought a sense of calm, and libidinous feelings too, as she thought to herself: “I surrender to whatever is meant to be, one way or another, and know that I’ll have the support and resources to be fine either way, whatever happens, as long as I realize that it’s for my Highest Good”.
When she got to the thumbs, she said she didn’t want to stay on the left, moved, and got angry with the right: “My Yin female side doesn’t want to take on/in anymore stuff!! Back off!!!!! My right Yang male side is just pissed that it had to give out so much and had to be so masculine its whole life. Not a happy camper.” After the treatment she said, the low back pain she had disappeared. I replied that often when we acknowledge the pain that our body and mind is trying to communicate to us, that simple act can take away the pain, at least momentarily. It doesn’t usually go away completely, until we’ve completely dealt with the issue that caused it.
This is the kind of connection we strive for in therapy! It really demonstrates the Mind-Body connection, how those memories are stored in our psyche and physical body, right down to the cells. When the disparate, polarized parts of ourselves come to conscious awareness, out of the shadows and into the light, it is so amazing. It’s called Integration!! We re-associate with the previously disassociated original trauma, so that we can process, with a new awareness, into a new way of being in the world. “Reveal, Deal and Heal!” When this happens, it is so encouraging. (And I imagine it’s like childbirth…All the anticipation, fear, and pain that a woman might endure…it all fades when the beauty of the new being is welcomed to life, and all you feel is love and gratitude). Of course, this kind of intense therapy doesn’t happen with every client. We have very similar backgrounds, which helps. She’s become comfortable with me and her own process.
The main goal of Energy work is to heal from the source. As such, the primary orientation is not the biochemistry/physiology. We definitely recognize it and work with it, but this is not about taking medication, or getting the latest diagnosis or procedure. It is about getting to the source, the Energy blueprint, which is the foundation of who you are and how you deal with life and health. Some people just want us to cure them, as opposed them healing themselves. The former is more of a victim perspective, the latter is a more empowering one. Client #1 has decided she wants to heal and is taking on that responsibility, doing her best to have faith in the process and to be patient with how it unfolds. The only true responsibility in our adult lives is to work on re-establishing our connection to our authentic self. It is from this place that we can truly be of service to others. This is a process that cannot be forced, only encouraged. It’s a very brave undertaking, to dig this deep and to be face to face with your buried PAIN.
This is not necessarily the norm, and not for the faint of heart, so to speak. Sometimes I can see that the mind connects, the client “gets it”, but when I go to do the bodywork, I have a hard time accessing the energy. And vice-versa, the person is not on board with the idea, but their body responds. I guess it’s the defenses of the Unconscious/Conscious Minds making a stand. (This often happens for people during meditation too, when the ego mind is confronted and called to task). For about half of my clients, I find myself focusing on their Immune Systems and helping them cope with stress. Once that is dealt with we can move on to other issues.
Most just want to come in lie down, go to sleep…and snore!…which is music to my ears :). It is somehow very gratifying to enable someone to let down their guard, to let go and relax in my little sanctuary :). And, not everyone wants/needs to know the “nitto-gritto” of what’s going on. They may have already gotten the recent gotten scoop during their treatment with Dr. Metz, and/or they are simply more private about their inner life, and that’s okay. Some people benefit more from not knowing, so that things can naturally, intuitively and spontaneously evolve for them. Others need to know every nuance and detail about what’s happening, in order to feel comfortable/safe. Ye ol’ Right Brain vs. Left Brain dilemma…as with everything else…BALANCE is our goal! The kind of deep inner transformative work that Client #1 had today is not for everyone, this time around. It is best not to judge ourselves, or others, in this regard (or any other for that matter). We gotta “meet them where their at” with compassion, if not understanding. All of us are at different stages in our life and healing…navigating the waters and riding the currents as best we can, where ever we might be taken…
So a client walks into an office….No, this is not the opening line of a joke…Well maybe a Cosmic joke! Sometimes it feels that way, walkin’ around in these mysterious bodies, on this crazy planet Earth! 🙂 But when clients actually do walk into to our office, they frequently ask the question,“What exactly DO you do?” Therefore, I will be explaining just that. I’m going to get down to the “nitto gritto” and give you an example, a case-study, from a client to whom I shall refer to as “Client #1.” As you know, I am an Associate Polarity Practitioner (A.P.P) who performs Dr. Richard Metz’ Fundamental Field Therapy, which is a more integrated and advanced version of Dr. Randolph Stone’s original Polarity Therapy. These therapies follow the magnetic model of subtle polarized energy, as it applies to the human body (et al). We too have an electromagnetic energy field within and around us that flows like a magnet, with Positive, Neutral and Negative Poles. As a practitioner, with attention and intention, I make specific hands-on contacts to specific reflex areas, in each of these Poles. The areas of concentration, contacts and suggestions that are made, are largely determined ahead of, and during, the session via intuition and Energy Resonance Methods.
Now as for this female client who just came into the office…She did have an appointment and this was not our first time meeting. As usual, I start by giving her a hug and bringing her back into my treatment room. I tell her what I’ve determined from my Energy Scan. The Energy Scans that I conduct are based on my intellectual understanding of how the energetic system is set up, according to what Dr. Metz has taught me about his Fundamental Field Theory/Therapy. From this framework of possibilities, I find what most closely resonates presently with the client’s system. It’s like doing a “Google” search for key words on the Internet…I’m searching for and finding a correspondence between her energy and mine, and coming up with the closest possible matches based on that input. This “matched resonance” directs me towards what to do and how to do it; in other words, how I can most effectively and efficiently accomplish what needs to be done, based on what I know. What comes up for her right now is that she does indeed need a therapeutic treatment from me today, lasting approximately 60 minutes. (The nature, timing and length of treatment is something I consider before proceeding with every treatment). The issue that resonates best at the moment is that we deal with a an unconscious belief pattern that she acquired in her past (from this and a previous lifetime), as part of her interpretation of, and adaptation to, her young circumstances. She’s still holding onto the energy of this thought-pattern, and it is not serving her well(ness). Within the framework of my energy assessment point of view, I get the sense that she is not happy inhabiting her body, and is not pleased with having to deal with its inevitable physiological processes.
Not surprisingly, after speaking with her, she tells me that she has a long history of disorders in this department, which affect her on the physiological level: Sleeping, breathing, eating, reproducing and eliminating. There may be other issues contributing to her problems, but as of now, acknowledging and sorting through her entrenched beliefs around these issues will put us on the right path towards resolving them. Insomnia, Restless Leg and Chronic Fatigue Syndromes are her most pressing problems at the moment. She needs to see if she can bring awareness to her belief system: That she internalized early on that she is the one responsible for meeting the needs of others and therefore she has no energy, or desire, to take care of her own; that no one is paying real attention to her needs, and they will never will; that she herself is not empowered around the very basics of nurturing herself; that she wants to run away because on some level she can’t handle it and doesn’t want to be here, neither as a “Spiritual Being having a human experience”, NOR as a “Human being having a human experience”! This is reflected in her current inability to get her most primal physiological needs satisfied and functioning in normal, healthy ways, as well as feeling restless anxiety, and exhaustion most of the time.
I suggest that she go back in her minds-eye to when she was 10 years old…BE that little girl, and notice what she experiences. She is well-versed in this “gestalt-style” processing and it isn’t long before feelings of anger and betrayal surface. This was a time in her life when a traumatic family event exacerbated feelings of powerlessness and anger for having to be “trapped in this stupid human body, that no matter what I do, is going to end up betraying me anyway”. In addition to a strict religious upbringing, this didn’t bode well for her having to deal with her “stupid body, prepubescent at that”. After cursing and swearing at that reality, the overwhelm, anxiety and exhaustion of her early situation showed up. “My (family) life was such a burden, I couldn’t cope with one more thing, even eating and eliminating properly, let alone getting my period”. Within this therapeutic context, I encourage her to be free in embracing the full range of thoughts and emotions, without any judgement towards herself…(You gotta FEEL it to HEAL it). I let her be with these thoughts and emotions as I begin the treatment, supporting that energy and getting it to move.
What follows is a description of the general game-plan for today’s hands-on treatment, within which I allow the spontaneity and creativity that intuition brings (the intuitive steps are not described here): I have her lay clothed, face up on my massage table and she will remain in that position for the full hour; seated behind her head, with my hands gently cradling her, I begin with Negative Pole contacts for the Ether Element, by cupping her ears, then placing one of my hands at the top of her head and the other on her throat, then the back of her neck to the midline at the thymus; I then work Neutral Pole acupressure points of the Kidney Meridian (on the pinky toes, inner ankles and mid-sole of the foot), and Jin Shin Points #22 (below the collar bones), #23 (bottom of the rib cage on the back) and #26 (back of the armpits); and finally, I focus on Positive Pole contacts, massaging her feet with lotion, and finishing with a head massage, the forehead and temples in particular. I tell her that the treatment is over and to continue to lay on the table for a few minutes before rising and drinking the cup of water I’ve left on the desk. I leave her alone in the treatment room, and tell her to open the door when she’s ready for me to re-enter and bring the session to a close.
While she’s gathering herself, I scan my Energy Resonance sheets again and once she opens the door, I relay what I’ve found: She might consider coming back to me in a week’s time, depending on how things go; for now she needs space in which to continue psychologically processing; I recommend that she cancel any social obligations for the day, spend time alone, resting, relaxing and meditating; lastly, as an acknowledgement of her issues would help free up more energy for sleep, I also have her write down an affirmation to say at bedtime. Her affirmation is this: “I was given the sacred gift of human birth. My body and all it’s functions are beautiful and necessary, not something to feel resentful of, ashamed, guilty or burdened by. I acknowledge that I have these feelings, and though my thoughts are askew, my experience and my feelings are valid. My Spirit depends upon a healthfully functioning human body. These things, ‘the sacred and the profane,’ can exist side by side without conflict, as long as I have a balanced outlook”.
This is the issue that her energy field wanted to “reveal, deal, and heal” today. Her own Innate Intelligence is what determines the pacing and timing that’s just right for her, given the details of her unique energetic make-up. This means that every session with me might be different for her, every time. Or conversely, every session might be very similar to the last, until the issue has been sufficiently dealt with. This is what makes my job so fascinating. There’s a lot of variety and it heavily depends on my skills of bodywork, intelligence, intuition, creativity, nurturing and understanding, all at the same time. Best of all, I get to see folks who are willing to deal with their issues, help them to make progress and get some relief, while being their biggest fan and cheerleader along the way.
Kudos to my “Spiritual Warriors” for doing their “Soul Work”! :)
“I’m not happy if I’m not creating” ~ Michael Jackson (R.I.P.)
Coincidentally, when I saw this quote the other day, I had just been contemplating this notion. I was feeling very sad the night before, then followed the urge to do some writing and messing around with my photos, basically re-connecting with my Self and the Creative Source. Lo’ and behold my mood changed dramatically, to one of Etheric joy. :). It doesn’t always transpire this profoundly, but I was primed and ready for an internal shift. In my experience it can work the other way around too. If I’m not centered and happy, I can’t create. We’ve all had that experience, where our bad mood is reflected in the things we do (such as the meal we’ve just prepared…and burnt). I spent so many years unbalanced and stifled in my own inability to express myself. I still have an “ebb and flow” that goes on, but now, thankfully, it’s mostly a “flow” in the right direction!
For instance, to date I’ve made 89 posts to my Blog, where I’ve also listed 312 links in 15 categories, and have a whopping 11 subscribers (you know who you are :)); 240 of my photos have been uploaded to my Flickr account; 11 of my videos have been uploaded to my YouTube channel (275 from other sources, selected and put into 6 categories); 582 followers accumulated on Twitter, 1,463 Tweets have been tweeted; and 77 Fans are “Liking” my Facebook Page! Modest numbers by Internet standards, but I am so pleased. 🙂
“Confident people are comfortable with themselves, so others feel comfortable around them” ~ Unknown
Foremost, I love my “audience of one”. I’m my own best company, and if others join in…it’s a BONUS! I like being alone, but I can’t have a party if no one shows up. I think it was Oprah who said, “You make a far better you than a fake someone else”. And I say, when that happens, you respect yourself, and that is attractive to others. The process of self-discovery, in itself, can be very captivating. We are so uniquely…the same! This is one of the reasons I’ve been drawn to watching Oprah all these years and also to watching what I consider to be the best of the reality-type TV shows. My favorites are about people being challenged to create: Top Chef, Project Runway, So You Think You Can Dance, and American Idol. We are curious animals. All of us want to have personal stories played out in front of us, one way or another. The common thread I like that runs throughout these shows is the message to be yourself, do your best, and not try to please, or copy, anyone else. It is just plain better if you can know who you are, stay authentic, put your whole heart into what you do, connect with your audience and/or environment, and then accept the fact that not everyone is going to “get it” or appreciate what you have to offer…and that is okay…really it is. There will be people who do. And ideally, you will be secure enough to have no regrets, even when rejection comes.
“I’m beautiful in my way, ’cause God makes no mistakes” ~ Lady Gaga
There are as many opinions and interests as there are people, and some are nicer than others about letting you know where they stand. I think it’s so important to encourage others and to provide them feedback, including kind constructive criticism, when we can. At some deep level, we all desire to be “seen”, “heard” and acknowledged. For this reason, I never pass up an opportunity to give someone, even a stranger, an honest compliment, not just about their artistic expressions, but also their admirable qualities, choices, and behaviors. Their faces always light up, even if it’s just in a flash right before they deny it, get self-conscious or embarrassed…or deflect by reciprocating back. I love it when I get an enthusiastic and empowered “Thank You!” in return.
The other big theme of these reality shows is to be open to taking advice or criticism without getting defensive, to listen and learn from feedback (especially from your experienced mentors), and then to decide what you can, want, or need to improve upon to make it more your own, if anything. That final decision is your call, being confidently and humbly true to yourself is key. You gotta “own it” first or no one else will buy it! I suspect that most artists are never 100% satisfied with what they produce, but they MUST continue in the striving, it’s what keeps them alive and moving forward, to the next project. The things we create have so much of ourselves in them, sometimes it’s hard to separate the two. “It is what it is”. And,“You get what you get”. The raw emotion is there for yourself and everyone else to see, and judge. It is a very courageous thing to engage in, to be exposed in this way.
Like others, I have also experienced feelings of disconnected disbelief in the process of creating: “Did I just do that?”; “That picture seemed to paint itself”; or, “That poem seemed to write itself”. Paul McCartney said this very thing about his song “Let It Be” which he apparently wrote in the span of 15 minutes, felt like he “channelled” it. 🙂 We are amazed at what emerges when we connect to the Creative Source and let that Energy flow through us. Being in that space can be very meditative, therapeutic and uplifting, as well as emotional, cathartic and angst-ridden. That polarity is part of its allure. Either way, we have to be careful not to intimidate ourselves into paralysis with expectation, good or bad.
“If God calls you, pick up the damn phone!” ~ Lady Gaga
Ultimately, creative expression is both an investigation of the Self that is our Spirit, our personality, AND the Self that is our Soul, our spark of Divine Oneness. Indeed, one track leads into the other and back again. By tapping into an Energy that is within us yet larger than ourselves, timeless and universal, it becomes easier (in terms of Life AND Art) to overcome ego and surrender our attachment to a desired outcome. Regardless, it really is less of a struggle if we free ourselves and give up the burden of control. I now say to myself, “Be a leaf in the stream and see where the current takes you”. I wasn’t always like that, rather quite the opposite. However, I found that some of my best outcomes evolved from a “mistake”, that when I worked it through, resulted in an improved state, one I could never have planned or imagined (again, Art AND Life!). That made a lasting impression on me.
“To live consciously is to accept the challenge to create, which is to move beyond scripts and bring something new into the world”. ~ Robert Moss
I am SO amazed with those artists who are SO free that they spontaneously feed on that Energy, and partake of its dynamic nature: Improv theatre, musical group jamming, ceremonial single-event sand painting, sculptures made of wet ocean sand or block-ice, street murals made of chalk on sidewalks, or my favorite environmental artist, Andy Goldsworthy, who lets the “ravages” of weather, wind and sea slowly consume the artwork that he’s patiently brought to fruition. I think I could maybe do that, but I’d have to document and record it in some fashion first, so I could hold on to it. 🙂 I am generally a person who gets attached and has a hard time letting go, and saying goodbye….Oy, Transitions! Change! Oh my – It’s ongoing! 🙂
Art has so many lessons for us, and we all have the innate ability to create and express, even when we find ourselves blocked. We are ALL artists. Being human is an art form. We are all about creating…co-creating, pro-creating, re-creating…Look around, everything you see, or sense, is a product of Someone’s or Something’s idea or handiwork. Even other sentient beings (besides Andy :)) have gotten into the act, either intentionally or unintentionally. For examples, see two of my earlier posts: “One of Nature’s Great Artistes” on the Bower Birds of New Guinea (7/26/10) and “Dolphins are Cultural Animals Too” (7/8/10).
Of course it’s nice if we can support ourselves financially with our artwork, but regardless of what we do for a living, we can bring our own flair to whatever we do…like those guys on the sidewalk that hold up signs advertising businesses…some entertain us by dancing, smiling and waving while doing so. Or, there’s the accountant making us laugh with his dry wit; the “stylin” coffee barista sporting an outrageously fun outfit, new hairdo or tattoo; the dad who reads bedtime stories to his kids, in character, complete with all the voices; the widow who delights passersby with her glorious front garden, where she collects flowers, carefully arranging them to brighten her insides, and sharing her excess fruit and veggies with the local Senior Center; the knitter who makes stuffed bears with sweet little faces for AIDS orphans in Africa; or the skilled athlete thrilling his or her fans by making the unbelievably perfect shot. I DO consider all of these to be artistic platforms – one of the many ways in which I’m “liberal” :). Our mission is to find our own expressive niche and then go for it, even if it’s just privately for our “audience of one”, to please ourselves…although, even so, we rarely find ourselves truly alone.
Eventually that passionate Energy permeates from the inside out. The world needs YOU, your art and beauty, your social commentary and positive momentum. Like so many, you can go public by being an activist with your art. Jamie Oliver, and his Food Revolution, is a recent example who has touched me by simply bringing his love of cooking and nutritional education to our shores, especially for children, and has had to overcome one frustrating obstacle after another, but continues to press on. There’s all kinds of things that you can do, or be, or build, that can be shared with others, through volunteering or philanthropy, by starting a non-profit or for-profit business, or by serving a loved one right in your own household. The possibilities are endless. It’s the perspective we have, and the attitude we choose, about how to approach our lives that makes the difference. And part of that is ditching the anxiety, guilt, and fear long enough to hold the belief that YOU are significant. We ALL are significant, deserving of compassion, and can beneficially influence ourselves and others in the smallest of ways. If nothing else, with a hug and a smile. 🙂
Speaking of which, the quiet birth of my modest little blog, “The Spirited Soul” was, and still is, a hugely integral part of my healing journey…towards self-love and self-expression. It is indeed an online oasis for me. Thank you to all who visit me here, and who support me by bearing witness to my progress. I hope I inspire YOUR “Spirited Soul” to meander down Life’s creative avenues, as all of YOU out there in the Universe inspire ME to keep on keepin’ on…Spreading the love and good vibes, far and wide…This is my wishin’! 🙂
For me, even back then, it was all about the Energy… 🙂
With You In Spirit
Even though I remain
I am with you always
Across the miles… When the music resounds around you Watch the couples stepping to the beat Think of us, and smile
When you catch a star taking a dive Or gaze at the moon in the midnight sky Look closer, and see my face Come alive
When the rain falls gently upon your face Around you the world glistens Patterns, puddles and traces emerge As its rhythmic song is repeated Receive my joyful embrace
When you stare out across the open waters Sense the life, its power Tickled by a breath of wind Nature’s subtle reminder Taste the salt on your lips And remember my kiss
But when outside turns bitter foe Inside you’ll find a friendly retreat There burns a fire, your back is turned Listen to its roar, absorb its heat
You can’t SEE it… But you can FEEL its presence Just as you do mine
Learning of the nearby ukiaHaiku Festival, definitely peaked my interest over something I had long wanted to investigate. Haiku AND Ukiah — I like it already, just based on the wittiness of it all! I have yet to actually go to the festival, or send in any entries, but a girl can dream, can’t she?
As I understand it, there are various rules and criteria for writing a traditional Japanese Haiku poem. Of course modern times, and other cultures, have expanded on that tradition. The only Haiku rule that I seem to follow is to use the pattern of a set of three lines in five-seven-five syllable combination. Here’s a wee example describing the beginning of my day today:
morse code on roof top
pitter-patter from Heaven
rhythmic dreams awake
I’m an amateur of course, being so, I have loads more where that came from, but just this one to offer you today…Wanna try your own? Go ahead, it’s fun!
In the immortal lyrical words of the band Loverboy: 🙂
“Everybody’s workin’ for the weekend; Everybody needs a new romance; Everybody’s goin’ off the deep end; Everybody needs a second chance.”
Feeling over-worked and under-played? Well now’s the time to re-create!
Romance the one you love (you?). Don’t go off the deep end…give yourself a second chance…have your own personal moment on the “red carpet”, walk on the wild side, or do whatever you do that you find relaxing and fun. Recreate. Reset your energies. Refill your tank of inner resources. You will feel SO much better, AND you will have more fuel for the journey ahead.
In Dr. Metz’ Fundamental Field Theory of Life-Energy, the subtle energy that organizes the body is primarily magnetic energy. It is an expression of Spirit (through the fundamental forces of nature, primarily electromagnetism), in an atom-like configuration. The Fundamental Field Pattern of Life-Energy is what creates, organizes and sustains the mind, emotions and body. Chakras, per Dr. Metz, have subatomic particle-like properties, and when looked at as a group, they have an atomic-like structure. In other words, different chakras have different positive, neutral, and negative electro-magnetic charges. The spinning chakras create the three Poles of the Fundamental Field: Positive, Neutral, and Negative. If you were to talk about these three Poles of the body from his theoretical perspective, with any other practitioner, they wouldn’t know what you were talking about, unless they were familiar with Dr. Metz and his theory. For instance, if you went to your acupuncturist and said, “I need a little work on my Neutral Pole today,” you would get a quizzical look in return. Dr. Metz’ Theory is very complex in its simplicity, at least to me (complex to me, simple to him :)). To see how this pattern unfolds and functions, you’ll have to take his seminar or read his book. Being the developer of this Theory, presently he is the only one who thoroughly understands it and is the only one who can teach this broad understanding of the energetic body.
The beauty of Fundamental Field Therapy is that once you know the context of the larger pattern of polarized energy flows, you don’t have to know every detail of the system. I am not as familiar with the Acupuncture Meridian System, or the Jin Shin Points,
Image via Google
which are part of the Neutral Pole, but I do know where their reflex areas exist in the body. By contacting the palms of the hands and feet, as well as the specific points on the digits for Acupuncture Meridians, and any of the 26 Jin Shin Points, I can address the Neutral Pole without having to know all of the particular details ascribed to each point.
Per the International Academy for Medical Acupuncture, from whom Dr. Metz is certified in Acupuncture Meridian Therapy: “Meridian therapy is the accepted name employed by those who practice the principle of Acupuncture without the use of a penetrating needle. Acupuncture is a principle, not a technique. Therefore there are many ways to stimulate an Acupoint other than a needle, just as there are many different strokes used in swimming. Many practitioners use electronic stimulation, laser beam or pressure massage to treat an Acupoint. The principle of Acupuncture does not change, only the technique.”
I am very familiar with the Negative Pole, its associations and contacts. My training is in Polarity Therapy which, along with the Indian System of Ayurveda, is included in the Negative Pole of the Fundamental Field.
“It is important to note that the Fundamental Field Theory does not negate any healing discipline, or conventional medicine; it can, and does, function as a valuable adjunct to conventional medicine and psychotherapy. Nor does it translate one discipline into another. For example, it does not translate polarity therapy into acupuncture, or vice-versa. Instead, it shows how such disciplines relate to one another, how they connect, interact, function as a whole, and can be understood within the context of modern science, as an interdependent network of energy and information, in an atom-like form and function. Rather than diminish any discipline, the Fundamental Field provides an opportunity for practitioners and doctors to enhance their practice and understand how their approach relates to the broader context of medicine, healing and science.” ~ Dr. Metz
In Dr. Metz’ Theory, these subsystems are all valid ways of viewing and working with the energetic body. Each sub-system has a mind-body emotional component, as well as a connection to other areas of nature, food, the seasons, astrology and the cosmos. Their integrity is maintained within the larger context of the entire energetic pattern of the Fundamental Field. Like unique branches of the same tree, you can examine one part of one branch, and be able to deduce a lot about the tree, but it is not the same as stepping back and taking in ALL aspects of the tree as a magnificent whole.
I will end with this overview of the Fundamental Field by Dr. Metz:
Image via Google
“The Source Chakra for the creation of the Fundamental Field of Life-Energy is located between the eyes, at the Eye-Center (also known as the ‘Brow Chakra’). It has an electrostatic charge, positive for male or negative for female. When it spins, as all chakras do (‘chakra’ means ‘spinning wheel’), it creates a magnetic field, like the field around a magnet, not unlike the magnetic field of the earth. This magnetic field has three Poles: Positive, Neutral and Negative. Within each of these Poles, new chakras are created. These chakras are the atomic components of the Fundamental Field.
In the Negative Pole are the electron component chakras. These five chakras have a negative electrostatic charge and when they spin they create the Five Elements of Ayurveda/Polarity Therapy : Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. However, unlike the atom, the Fundamental Field electron components are held relatively stationary. They do not orbit around the protons and neutrons (the nucleus). In the Neutral Pole are the neutron component chakras. They have a small gender charge and when they spin, they create the Five Elements of Acupuncture: Wood, Earth, Water, Metal and Fire, which are distributed on to the hands and feet. In the Positive Pole is the chakra of Positive Fire, the proton(s) component. It contains the positive form of the other elements. It is considered one chakra. Thus, there are seven chakras on the midline of the body: The one Eye-Center Source Chakra (a.k.a. ‘Brow Chakra’), the one Positive Pole Proton Chakra above the Eye-Center (a.k.a ‘Crown Chakra’), and the five Negative Pole Electron Chakras below the Eye-Center. There are also five Neutral Pole Neutron Chakras on the hands and feet.
Image via Google
The Fundamental Field and its large-scale (fractal) atomic energies function as a hyper-dimensional (subtle dimensional) organizing principle interacting with material reality on and through the quantum vacuum (the vacuum energy field of space). As an organizing principle it does not specify details. These are filled in by environment and evolution of various life forms. It is the universal blueprint of life, it will work on aliens, if they exist.”
Energy is what animates us and gives us life. Everything (including every thought, word, and deed) is made up of energy and carries an energy field with it. In nature, there are five primary subtle energetic elements: Ether, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. Ether is equated with Space, inner as well as outer. In this last post in my series of five, I will discuss the elemental energies of Ether, both its Chakra and its Vibrational Levels within the body, as the Negative Pole of the Fundamental Field, the magnetic pattern of Life-Energy.
It has been said that the Ether Chakra is a container, which “holds the space” for the other elements to express themselves. Emotions and other stresses often get clogged here, and we need to free up the space, one way or another, to get the energies flowing again. We’ve all experienced getting a “lump in our throat”, having a “pain in the neck”, or “needing our space”. That’s no coincidence. Even art looks more balanced when you create a little empty “negative space”. It’s just better when we don’t try to fill everything up. And I mean everything. But most of us are often very uncomfortable with empty space and quietude, but we have a habit of not liking things that are good for us. That doesn’t make it right. 🙂
Ether energies arise from the 5th Throat Chakra as it spins, carrying a negative electrostatic charge. This Ether/Throat Chakra is located in the region of the throat, with reflex areas at top of the head, midline, hair, face, ears, body cavities (i.e. lungs, bladder, mouth), thyroid, neck, skin, joints, thumbs and big toes; it also associated with addiction, environmental and other sensitivities, psychological and auto-immune disorders. With auto-immune problems, you basically have a situation of “self attacking self”, when your own system doesn’t recognize itself. This attack by your immune system on your own cells, tissues and organs causes inflammation and damage which leads to auto-immune diseases, which may be a primary or contributing factor in cases of: arthritis, alopecia, asthma, celiac disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, hepatitis/cirrhosis, inner ear disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, and ulcerative colitis, to name a few.
Issues that also pertain to the Ether/Throat Chakra are in the spectrum of: Space, spacial relationships, coordination (i.e., quick reflexes vs. clumsiness), boundaries, travel, time, organization of items and information (i.e., such as with classwork, office files or computer work; also, being a “neat-nick” vs. “clutter-bug”); and ambiance (being aware of and appreciating subtle nuances). Also, how you perceive and deal with yourself and others in terms of identity, acceptance, acknowledgment, self-expression, and communication (speaking and hearing in the truest sense; also, being shy or excessive talking). If we are having challenges with issues such as these, they are usually old ones, being triggered by new ones. We are unconscious of many of the traumas we carry around with us. Those past thoughts and emotions often get disassociated and “thrown off” for our physical body to hold, and deal with. With Ether it could be that extreme grief gets held in your joints, causing joint pain. When you deal with the grief, the pain in the joints goes away, at least that’s what happened for me. Because Ether has to do with boundaries, or lack thereof, Ether depletion makes one more open to “letting everything in” (such as viruses, or environmental contaminants) and “inviting it in for tea” :), creating a hospitable environment for it to thrive. Our psychological proclivity to taking in things which are not ours, at sacrifice to our own self, is also what’s at play here. If there’s any kind of problem, we tend to blame ourselves first (with depression, anger turned inward, and thoughts of suicide).
Any depletion or excess in this Ether/Throat Chakra, be it emotional, mental or physical (whether you are consciously OR unconsciously aware of it), will affect these areas in particular, as well as your entire system. In the examples given here, those with Ether weakness are of course the most vulnerable, and these areas/issues are usually the first to show up in times of stress. As we know, the mind/emotions can affect the body. For example, if you are in a situation in which you feel you “trapped” and you feel like you can’t speak or are not being heard, it may show up physically as insomnia and/or neck pain. Your physical body can also affect your emotional body. So, if you are stressing your body by living or working in constant proximity to people and noise, or you get a virus, this can destabilize your emotions around feelings of self-worth, wanting to be acknowledged, needing time alone and wanting to retreat or sleep, and if that doesn’t happen it could make you more stressed out, creating a feedback loop of mind-body-mind-body stress. This is partly how the connection works. Of course, each person and situation is different, and the interactions can be a little more complex than that, but Dr. Metz and I have a handle on that in terms of helping you to figure it out. That’s our job. 🙂
Dividing our energetic body into these Elemental components and approaching them in this way, helps us to organize and understand its features better. But when it comes down to it, there is a lot of overlay, interplay and interaction going on between the Chakras and their Levels that is not so cut and dry. This is true especially since each of the five Elements are associated with their respective Chakras (#1 Earth/Root Chakra, #2 Water/Sacral Chakra, #3 Fire/Solar Plexus Chakra, #4 Air/Heart Chakra, and #5 Ether/Throat Chakra), and then each Chakra is comprised of five Vibrational Levels (#1 Earth/Structure, #2 Water/Biochemistry, #3 Fire/Physiological Motivations, #4 Air/Motion, and #5 Ether/Psychology). This is part of what makes us “fractal” (having the same configuration at all scales of measurement). Per Dr. Metz:
“A good analogy here is to see each Chakra as as a musical note. The five Chakras are part of a scale of seven Chakras and there are five overlayed octaves, referred to as the Vibrational Levels. Therefore each Chakra vibrates five notes, each an octave above or below the other. For example, each Chakra vibrates five notes, a note from each Vibrational Level, or octave. In the body these “notes” are: Ether (Psychology), Air (Motion), Fire (Physiological Motivations), Water (Biochemistry), and Earth (Structure). In other words, each elemental Chakra vibrates at each of the five elemental Vibrational Levels, each note with their own attributes.”
In the Ether/Throat Chakra, the attributes of the five Vibratory Levels are: 1). Psychology = grief, jealousy and joy; 2). Motion = expansive and elongated; 3). Physiological Motivation = getting sleep (i.e. dream cycles, restorative cycles, insomnia, apnea, or oversleeping, etc.); 4). Biochemistry = the bodily fluid saliva, as well as interference from food, supplementation, drugs, allergies, sickness, and disease (including cancer) that affect the Ether reflex areas/organs; 5.) Structure = hair and teeth.
Thus, based on our fractal nature, you will find something you can relate to in all of the Chakras, but some might stand out to you more than others. That has been the case for me. Since my most basic trauma occurred in Ether, I’m all too familiar with the ramifications of its disruption. I think it’s part of what makes me so engaging and empathetic, as well as easily overwhelmed. It’s not so much that I absorb other people’s energy, as I react within myself to certain patterns that people present. The exception is when I am giving a treatment. I can maintain very clear boundaries and can easily distinguish “who is who”. And in this case, I don’t feel responsible for solving their problems…”You’re not responsible for everything on God’s Green Earth”. When a acquaintance told me that once, it really hit home, and I listened. For me, I didn’t know it at the time, but I was unconsciously recapitulating a childhood pattern – that it was up to me, and me alone, to fix the problems I saw and to make it all better. With lots of inner work on my self, I’m slowly outgrowing that compulsion, and becoming more balanced around what I do/don’t do. My only responsibility now is to stay connected to my authentic self which helps me to better serve and to be a healthy role model, which enables me to do well at my job. I now realize that is ultimately up to the client to take the ball and run with it, with me cheering and offering support from the sidelines. I am seeing these healthy skills becoming tangible in other areas of my life as well. It is, and has been, quite a journey…getting reacquainted with all my disassociated parts. Fundamental Field Therapy is what made it possible for me; that special integration of mind-body awareness that comes from the bodywork, and the “awareness dialogue” that happens as a result.
These are some of the ways you can keep your Ether energies balanced: Surrounding yourself with, or wearing, the color blue; listening to the sound of silence; connecting with Spirit via meditation or prayer services; engaging in the arts of music and Feng Shui (getting organized and creating ambiance); traveling; focusing on the sense of hearing; getting a facial or a neck massage; practicing yoga or tai chi; eating foods that are artfully presented and eaten in beautiful and calming atmosphere. You can also contact any of the aforementioned Ether reflex areas on your own. For example, when I’m trying to fall asleep at night, I automatically hold my hands to my throat, or grasp my thumbs. You often see Babies doing this too, sucking their thumbs that is, to self-soothe and maybe even drift off to sleepyland. 🙂
The general rule for keeping everything in balance is not to over-do or under-do anything. “Everything in moderation” is sometimes easier said than done, but it’s important to at least keep ourselves reminded of that fact, and to have fun exploring the various possibilities that come our way. Finding what works best for us is a journey of discovery. (Since everyone is unique and different, I’m a big fan of “whatever works”! :)) As dynamic energetic beings, we are not fixed entities. It is necessary, therefore, to re-evaluate ourselves on a continuing basis, and to make the needed adjustments as we proceed on our path.
Lofty Thoughts
~ Up in the Air ~
(Image via Google)
Our mind affects our body, and our body affects our mind. It’s all interconnected. Here is some information about the mind-body connection via Dr. Metz’ Fundamental Field Theory. I know it’s a different way of viewing things for most of you who will read it. It has its roots in Indian Ayurvedic philosophy, and Polarity Therapy (which its creator, Dr. Randolph Stone, referenced and then linked it to modern science via the magnetic model of energy). Dr. Metz has taken it a step further.
Energy is what animates us and gives us life. There are several vibratory components in the body, expressing this Energy in various ways. All of nature is made up of these subtle elemental energies, all with different rates of vibration, from subtle to gross: Ether (Space), Air (Gases), Fire (Transformations), Water (Fluids) and Earth (Solids). In terms of density, Air is the second most subtle of the energies. Dividing the Elements of our energetic body, and approaching them in the following way, helps us to organize and understand its features better. But when it comes down to it, there is a lot of overlay, interplay and interaction going on that is not so cut and dry. You will find something you can relate to in all of these Elements, but a few might stand out for you more than others. The Fundamental Field Theory/Therapy applies to animals as well. Your pets have their own problems, and like children, they are energetic sponges for what’s going on around them, in their caretakers’ lives.
These elements are also associated with the Astrological signs. Air in particular represents the signs of Aquarius, Libra, and Gemini. In the following descriptions of Air, the Air Signs (or those with lots of Air in their charts) are most vulnerable in the areas mentioned. Air is near and dear to my heart, as I am a Libra, a self-proclaimed “bleeding heart”, an obsessive thinker, a fast-talker, and have breathing problems and immune disorders, to name a few things.
In the body, the Air Element arises from the #4/Heart Chakra as it spins, carrying a negative electrostatic charge. The Heart Chakra is located in the region of the heart, with reflex areas at the shoulder tops, thymus, mid-back, kidneys, calves, ankles, index fingers and index toes; it also encompasses the nervous, respiratory, circulatory and immune systems. It also involves the qualities of movement, gentleness, lightness, quickness, and mental acuity.
The Air Element also pertains to the issues of: How you perceive and deal with yourself and others in terms of unconditional love, affection, compassion, charity, empathy, passing judgement, receiving or offering emotional and mental support; If we are having challenges with issues such as these, they are usually old ones, being triggered by new ones. We are unconscious of many of the traumas we carry around with us. Those past thoughts and emotions often get disassociated and “thrown off” for our physical body to hold, and deal with. Psychologically, Air is associated with love, desire, sadness, and disappointment; it is speedy motion; physiologically, it is associated with breathing; biochemically, it is associated with the bodily fluid, sweat, as well as interference from food, supplementation, drugs, allergies, sickness, and disease (including cancer) that affect the Air reflex areas/organs; structurally, it is associated with the skin.
Any depletion or excess in this chakra, be it emotional, mental or physical (whether you are consciously OR unconsciously aware of it), will affect these areas in particular, as well as your entire system. The mind/emotions can affect the body. For example, if you are in a situation in which you feel you are not being cheered on or supported, or feeling suffocated by “smother love”, it may show up physically with lung problems, tight shoulders, or immune trouble due to a weak thymus. Your physical body can also affect your emotional body. So, if you are stressing your body by living or working in a smoke-filled or allergenic environment, this may challenge your lungs and destabilize your emotions around feelings of disappointment or lack of affection about something that is already an issue in your life, making it feel worse. This is partly how the mind-body connection works. Of course, each person and situation is different, and the interactions can be a little more complex than that, but Dr. Metz and I have a handle on that in terms of helping you to figure it out. That’s our job!
If you have problems with any of these things, it could be due to blockages in these particular areas, or at any point in the system which reflexes to these areas. Dr. Metz/myself would determine that by using what Dr. Metz calls “Energy Resonance Methods”, which is a skill that one can learn, a “felt sense”, not necessarily a psychic or an intuitive one. (It’s like tuning an instrument, or your voice, to a pitch pipe. You can hear and feel the resonance, whether the two are in tune or not. Anyone can develop this skill with desire and practice.) Similarly, Dr. Metz and I can scan one’s system with a question in mind, and we can feel the resonant pull of energy when we’re in sync with the question. For instance, we could ask, “What is the energy in the system currently dealing with that is most urgent?” We might get verification on our answer by running our hands along the body, and feeling a resonance when we get to the kidneys, which could mean the Air Element is being disrupted. That would pose another set of questions, such as: “Is this person stressed and by what? What is draining the energy there?”
Some Air Issues that could be in question are: Are you experiencing too many mental demands, taking intensive night classes after a full day’s work? Not eating enough fruit and nuts? Feeling overly compassionate, crying at commercials and the like? Unable to get in touch with your true heart’s desires? Unable to connect from the heart or say “I love you” with ease? Feeling scattered and/or moving too fast? Air-headed, or too “in your head”?
After information is gathered, through these means and discussion with the client, bodywork can then begin. There is another set of questions that helps direct the customized protocol, but intuition, in addition to resonance, is now the best way to treat the energetic system, being that it is interconnected in ways that are complex and not linear.
During a treatment, the client’s system takes in the energy being radiated and focused by the polarity and placement of the practitioner’s hands, like acupuncture does with needles (and jumper cables do with a battery). With the intention and attention, of both practitioner and client, towards “Highest Healing Good”, the client’s own innate intelligence does triage and sends the energy to where it’s needed most. After the treatment Dr. Metz/I would again reassess the client again, via Energy Resonance Scan, and make suggestions as to what the client might do to facilitate/maintain an energetic balance appropriate to their system.
In general, these are some of the ways you can keep your Air Element balanced: Surrounding yourself with, or wearing, the color green; listening to, or playing, high-pitched fast music; engaging in the art of dance; focusing on the sense of touch and sour tastes; and eating green food, and foods that grow 6 feet or more above the ground (fruits, seeds and nuts).
The key to keeping everything in balance is not to over-do or under-do anything. “Everything in moderation” is sometimes easier said than done, but it’s important to at least keep ourselves reminded of that fact, and have fun exploring the possibilities!
Keep the Home Fires Burning
(Photo by Maggie Begley)
Energy is what animates us and gives us life. There are several vibratory components in the body, expressing this Energy in various ways. All of nature is made up of these subtle elemental energies, all with different rates of vibration, from subtle to gross: Ether (Space), Air (Gases), Fire (Transformations), Water (Fluids) and Earth (Solids). In terms of density, Fire is right in the middle. The Elements are also associated with the Astrological Signs. In the case of Fire, that would be: Sagittarius, Aries, and Leo natures. Fire Signs, or those with lots of Fire in their charts, are more vulnerable to Fire issues. Fundamental Field Theory/Therapy applies to animals as well. Your pets have their own problems, and like children, they are energetic sponges for what’s going on around them, in their caretakers’ lives.
In the body, the Fire Element arises from the #3/Solar Plexus Chakra as it spins, carrying a negative electrostatic charge. The Solar Plexus Chakra is located in the region of the solar plexus, with reflex areas at the head, forehead, eyes, umbilicus, mid-back, thighs, liver, gall bladder, middle fingers and middle toes, blood and circulatory system, digestive system (assimilation), metabolism, and the stress response of the conscious mind.
The Fire Element also encompasses the issues of:
How you perceive and deal with authority figures, including yourself; personal power, control, and transformation; will, vitality, enthusiasm, brightness, expansiveness; and physical activity. Psychologically, Fire is associated with anger, rage, frustration, resentment, and forgiveness; it is shaking motion; physiologically, it is associated with the urges of hunger and thirst (i.e. stress-eating, weight gain/loss, anorexia); biochemically, it is associated with the bodily fluid, urine, as well as interference from food, supplementation, drugs, allergies, sickness, and disease that effect the Fire reflex areas/organs; structurally, it is associated with the blood and lymph vessels, arteries, veins and capillaries.
Any depleting activity in this chakra, be it emotional, mental or physical (whether you are consciously OR unconsciously aware of it), will affect these areas in particular, as well as your entire system. The mind/emotions can affect the body. For example, if you are in a situation in which you feel you have no control, it may show up physically as an ulcer or migraine headaches.Your physical body can also affect your emotional body. So, if you are physically stressing your body with overwork, stress and strain, and/or eating too much fatty, acidic food which affects your gall bladders ability to process fats…this might make you more susceptible to feeling vulnerable around other people’s “demands”. This is partly how the mind-body connection works. Of course, each person is different, and the interactions can be a little more complex than that, but Dr. Metz and I have a handle on that in terms of helping you to figure it out. That’s our job!
If you have problems with any of these things, it could be due to blockages in these particular areas, or at any point in the system which reflexes to these areas.Dr. Metz/myself would determine that by using what Dr. Metz calls “Energy Resonance Methods”, which is a skill that one can learn, a “felt sense”, not necessarily a psychic or an intuitive one. (It’s like tuning an instrument, or your voice, to a pitch pipe. You can hear and feel the resonance, whether the two are in tune or not. Anyone can develop this skill with desire and practice.) Similarly, Dr. Metz and I can scan one’s system with a question in mind, and we can feel the resonant pull of energy when we’re in sync with the question. For instance, we could ask, “What is the energy in the system currently dealing with that is most urgent?” We might get verification on our answer by running our hands along the body, and feeling a resonance when we get to the liver, which could mean the Fire Element is being disrupted. That would pose another set of questions, such as: “Is this person stressed and by what? What is draining the energy there?”
Some Fire Issues that could be in question are: Are you experiencing too many physical demands? Not eating enough complex carbs? Angry or frustrated over a situation? Feeling a lack of drive, will, personal empowerment? Or are you too bossy or controlling, and need to de-stress and diffuse? Pride yourself in being a rebel?
After information is gathered, through these means and discussion with the client, bodywork can then begin. There is another set of questions that helps direct the customized protocol, but intuition, in addition to resonance, is now the best way to treat the energetic system, being that it is interconnected in ways that are complex and not linear.
During a treatment, the client’s system takes in the energy being radiated and focused by the polarity and placement of the practitioner’s hands, like acupuncture does with needles (and jumper cables do with a battery). With the intention and attention, of both practitioner and client, towards “Highest Healing Good”, the client’s own innate intelligence does triage and sends the energy to where it’s needed most. After the treatment Dr. Metz/I would again reassess the client again, via Energy Resonance Scan, and make suggestions as to what the client might do to facilitate/maintain an energetic balance appropriate to their system.
In general, these are some of the ways you can keep your Fire Element balanced: Surrounding yourself with, or wearing, the color yellow; listening to, or playing, loud staccato music; engaging in the art of painting; focusing on the sense of sight and bitter tastes; and eating foods that grow from ground-level to 2 feet (grains, legumes and seeds).
The key to keeping everything in balance is not to over-do or under-do anything. “Everything in moderation” is sometimes easier said than done, but it’s important to at least keep ourselves reminded of that fact, and have fun doing it!
Water is about Relationships & Bonding
(Photo by Maggie Begley)
The Five Subtle Elemental Energies of the body are the same as those in nature: Ether (Space), Air (Gases), Fire (Transformations), Water (Fluids), and Earth (Solids).
Fundamental Field Theory/Therapy applies to animals as well. Your pets have their own problems, and like children, they are energetic sponges for what’s going on around them, in their caretakers’ lives.
The Elemental Energies in your body also have the same color configuration as a rainbow: Ether (Blue), Air (Green), Fire (Yellow), Water (Orange) and Earth (Red). In the Negative Pole of the Fundamental Field of Life-Energy (a.k.a. the Sympathetic Nervous System, the Chakra System at the Caduceus, and the domain of the Unconscious Mind), the Water Element is the second most dense of these Five Elemental Energies. The Water Element is associated with the Water Signs of Astrology: Scorpio, Pisces, and Cancer natures. Water Signs, or those with lots of Water in their charts, will be more vulnerable to Water Issues.
In the body, the Water Element arises from the #2/Sacral Chakra as it spins, carrying a negative electrostatic charge. The Sacral Chakra is located at the sacrum, with reflex areas at the chest/breasts, shoulder blades, sacral belly, bladder, spleen, lymphatic system, reproductive system, secretory glands, hips, pelvis, buttocks, feet, ring fingers and ring toes.
There are also five Levels of Vibration within each of the Five Elements. (Think of there being five 5-layered cakes. Each cake when sliced has five layers). For example, the Water Element, on the Level of Psychology (Ether/Space), is associated with attachment and letting go, lust and gluttony; on the Level of Motion (Air/Gases), it is flowing movement; on the Level of Physiological Motivation (Fire/Transformations), it is associated with sex, regeneration and reproduction (i.e. libido, fertility); on the Level of Biochemistry (Water/Fluids), it is associated with interference from food, supplementation, drugs, allergies, sickness, and disease that effect the Water reflex areas/organs; on the Level of Structure (Earth/Solids), it is associated with the musculature, tissues, glands, membranes, ligaments and tendons.
The Water Element also encompasses the Issues of: Family, bonding, being parented and parenting, physical nurturing, sexuality, sensuality, creativity, and emotional acuity. Any depleting activity in this chakra, be it emotional, mental or physical, will affect these areas in particular, as well as your entire system. For example, your emotions can affect your physical body. If you are feeling abandoned or overwhelmed in a relationship, it may show up physically as painful shoulder blades, immune issues due to clogged lymphatics, lack of libido, menstrual pain, or even prostate or breast cancer. Your physical body can also affect your emotional body. So, if you are doing too much bending/lifting putting stress on your hips and sacrum and/or eating too much fatty, acidic food effecting your ability to fight off viruses…this might make you more susceptible to feeling vulnerable around sexual or physical nurturing issues, feeling closed down, or conversely, like you’re not getting your needs met. This is partly how the mind-body connection works. Of course, each person is different, and the interactions can be a little more complex than that, but Dr. Metz and I have a handle on that in terms of helping you to figure it out. That’s our job!
If you have problems with any of these things, it could be due to blockages in these particular areas, or at any point in the system which reflexes to these areas.Dr. Metz/myself would determine that by using what Dr. Metz calls “Energy Resonance Methods”, which is a skill that one can learn, a “felt sense”, not necessarily a psychic or an intuitive one. It’s like tuning an instrument, or your voice, to a pitch pipe. You can hear and feel the resonance, whether the two are in tune or not. Anyone can develop this skill with desire and practice. Similarly, Dr. Metz and I can scan one’s system with a question in mind, and we can feel the resonant pull of energy when we’re in sync with the question. For instance, we could ask, “What is the energy in the system currently dealing with that is most urgent?” We might get verification on our answer by running our hands along the body, and feeling a resonance when we get to the feet, which could mean the Water Element is being disrupted. That would pose another set of questions, such as: “Is this person stressed and by what? What is draining the energy there?” Some Water Issues that could be questioned are: Too many parenting responsibilities? Not drinking enough water, or eating enough leafy greens? Overindulging? Hormones gone askew? Fighting a virus?
After information is gathered, through these means and discussion with the client, bodywork can then begin.There is another set of questions that helps direct the customized protocol, but intuition, in addition to resonance, is now the best way to treat the energetic system, being that it is interconnected in ways that are complex and not linear. During a treatment, the client’s system takes in the energy being radiated and focused by the polarity and placement of the practitioner’s hands, like acupuncture does with needles (and jumper cables do with a battery). With the intention and attention of both practitioner and client towards “Highest Healing Good”, the client’s own innate intelligence does triage and sends the energy to where it’s needed most. After the treatment Dr. Metz/I would again reassess the client again, via Energy Resonance Scan, and make suggestions as to what the client might do to facilitate/maintain an energetic balance appropriate to their system.
In general, these are some of the ways you can keep your Water Element balanced: Surrounding yourself with, or wearing the color orange; listening to or playing slow smooth music (like the cello); getting your feet and hips moving through swimming; making love or getting a massage; playing with children; cuddling animals; engaging in the art of cuisine/cooking; focusing on the sense of taste, salty tastes in particular; and eating orange foods, as well as foods that grow from ground-level to two feet (leafy vegetables, melons, cucumber, squash).
The key to keeping everything in balance is to not “over-do” or “under-do” anything. “Everything in moderation” is sometimes easier said than done, but it’s important to at least keep ourselves reminded of that fact, and have fun doing it!
The Spirited Soul 
Long Live Creativity!: Happy 1st Birthday to “The Spirited Soul”!
“I’m not happy if I’m not creating” ~ Michael Jackson (R.I.P.)
Coincidentally, when I saw this quote the other day, I had just been contemplating this notion. I was feeling very sad the night before, then followed the urge to do some writing and messing around with my photos, basically re-connecting with my Self and the Creative Source. Lo’ and behold my mood changed dramatically, to one of Etheric joy. :). It doesn’t always transpire this profoundly, but I was primed and ready for an internal shift. In my experience it can work the other way around too. If I’m not centered and happy, I can’t create. We’ve all had that experience, where our bad mood is reflected in the things we do (such as the meal we’ve just prepared…and burnt). I spent so many years unbalanced and stifled in my own inability to express myself. I still have an “ebb and flow” that goes on, but now, thankfully, it’s mostly a “flow” in the right direction!
For instance, to date I’ve made 89 posts to my Blog, where I’ve also listed 312 links in 15 categories, and have a whopping 11 subscribers (you know who you are :)); 240 of my photos have been uploaded to my Flickr account; 11 of my videos have been uploaded to my YouTube channel (275 from other sources, selected and put into 6 categories); 582 followers accumulated on Twitter, 1,463 Tweets have been tweeted; and 77 Fans are “Liking” my Facebook Page! Modest numbers by Internet standards, but I am so pleased. 🙂
Foremost, I love my “audience of one”. I’m my own best company, and if others join in…it’s a BONUS! I like being alone, but I can’t have a party if no one shows up. I think it was Oprah who said, “You make a far better you than a fake someone else”. And I say, when that happens, you respect yourself, and that is attractive to others. The process of self-discovery, in itself, can be very captivating. We are so uniquely…the same! This is one of the reasons I’ve been drawn to watching Oprah all these years and also to watching what I consider to be the best of the reality-type TV shows. My favorites are about people being challenged to create: Top Chef, Project Runway, So You Think You Can Dance, and American Idol. We are curious animals. All of us want to have personal stories played out in front of us, one way or another. The common thread I like that runs throughout these shows is the message to be yourself, do your best, and not try to please, or copy, anyone else. It is just plain better if you can know who you are, stay authentic, put your whole heart into what you do, connect with your audience and/or environment, and then accept the fact that not everyone is going to “get it” or appreciate what you have to offer…and that is okay…really it is. There will be people who do. And ideally, you will be secure enough to have no regrets, even when rejection comes.
“I’m beautiful in my way, ’cause God makes no mistakes” ~ Lady Gaga
There are as many opinions and interests as there are people, and some are nicer than others about letting you know where they stand. I think it’s so important to encourage others and to provide them feedback, including kind constructive criticism, when we can. At some deep level, we all desire to be “seen”, “heard” and acknowledged. For this reason, I never pass up an opportunity to give someone, even a stranger, an honest compliment, not just about their artistic expressions, but also their admirable qualities, choices, and behaviors. Their faces always light up, even if it’s just in a flash right before they deny it, get self-conscious or embarrassed…or deflect by reciprocating back. I love it when I get an enthusiastic and empowered “Thank You!” in return.
The other big theme of these reality shows is to be open to taking advice or criticism without getting defensive, to listen and learn from feedback (especially from your experienced mentors), and then to decide what you can, want, or need to improve upon to make it more your own, if anything. That final decision is your call, being confidently and humbly true to yourself is key. You gotta “own it” first or no one else will buy it! I suspect that most artists are never 100% satisfied with what they produce, but they MUST continue in the striving, it’s what keeps them alive and moving forward, to the next project. The things we create have so much of ourselves in them, sometimes it’s hard to separate the two. “It is what it is”. And,“You get what you get”. The raw emotion is there for yourself and everyone else to see, and judge. It is a very courageous thing to engage in, to be exposed in this way.
Like others, I have also experienced feelings of disconnected disbelief in the process of creating: “Did I just do that?”; “That picture seemed to paint itself”; or, “That poem seemed to write itself”. Paul McCartney said this very thing about his song “Let It Be” which he apparently wrote in the span of 15 minutes, felt like he “channelled” it. 🙂 We are amazed at what emerges when we connect to the Creative Source and let that Energy flow through us. Being in that space can be very meditative, therapeutic and uplifting, as well as emotional, cathartic and angst-ridden. That polarity is part of its allure. Either way, we have to be careful not to intimidate ourselves into paralysis with expectation, good or bad.
“If God calls you, pick up the damn phone!” ~ Lady Gaga
Ultimately, creative expression is both an investigation of the Self that is our Spirit, our personality, AND the Self that is our Soul, our spark of Divine Oneness. Indeed, one track leads into the other and back again. By tapping into an Energy that is within us yet larger than ourselves, timeless and universal, it becomes easier (in terms of Life AND Art) to overcome ego and surrender our attachment to a desired outcome. Regardless, it really is less of a struggle if we free ourselves and give up the burden of control. I now say to myself, “Be a leaf in the stream and see where the current takes you”. I wasn’t always like that, rather quite the opposite. However, I found that some of my best outcomes evolved from a “mistake”, that when I worked it through, resulted in an improved state, one I could never have planned or imagined (again, Art AND Life!). That made a lasting impression on me.
I am SO amazed with those artists who are SO free that they spontaneously feed on that Energy, and partake of its dynamic nature: Improv theatre, musical group jamming, ceremonial single-event sand painting, sculptures made of wet ocean sand or block-ice, street murals made of chalk on sidewalks, or my favorite environmental artist, Andy Goldsworthy, who lets the “ravages” of weather, wind and sea slowly consume the artwork that he’s patiently brought to fruition. I think I could maybe do that, but I’d have to document and record it in some fashion first, so I could hold on to it. 🙂 I am generally a person who gets attached and has a hard time letting go, and saying goodbye….Oy, Transitions! Change! Oh my – It’s ongoing! 🙂
Art has so many lessons for us, and we all have the innate ability to create and express, even when we find ourselves blocked. We are ALL artists. Being human is an art form. We are all about creating…co-creating, pro-creating, re-creating…Look around, everything you see, or sense, is a product of Someone’s or Something’s idea or handiwork. Even other sentient beings (besides Andy :)) have gotten into the act, either intentionally or unintentionally. For examples, see two of my earlier posts: “One of Nature’s Great Artistes” on the Bower Birds of New Guinea (7/26/10) and “Dolphins are Cultural Animals Too” (7/8/10).
Of course it’s nice if we can support ourselves financially with our artwork, but regardless of what we do for a living, we can bring our own flair to whatever we do…like those guys on the sidewalk that hold up signs advertising businesses…some entertain us by dancing, smiling and waving while doing so. Or, there’s the accountant making us laugh with his dry wit; the “stylin” coffee barista sporting an outrageously fun outfit, new hairdo or tattoo; the dad who reads bedtime stories to his kids, in character, complete with all the voices; the widow who delights passersby with her glorious front garden, where she collects flowers, carefully arranging them to brighten her insides, and sharing her excess fruit and veggies with the local Senior Center; the knitter who makes stuffed bears with sweet little faces for AIDS orphans in Africa; or the skilled athlete thrilling his or her fans by making the unbelievably perfect shot. I DO consider all of these to be artistic platforms – one of the many ways in which I’m “liberal” :). Our mission is to find our own expressive niche and then go for it, even if it’s just privately for our “audience of one”, to please ourselves…although, even so, we rarely find ourselves truly alone.
Eventually that passionate Energy permeates from the inside out. The world needs YOU, your art and beauty, your social commentary and positive momentum. Like so many, you can go public by being an activist with your art. Jamie Oliver, and his Food Revolution, is a recent example who has touched me by simply bringing his love of cooking and nutritional education to our shores, especially for children, and has had to overcome one frustrating obstacle after another, but continues to press on. There’s all kinds of things that you can do, or be, or build, that can be shared with others, through volunteering or philanthropy, by starting a non-profit or for-profit business, or by serving a loved one right in your own household. The possibilities are endless. It’s the perspective we have, and the attitude we choose, about how to approach our lives that makes the difference. And part of that is ditching the anxiety, guilt, and fear long enough to hold the belief that YOU are significant. We ALL are significant, deserving of compassion, and can beneficially influence ourselves and others in the smallest of ways. If nothing else, with a hug and a smile. 🙂
Speaking of which, the quiet birth of my modest little blog, “The Spirited Soul” was, and still is, a hugely integral part of my healing journey…towards self-love and self-expression. It is indeed an online oasis for me. Thank you to all who visit me here, and who support me by bearing witness to my progress. I hope I inspire YOUR “Spirited Soul” to meander down Life’s creative avenues, as all of YOU out there in the Universe inspire ME to keep on keepin’ on…Spreading the love and good vibes, far and wide…This is my wishin’! 🙂
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