It is a difficult thing
when our body or mind seems to betray us.
Advice from the well-intentioned is great, but
sometimes we are so overwhelmed with fear that
we can't implement or often hear that
advice, even if it's ultimately beneficial.
And in our fear, many surrender to a medical
model which attempts to isolate and eradicate.
Many of us are discovering, however, that
certain conditions are failing to respond
satisfactorily to this approach. Yet even
when we seek an alternative path, many are still
focused on outcome. This can lead
to frustration and feelings of failure when
channeled into a result-oriented approach.
For any kind of dis-ease
or dis-harmony may well be a teacher in
disguise. Valuable insights gained from
experience with a condition can broaden our
understanding of human existence and our place
in the world. Of course we can attempt to
escape these life lessons. Yet ultimately,
seeing adversity as the way we all learn
on planet Earth can be a valuable insight which
allows us to embrace the virtue of acceptance.
This acceptance can make our journey much
easier. Remember the saying, WHAT WE
RESIST, PERSISTS.
When approaching an
alternative practitioner, it is helpful to
arrive with an open mind. Many of these
people put their heart and soul into their work,
and offer time and patient education far beyond
what you will find with allopathic
practitioners. (Although perhaps
compassionate, thanks to managed care many
medical people are so overworked that spending
time listening to and educating patients is a
luxury few can afford.) Chances are you
will not find many in the alternative field
accepting insurance (though some do). Yet
consider in the long run what you will be
paying, in the real as well as metaphoric sense,
for your journey to wellness. Many
alternative practitioners see themselves
primarily as healing facilitators.
They are process-oriented rather than
result-oriented. Their goal is to help
people achieve lasting results through
treatment, lifestyle modification and education.
Conditions being diagnosed
by physicians these days like chronic fatigue,
fibromyalgia, lupus and other autoimmune
diseases and depression are usually conditions
which have a complex network of origins. In the
alternative world, practitioners may seem like
electricians tracking down many small shorts in
house wiring. Similar to compromised house
wiring, there can be glitches in the body's
system integrity, manifesting as a breakdown or
lack of wellness. To expect to visit an
alternative practitioner and get "fixed" in one
easy session is perhaps expecting too much.
(Remember the saying "expectations are like
premeditated resentments." Don't set
yourself up for disillusionment.) Instead,
contemplate your intentions for your own
personal healing journey. A practitioner may
then more easily facilitate movements for
you, and you will likely feel better than when
you arrived.
After an initial session,
many of my own clients report feeling more
hopeful. This is partially a result of
treatment and partially a result of gaining
fresh insights into their condition, sometimes
things they have intuitively known all along.
They also leave with tools with which to deepen
and further their understanding of the
lessons of their condition. A positive
outlook and understanding may alleviate symptoms
as well, even to the point of healing, over
time. Tools I provide clients with include
visualization, breathing exercises, reading
(including books about nutrition, herbal health,
homeopathy, psychology, spirituality, etc.)
and/or referrals to other practitioners who
might be able to assist in a more comprehensive
treatment program (acupuncturists, massage
therapists, osteopathic physicians and others).
Sometimes this responsibility for our own
healthcare can seem overwhelming.
Especially as women, we are not encultured to
respect and honor our own choices.
Insurance companies further restrict these
options. Yet we must measure the value we
place on our health: what is the quality
of life we wish to embrace for the duration of
our time on Earth?
A path to wholeness
requires vigilance and acceptance that (in the
words of Aerosmith's "Amazing") "life's a
journey, not a destination." Yet we can
set our own pace and make our own decisions.
We can hire people we like to work with.
We can learn to trust, over time, more of our
own innate wisdom. And often we notice that once
we place our feet on the path to wellness, there
are unseen forces that conspire to assist us on
that journey. Many find a renewed respect
for a Higher Power, whatever form this takes for
them. And this small surrender may allow
for a greater viewpoint to emerge where we learn
to intention what we desire, then take
our hands off and watch the unfoldment. In
another way of perceiving, it is like inviting
magic back into our lives.
Belief in transformation
allows for its possibility. Remember
energy is always expanding; always shifting and
changing. That is its nature. We can
flow with it or we can resist it. And
therein lies our power of choice.
