Part 6: Ways of Healing

Credit: photo of me by Michael Julian Berz

Rumi, a mystic Sufi poet (see my July 7th, 8th, and 10th posts) informs us: "There are many ways to kneel and kiss the ground." This is applicable to ways or methods of healing as well.

When I mention the word "healing," what comes to mind: traditional? contemporary? alternative? complementary? or a combination of these?

Alternative healing may be considered by some as "new age" though this is a misnomer; it actually refers to "...alternative approaches to traditional Western culture, with an interest in spirituality, mysticism, holism, and environmentalism" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Age).

Furthermore, even though some of the so-called 'new age' healing modalities have existed for centuries, some even for millenia (as referred to in this article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_medicine), its meaning is actually referring to the astrological age of Aquarius. Check this link for more information if you are curious: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrological_age.

There are many ways to heal and paths of healing, and no one way is "the one or "the one and only." There is no "one size fits all" philosophy, as what works for me might not work for you, and vice versa. One method of healing is not necessarily better than another, just different, just like you and I are different.

Healing modalities for me include my voice via my speaking and singing; my hands via my writing, my art, and my conducting; and my body via creative dance/movement (like when I used to perform spontaneous dance years ago).

I have been aware for some time that my voice is instrumental as a healing modality from numerous compliments over the years of how calming and/or soothing it is (especially when I used to work on a crisis line and other phone lines, and similarly when reciting poetry or reading kids' books in public); and my hands which 'perform' their own kind of magic, moving spontaneously through involuntary movements, and through my writing. (Yes, that's me! I'm dancing to a poem I performed as a rap at my Expressive Arts Therapy graduation.)

These forms are healing for myself and hopefully for others in some way; sometimes it can be primarily or only for myself, and other times not.

Are you aware of your ways of healing? What do others admire about you and praise you for and/or that you know are unique to you?

Part 5: Healing Me, with A.C. (How I Overcame Brain Buzz)

Hehe - that's me chuckling - what can I say? I love to rhyme sometimes, eh! ;) (referring to the title of this post)

I know that one is not supposed to claim healing someone or being a healer with non-traditional methods AKA (also known as) alternative medicine, though I am not a healer per se anyway. I am only a channel or conduit, primarily through my hands, whether through hands-on healing energy work or my writing. However, what do you call it?...What is the term you use to describe when symptoms change - disappear or lessen - for yourself and others whom you work on? Hmmmm?

The medical system directly/indirectly admonishes the general public in not making any claims that we can do so, i.e., heal, at least not where alternative healing methodologies are concerned. However, this is my blog and I am a 'rebel' at declaring truth: where is my right for freedom of speech?!

I would say 'truth' with a capital 'T', though I reserve that for spiritual truths. There are some, perhaps many folks who would not agree with this; however, I am not here to appease anyone which is what speaking up and speaking one's truth is about, speaking up for what is really going on, that serves the higher consciousness.

Please understand that I am not claiming to be the end all and be all in this realm - I am not the 'Grand Poobah!' (like Fred Flinstone, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Poobah for a great yet brief explanation).

You, the reader, may choose to be responsible for reading between the lines in some of my blog posts, but I digress here. That is a whole other topic, a big whammy that I do not have the interest to travel on on my blog or at least not at this point in time anyway. My preference is to encourage, empower, inspire, and hopefully transform people's lives through whatever means.

Essentially what I want to say about the said title is the following: My mind used to race a lot (most often) with tons of fleeting ideas that seemed to be bouncing all over the place like ping pong balls in action x 1,000 or more times. Another analogy is as if my brain was buzzing, on like the humming of an electrical switch or current.

It seemed like my mind would not shut up or shut down and relax. I swear it was constantly going, going, going, going like a busy bee. At least that is what I used to say to describe this continuous pattern of thinking. Even when attempting to meditate, my body does not like sitting meditations - the worst for me - my mind was non-stop thinking.

And then one day, Access Consciousness which I wrote about yesterday, came into my life very spontaneously and somewhat unusually, at least on my part. I was introduced to it via an email from an acquaintance. I persuaded someone whom I had met through a women's circle to join me without watching the video, or only a minute or two at most, if that.

After arriving and settling into the venue, I laid on a massage table. Someone I knew "ran bars" on me. "Bars" is the name of a particular process.

I knew something had occurred when I got up to walk around for (1) I couldn't walk properly, more like being drunk and swaying and (2) I felt somewhat lightheaded. That wasn't a "bad" thing I was told and I didn't feel it was.

When I walked to the tables of interesting and unusual refreshments, I saw a woman whose face literally glowed. It wasn't an hallucination. I wasn't imagining it. Think of this: does your face or someone you know ever light up especially when you or they are extremely happy/excited or the like? That is what I am taking about.

It was the combination of that experience, but more so because of her face, that actually caused me to sign up and enroll in my first 'bars' class. I thought, "I want that!"

I came to be truly grateful and still am as this methodology alone saved me in a sense. It kept me calm, focused yet relaxed, grounded, peaceful, and stable in a sane way.

I mean, can you imagine this? Your brain going constantly for years, hardly ever getting a rest, a break, a much-needed and well-deserved vacation? I was amazed after one treatment, my intro to this, how I felt. I knew I was onto something, something good!

When the facilitator worked on the 'bars' on me, I was distracted by the click-click-click of a women's heels on the wood floors and her incessant talking just like my brain was thinking - "Will you shut up please lady! I just want to relax, maybe even sleep. And besides I am having difficulty hearing you" - with hardly a pause.

Now when I reflect back on that incident I find it rather amusing, but at the time I was extremely annoyed and rather irritated.

Do you believe you can be healed? Do you believe you hold yourself back from healing? What if you were to open up and surrender to the process? What could/would happen?

Part 3: Healing Hands

Artwork I did of my 'healing hands' in pastels

Unaware I was, at first, of my hands having the (potential) ability to heal, that is, assist in the healing process, whether myself or others - I am only a channel or instrument of healing energy - until I took classes in Dahn yoga. "Dahn" refers to "primal vital energy" in Korean. They utilize physical exercises "as a blend of yoga, tai chi, and martial arts exercises." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahn_yoga) I would personally add to that "intense."

"According to Dahn Yoga Basics, a book published by Dahn Yoga Education, Dahn Yoga has "three unique characteristics: the mastery and use of energy, enhancing the body-brain connection, and self-managed, holistic health care. The practice draws upon traditional notions of ki, also known as chi or qi." (I referred to these terms two days ago.)

Almost two years ago when I learned Reiki (see posting July 21st, two days ago), I was re-introduced to the concept of my hands as instruments of healing.

During a dahn yoga class, we were experimenting with energy by rubbing our palms briskly together and then pulling them apart slowly at first, then moving them closer and farther apart. I was surprised yet delighted when I noticed the sensation of heat between my hands - shown as red in my artwork below - and also tingling or prickles, feeling at times like lines and other times like small or tiny bubbles.

Similarly many years ago, a woman was demon- strating how to feel energy in one's hands. I experimented holding my palms close together at first, then pulling them farther and farther apart, slowly at first. At the time, I could not feel any sensation on or in between the palms of my hands.

In an earlier blog post I had written, "I find it interesting that this year is the first when a few healing modalities have come across my path synchronistically that I have been drawn to explore; all involve my hands." And I go on to say, "I never thought of myself as a healer, never thinking I had the ability to heal..."

I have, however, known for quite some time that my hands are important in my calling or individual life purpose. This, because my hands sometimes channel my writings when the words and phrases come to me easily and effortlessly, sometimes fast and furious like a river, but oftentimes in bits and pieces.

My hands also do their own magic by performing spontaneous rhythms through loud or wild gestures speaking emphatically (which my parents denounce), but more often that not on a more subtle level (and sometimes not) when they move spontaneously in an intuitive way. It's challenging to explain this in words.

A woman with a gift of clairvoyance ('seeing clearly', an intuitive or psychic terminology), told me a few years ago that she actually saw sparkles around my hands. She furthermore informed me that I was accessing or retrieving information from the past when I moved my hands in a certain way; I do this particular movement quite regularly, especially when attempting to recall information.

Some of you may think this is all "woo woo", strange/unusual/weird phenomena; however, remember that Jesus healed people with his hands. There are also Christian and/or other religions that practice the 'laying on of hands.' I used to be a member of one where the priesthood (only men) performed this and it was a common occurrence for blessings of all kinds, including healings.

Do you think you might have healing hands? Have you ever tried the hand experiment above? Do you think your hands are capable of healing others or yourself?

NB: I am not endorsing any particular healing modality. You are responsible for the choices and actions you take. Discern what is right and best for you in whichever way you do that whether through researching, praying, etc. I am only relaying my own experiences here. This is part of my personal journey.