Morning meditation™️. Some wounds make no sense, and may never fully heal. In these circumstances, seeking peace greater than the pain is the only action I know to engage. ✨
#HealingMorning™️ #MorningMeditation™️ #SeekPeaceThatIsGreaterThanThePain
Healing Morning is a space to discuss those indefinable moments, topics, thoughts, that allow us to grow on a spiritual, personal and, I hope, global level. I hope to remark upon holistic healing, spiritual concepts, and stumble upon topics that inspire, intrigue and push us all to regard life in a different manner from having read what is posted.
Showing posts with label therapy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label therapy. Show all posts
Monday, February 21, 2022
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
If...and if....
 |
| photo: www.paleospirit.com |
deep and ragged
will I still breathe?
If I remember
sweet spring fragrance
will the memories remain?
If I touch
the deep well of loss
will I drift endlessly?
Ticking echoes
of an empty clock
If I linger
tasting acid tears
will I heal?
If I laugh
finding small pleasures
will I betray?
Grains of sand spilled
marking where
the time chord snapped
If I recall
hands reaching down
will I be lifted up?
If I see
that smile shining
am I letting go?
tether broken
spirit set free
If I hear
wisps of laughter
will I lose that precious note?
If I gaze
at incredible talent
will it become flat and empty?
If I hold
arms open
will there be a return?
If I rest
will surcease
prove ever elusive?
If...and if...
and if....
a torment
and a comfort
Twining and swirling
insubstantial
All suspended
echoing...
.....the ifs...
Hammering against
transparent boundaries
fleeting....
and quickly gone
reflecting what?
If...and if...
and if....
...and if...again....
_______________________________________
The poem above is the first thing I've written and published here since December 28, 2012. That stretch of time is the longest I have gone without writing here at Healing Morning since I created the blog in 2009. The reason for this silence? There are many. Holiday insanity, seasonal commitments to parties and events. Work encroaching; personal relationships demanding time and attention. Most importantly, I needed time to absorb and address the loss of a family member who left us through suicide in the summer of 2012.
If you follow my blog, you may have read some of the articles I wrote about that loss when it happened. (Sad Weathering, 7/5/2012, Healing Morning). For those of you who may have gone through a similar loss, then perhaps you know that processing the emotions and finding a way through to acceptance is a lengthy process. I'm still working on that. I am not sharing this poem and these thoughts to indicate that I am still dwelling in that immediate state of shock and sharp loss. I have healed a great deal. The thoughts shared today encompass all those doubts and questions that we inevitably confront when we lose a loved one to suicide. In my healing process, I have allowed the thoughts to come to consciousness so that I could absorb, understand and release them. During meditation, during prayer, during random moments, they will resurface and demand further contemplation. And healing continues.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Holiday stages
From the title of this blog post, you may be expecting a happy story about a Christmas event or pageant, children on stage singing or dancing. Instead, what you'll be reading about is dealing with grief during the holiday season.
It is a proven fact that around religious holidays, be it Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter, etc., there is an increase in mortality rates. The concept of mortality rates can be traced as far back into history as Babylonian times and the rule of King Hammurabi. In our modern times, this translates into insurance companies creating their mortality charts. As this became standard practice, there became occasional note in media that death rates increase around significant religious holidays.
Think for a moment, and doubtless, either you or someone you know has lost a beloved family member or friend around a religious holiday. I fall into this category, having lost the person I consider to be my strongest father figure. He was my Uncle, my Mom's eldest brother, the patriarch of our clan. Several years ago, he passed from this life on Christmas Eve morning after a lengthy, brave battle with debilitating illness. As the Christmas holidays draw near, I find, despite my best intentions, there are definitely moments of melancholy that visit my heart. Small wonder that if I feel these moments, the rest of the world might be visited by similar feelings in relation to their own personal losses.
There are many schools of thought about reasons that so many souls choose a religious holiday as the time to release from their physical body and pass from this reality. My own thoughts on this topic are very personal, with one of the thoughts being that our Souls recognize an increased energy around high holy days. I have always thought that this increased energy might facilitate an individual in making the choice to release from their physical body. The reasons are myriad, the theories about this are endless, and at the end of the day, they probably don't matter beyond the ability to comfort us in the midst of painful, sad moments.
I have no mysterious remedy for this, other than to give it voice. We are all very accustomed to slapping on that bright, cheerful social mask to cover our roiling emotions. It's the holiday season (or whatever other particular moment in life where sad memories surface), be happy, upbeat and positive!!! Don't be sad about the loss of a loved one, for fear you might drag everyone else down around you!! Right?! We all feel obligated to project that facade so that we don't make others uncomfortable or sad right along with us. It is obvious that this tendency to stuff down our emotions around significant holidays and/or anniversaries of losing a loved one makes dealing with these significant dates that much more challenging. When, and why did we as a collective society decide that it makes more sense to paste a happy smile on our faces than to honor our true emotions?
Strong emotions, especially those connected to loss, do make most people uncomfortable. It hits too closely to home for everyone; if you're mourning the death of a loved one and you present those emotions outwardly, that in turn can trigger buried emotions in others. It's just a human response, this triggering of fears and resistance, and the need to cover everything up with a neat, tidy, happy facade. Another truth is that most of us don't deal with significant loss immediately and instantly.
Most of us are familiar with the five stages of grief. They are as follows:
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
Christmas, Hanukkah and the New Year, altogether, present a time when family and friendship is our focus, so of course sadness will lurk beneath the surface as we have wistful moments, missing those no longer here with us physically. It is, therefore, not surprising that we'll sometimes feel sucker punched with sad moments.
Dealing with sad anniversaries is never easy. What works for me might not work for you, but I can share my own process. When I begin to feel those sad moments creeping in, the most important step that I take is to recognize it for what it is. Life can be so hectic around the Christmas season that we don't pay enough attention to how we're honestly feeling. We'll rush from one obligation and social function to the next, pushing the sad, bad, confused or angry emotions down until they finally expand and explode. So, for my own mental and emotional health, I find it of paramount importance to stop and identify what I'm feeling. It doesn't always come readily to mind for me either, because of course it's much easier to deny sadness and instead label it as being tired or grumpy or something much easier to ignore.
What I have learned over the years is that embracing the seemingly negative emotions does not equal failure of any type on a personal level. The true failure, I feel, comes from denying what we feel and never allowing it to have enough of a voice for it to be processed. So, I take time to look inward. It isn't always pleasant, or easy, and rarely is it enjoyable. It is, above all, vitally important. I feel that in a way, it is a moment of Grace and tribute, when I stop, identify the reason for those melancholy moments and let myself feel what comes from within. Grace, because I am honoring myself when I allow myself to grieve. Tribute, because in recognizing these feelings, it gives me a moment to remember the person I loved deeply. When I do open up to myself, the memories that I embrace are inexorably entwined with all the reasons I loved that person. So, yes, sadness will be felt. Many times the result is tears. Eventually, though, happier memories will also flood my mind and in a different manner, I will go through those five stages of grief all over again before coming to that moment of acceptance.
The inescapable truth is that when we lose someone we love, it is a life sentence. We spend the rest of our lives learning how to cope, manage our lives and live without that person's physical presence. That's the challenging part. Just when we think we're doing really well, a holiday or anniversary will approach and cut us off at the knees. Psychologists developed the five stages of grief to identify what we are feeling and where we are in relation to dealing with personal loss. From that perspective, the concept is valid, but I honestly feel that it doesn't come to a definitive, full stop, ever. I am not saying that we exist in sharp, raw grief permanently, nor would I suggest such a thing is healthy or prudent. What I am trying to point out is that we do experience layers of grief, sadness and loss in sometimes unexpected ways at different times, for various reasons. As a result, we experience a micro-moment, often repeatedly, of those five stages.
In light of this, I think that kindness would be the word of the day. If you can step back from everything else that requires your attention and focus your attention on You, compassion and understanding are what you deserve when you are confronted with those unexpected holiday triggers, layers and stages of sadness. You deserve kindness, and a few quiet moments to look clearly at what you are feeling. Give it voice, allow yourself to feel, to remember, to cry; perhaps smile or laugh. Then, when you feel ready, you will be able to gently tuck the memories back into a corner of your heart and mind that will allow you to move forward with strength, rather than sapping you of energy and enjoyment of the holiday season. Remind yourself that these feelings will surface again, and recognize that this time, by embracing the moment with Grace and acceptance, you will possibly be able to achieve a more solid balance.
Talking about it with family or friends might be an integral part of this process; there are no hard and fast rules here. Do what works best and feels right for you. In talking with others, you may be surprised to find that you've opened the door up for them as well, to do some processing, sharing and healing of their own.
In closing, I wrestled with myself about posting this blog. It is a highly personal and volatile subject, and perhaps not one many will want to contemplate in the midst of the holiday season. I was feeling sadness as the calendar approaches a personal anniversary date of loss, and for me, writing out the emotions and giving them voice was helpful and healing. I have no idea if what I have written and shared will be of a helpful nature to others, but I am going ahead with posting it. Perhaps these words and thoughts will resonate with others out there and bring a moment of clarity and peace to their hearts as they realize they are not alone with what they are feeling. Maybe the simple suggestion that yes, you will go through repeated, myriad experiences of those five stages will be a moment of epiphany for someone out there, allowing them to embrace kindness towards themselves as they process through that most current incarnation.
If you have stayed with me through to the culmination of this particular post, whether it clicked with you on a personal level or not, you have my appreciation for spending time with me as I navigated through my own five holiday stages. As a result, my heart is lighter and I have been able to move forward with a gladdened spirit to enjoy my Christmas. Blessings to you all, this year, this holiday season.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Grasshopper thoughts - Vol. I, June 2010
 |
| Photo courtesy of http://www.blm.gov/ |
As I admit that I am, at times, more serious than I need to be, I decided after a couple of conversations with the two friends mentioned above that I would adopt this format and make it unique to me. You may enjoy the disjointed thoughts that take sudden, quirky jumps in a completely unexpected direction, only to fly off at another bizarre angle moments later. You may not like this format at all - I just know that I'm enjoying the sheer freedom this concept provides, so here goes...the first Grasshopper Thoughts epistle!
Golden raisins - who, other than myself, is a fan of these little jewels? Do many even realize they exist, overshadowed by the more traditional dark raisins? Golden raisins are actually called Sultanas, a fact I just learned by going to my old friend, Wikipedia. Take a moment to click on the link and learn some fascinating information! I just happen to prefer these golden lovelies because they're not so overpoweringly strong in flavor and lend themselves to various foods better than the darker raisin variety.
 |
| Photo courtesy of http://www.galtmuseum.com/ |
 |
| Photo courtesy of Bing Images |
 |
| Photo courtesy of http://www.tclawnservices.com/ |
 |
| Photo courtesy of http://www.cpsqdp.com/ |
I declare this to be as good a point as any to stop with my grasshopper journey. Never fear, this will be a continuing post. I'll be curious to see how it is received and how many of you out there have similar jumbled thoughts running through your minds at any given moment! There is absolutely no unifying theme or purpose here, other than to jot down my thoughts as these topics flit with maniacal grasshopper gymnastics along the fringes of my conscious mind.
I think it's healthy to give these grasshopper thoughts voice - I'm sure, in fact, that my gray matter is probably breathing a silent sigh of relief that I'm bestowing some semblance of order here. Yes, I know...our brains don't breathe sighs of relief, per se. Which brings up a grasshopper thought......to be continued in Vol. I, Part II....
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Delving deeply
You know that old saying, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans"? I've heard it attributed to many people, so am not going to bother with crediting here. It's the concept that I'm focusing on, more than tracking down who said it first.
I began blogging in September 2009, and thus opened up a whole new world for myself. I've been a writer my whole life, and began actually making a living with writing nine years ago. I enjoy the writing process as it applies to virtually any and all applications. It shouldn't have surprised me, in light of this, how much blogging would sink into my very soul and fill me with such joy, but it was a bit of a surprise. A happy one, most definitely, but still a surprise. With blogging, I don't have to answer to a client's demands - I write what, when, where and how I choose, on any topic that pleases me. My focus is wide ranging and the more I write, the more topics and categories I find of interest.
Most recently, I wrote a blog post about the very common occurrence of grief, sadness and depression during the holidays. It turns out that that article was very positively received, which I wasn't sure whether to expect originally. The fact that it was embraced so immediately and fostered so many wonderful follow up comments has encouraged me to begin thinking more deeply about where and how to apply my writing skills. One dear friend even mentioned liking the fact that I've chosen to write about some of the more difficult topics, the ones that aren't always so pretty or pleasant to contemplate. This friend (her name is Jane) went on to compliment the approach and treatment I used in that particular blog post, which prompted me to begin pondering. If you've read any of my blog over the months, you'll know that that's all it takes to get my brain spinning and thus...a blog will be born.
For the most part, the overall tone of my blog is uplifting and positive. I feel that those things can be accomplished even while writing about topics that might not always be the most flashy or entertaining to read about. There is value in writing about challenging subjects because it gives others a bit of a spiritual nod, a written word that places a consoling invisible hand on their shoulder and lets them know that they're not alone in how they're feeling. I'm learning that perhaps I have a gift in this regard, to write in a therapeutic approach and manner, and it is one I want to pursue, delve more deeply into and hone.
The title of this blog is Healing Morning, and I am bemused and quite happy with the fact that as I continue to grow as a writer/blogger, this title continues to be appropriate. Yes, I have always been a writer, this is absolute truth. My healing abilities, which I began to consciously nurture at an equally early age, are quite clearly entertwined with my writing. One is never very far from the other.
As a writer and a healer, what a fascinating ongoing journey I'm experiencing...this process of continually being greeted by heretofore slumbering facets of my various abilities. So much is happening with my writing as a result of venturing into the world of blogging - relationships, opportunities, business ventures and partnerships - things which I would honestly never have even thought to dream of for myself, yet they are showering down into my life in such abundance that at times, I admit, my head spins.
Rather than being overwhelmed, I'm opening up with my full heart and enjoying each new moment. Where all of this will lead, I have no idea. Currently, I'm in the midst of a new project with my partner Marty, with Authentic Blogger on Facebook that is remarkable to me on a personal level. When I dream, I am never afraid to dream large. However, I honestly don't think it would have ever occurred to me to imagine such a reality as the one encompassed by Authentic Blogger and the resulting response it is getting in the Facebook and blogging world. So, who knows what the next thing will be? All I can say is that life is giving me quite a ride, with all of it tying into my love of writing.
There is always a purpose at hand in our lives - perfect order, Divinely guided, if we but choose to pay attention and live consciously. I am noting, with gratitude and enjoyment, how so many things are falling into place in this regard in my life. The immediate impulse is to label it, corral it, and perhaps start to attempt to take control. I'm resisting that impulse and just letting it be - not the easiest thing to do, let me tell you! This is not to say I'm sitting meekly back, waiting on life to unfold with no energy or input on my part. To the contrary - I doubt anyone could ever describe me as meek! I am putting a great deal of energy into this whole process.
As Universal Law so beautifully presents to us, and is also mentioned in many Holy Scriptures...the Bible, the Torah, the Talmud, Buddhist tenets....putting conscious and joyful energy into something you truly love, with sincere intent and request, produces an eventual return of energy tenfold or greater. I feel myself standing on a high precipice, with whipping winds of change approaching....all the by-product of this delving more deeply that I have been working on so assiduously most of my life. I am curious, a year from now, where I shall stand, looking back on this month of December 2009 that has been so full of new chapters, friendships and discoveries. So, yes, life has been happening in the most delightful fashion while I've also had focus in many other directions.
I began blogging in September 2009, and thus opened up a whole new world for myself. I've been a writer my whole life, and began actually making a living with writing nine years ago. I enjoy the writing process as it applies to virtually any and all applications. It shouldn't have surprised me, in light of this, how much blogging would sink into my very soul and fill me with such joy, but it was a bit of a surprise. A happy one, most definitely, but still a surprise. With blogging, I don't have to answer to a client's demands - I write what, when, where and how I choose, on any topic that pleases me. My focus is wide ranging and the more I write, the more topics and categories I find of interest.
Most recently, I wrote a blog post about the very common occurrence of grief, sadness and depression during the holidays. It turns out that that article was very positively received, which I wasn't sure whether to expect originally. The fact that it was embraced so immediately and fostered so many wonderful follow up comments has encouraged me to begin thinking more deeply about where and how to apply my writing skills. One dear friend even mentioned liking the fact that I've chosen to write about some of the more difficult topics, the ones that aren't always so pretty or pleasant to contemplate. This friend (her name is Jane) went on to compliment the approach and treatment I used in that particular blog post, which prompted me to begin pondering. If you've read any of my blog over the months, you'll know that that's all it takes to get my brain spinning and thus...a blog will be born.
For the most part, the overall tone of my blog is uplifting and positive. I feel that those things can be accomplished even while writing about topics that might not always be the most flashy or entertaining to read about. There is value in writing about challenging subjects because it gives others a bit of a spiritual nod, a written word that places a consoling invisible hand on their shoulder and lets them know that they're not alone in how they're feeling. I'm learning that perhaps I have a gift in this regard, to write in a therapeutic approach and manner, and it is one I want to pursue, delve more deeply into and hone.
The title of this blog is Healing Morning, and I am bemused and quite happy with the fact that as I continue to grow as a writer/blogger, this title continues to be appropriate. Yes, I have always been a writer, this is absolute truth. My healing abilities, which I began to consciously nurture at an equally early age, are quite clearly entertwined with my writing. One is never very far from the other.
As a writer and a healer, what a fascinating ongoing journey I'm experiencing...this process of continually being greeted by heretofore slumbering facets of my various abilities. So much is happening with my writing as a result of venturing into the world of blogging - relationships, opportunities, business ventures and partnerships - things which I would honestly never have even thought to dream of for myself, yet they are showering down into my life in such abundance that at times, I admit, my head spins.
Rather than being overwhelmed, I'm opening up with my full heart and enjoying each new moment. Where all of this will lead, I have no idea. Currently, I'm in the midst of a new project with my partner Marty, with Authentic Blogger on Facebook that is remarkable to me on a personal level. When I dream, I am never afraid to dream large. However, I honestly don't think it would have ever occurred to me to imagine such a reality as the one encompassed by Authentic Blogger and the resulting response it is getting in the Facebook and blogging world. So, who knows what the next thing will be? All I can say is that life is giving me quite a ride, with all of it tying into my love of writing.
There is always a purpose at hand in our lives - perfect order, Divinely guided, if we but choose to pay attention and live consciously. I am noting, with gratitude and enjoyment, how so many things are falling into place in this regard in my life. The immediate impulse is to label it, corral it, and perhaps start to attempt to take control. I'm resisting that impulse and just letting it be - not the easiest thing to do, let me tell you! This is not to say I'm sitting meekly back, waiting on life to unfold with no energy or input on my part. To the contrary - I doubt anyone could ever describe me as meek! I am putting a great deal of energy into this whole process.
As Universal Law so beautifully presents to us, and is also mentioned in many Holy Scriptures...the Bible, the Torah, the Talmud, Buddhist tenets....putting conscious and joyful energy into something you truly love, with sincere intent and request, produces an eventual return of energy tenfold or greater. I feel myself standing on a high precipice, with whipping winds of change approaching....all the by-product of this delving more deeply that I have been working on so assiduously most of my life. I am curious, a year from now, where I shall stand, looking back on this month of December 2009 that has been so full of new chapters, friendships and discoveries. So, yes, life has been happening in the most delightful fashion while I've also had focus in many other directions.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Lamp shining brightly
A couple of friends of mine are going through some challenges. One lost a beloved family member; another was just having a really crummy personal day. The quote below came to mind for both of them and prompted me to write my own thoughts:
"Perhaps it will seem to you that the sunshine is brighter and that everything has a new charm. At least, I believe this is always the result of a deep love. And it is a beautiful thing. And I believe people who think love prevents one from thinking clearly are wrong; for then one thinks very clearly and is more active than before. And love is something eternal - the aspect may change, but not the essence. There is the same difference in a person before and after he is in love as there is in an unlighted lamp and one that is burning. The lamp was there and it was a good lamp, but now it is shedding light too, and that is its real function. And love makes one calmer about many things, and in that way, one is more fit for one's work."
~ Vincent Van Gogh
"Perhaps it will seem to you that the sunshine is brighter and that everything has a new charm. At least, I believe this is always the result of a deep love. And it is a beautiful thing. And I believe people who think love prevents one from thinking clearly are wrong; for then one thinks very clearly and is more active than before. And love is something eternal - the aspect may change, but not the essence. There is the same difference in a person before and after he is in love as there is in an unlighted lamp and one that is burning. The lamp was there and it was a good lamp, but now it is shedding light too, and that is its real function. And love makes one calmer about many things, and in that way, one is more fit for one's work."
~ Vincent Van Gogh
I have always found this quote to be startlingly beautiful. The concept captures so many different applications of how we, as humans, love. It also narrows the reader's focus to a still, silent thought, a moment to ponder love and how it illumines each Soul.
We all have those unpleasant days - at times they can go beyond the span of a day - where nothing feels good. Nothing seems to fit, colors are muted and sounds are muffled. We twist and turn, searching for something outside of ourselves to mitigate this dimming effect. At times, something outward does do the trick. There are moments which require only a change in scenery, or the company of a good friend to lift our mood and banish the gloom. For the moments that extend beyond those quick fixes, Van Gogh's quote sometimes comes to mind for me.
For those who have suffered the recent loss of a deeply loved one, the process of grief is an individual one. Each of us must walk that particular path alone, moving through the various stages until acceptance finally is met. Love from those still here can certainly prove to be a lifeline which we all grasp hold of. There will be, without a doubt, days of darkness to navigate in solitude. Days where your heart is sore with loss and nothing seems capable of soothing. Again, I come back to Van Gogh's quote.
Love is a fickle creature, of a certainty. It is also that which lifts us, transports us to joyous bliss, fills us up with fizzing delight, warms us with a soft, lambent inner glow. We can be pitched into the depths of despair by love, left sprawled on the floor, completely undone and broken. That light...that lamp which Van Gogh identifies as the analogy and symbol of love....it is always there. It may require effort on our part at times to light, or to shelter from whipping winds of change. I daresay we should consider ourselves dutiful stewards of our individual lamps. Without constant care, the lamp can grow dull, can become depleted of sufficient fuel to shine brightly in the darkness.
It is perhaps very simplistic to claim that printing a quote from long ago might have the power to lift the hearts of those reading this blog post. A friend having a challenging day might not feel like being coaxed into a better mood by Van Gogh's perspective. The friend in the midst of fresh, sharp grief and the loss of a loved one might not have the energy to even think about reading a blog post. Others dealing with their own challenges may brush this off as just another blog post full of self-indulgent optimism, hearts and flowers and those inevitable rose-colored glasses that this writer insists on wearing. All of the above have merit. I cannot claim to have miraculous answers or solutions for those who are in the midst of their own personal struggles.
What I can do, however, is reach out in my own personal fashion. I can share the quote above in the sure knowledge that, if it touched my heart and continues to have value for me, most likely it will touch others and inspire. I think that Van Gogh's words are beautiful, full of hope, that they communicate a wish for those reading the words to have courage and believe in the fact that love is eternal.
"...the aspect may change, but not the essence."
We forget, often, in the midst of our personal moments of crisis, that love is an eternal constant. It truly is the most powerful emotion in existence and can banish a crummy day in the twinkling of an eye. Soothing broken hearts obviously requires much more time and effort, but the eternal nature of this emotion, coupled with the healing application of time, is again that one endless constant. How fortunate we are, then, that brilliant minds took time to write personal thoughts for us to read hundreds of years later; to be encouraged, to be inspired, to be gently wrapped in the words of love and brought through those maelstrom moments to calmer shores.
We can believe...and know, for it is true, that our lamp shines brightly.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Expressing the inexpressible
"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." ~ Aldous Huxley
That quote is one of my favorites. I am, first and foremost, a writer. Learning to read at a very early age, I can remember very clearly being constantly captivated by words, what they meant, how they sounded, how they were spelled, how they communicated. Little wonder, then, that eventually I became equally captivated by music and lyrics wound together. I have worked in many places over the years where music was part of the overall environment and it never failed to amaze me how many co-workers went about their daily existence completely numbed out and unaware of the music. I have learned over the years another curious thing - that many people don't tend to really pay much attention to lyrics. They listen more to the melody or the beat of the song, echoing the old words of American Bandstand's Rate The Song, "it has a good beat and is easy to dance to." This isn't so much an important thing; not all music contains lyrics to catch the ear on a deeper level. And no, I don't believe that I enjoy music more deeply or better than others; I just think I experience it in a different manner. Those differences, as always, prompted me to start thinking, then start researching....
I believe that music touches us all on a very elemental level. Think about your memories of growing up and invariably, a song comes to mind. Hear an old song playing on the radio and I am willing to bet you can remember the year it played, the fashions worn, where you lived, who you loved and other astonishingly tiny details of life at that particular moment....all prompted by a song. We make memories with music, of this, I am certain.
The next interesting point is the growing presence of the use of music for therapeutic purposes. On a very mundane note, if you have ever had your heart broken, you know this truth - every sad song you hear on the radio seems to be speaking directly to your poor broken heart. I believe that scientists and therapists have only scratched the surface of the concept of using music as a healing device, but occasionally I will run across some fascinating research being done on the subject.
Years ago, around the time that the Human Genome Project was being completed, I remember watching an episode of what I think may have been 20/20. A young scientist had painstakingly spent time mapping the human DNA/RNA strands and matching them up in some obscure manner to the musical scale. He then fed all of this data into a computer program along with all the great works of classical music. Applying yet one more layer of coding into his program to identify a wide range of medical maladies, his results were fascinating. He found that certain noted classical music compositions matched up identically with the genetic makeup of certain cancers. The one that I remember specifically was that Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata," was the perfect genetic match musically to a virulent, deadly strain of cancer. This scientist's hypothesis was that the great composers somehow inherently keyed into these harmonics and produced musical works that would someday become tools for healing on a vibrational level. How fascinating is that?!
I remember sitting there, just spellbound by this concept. From just a general musing, perhaps one might think that the correct music to rid the body of an aggressive type of cancer would need to be an equally aggressive composition. Something warlike and full of pounding drums, crashing cymbals and intense rhythms. "Moonlight Sonata" actually begins the First Movement with a slow, haunting melody that is so gentle and soft it forces the listener to become still and pay attention. The Second and Third Movements pick up tempo and do become more forceful, but the overall tone of this composition is very slow, soft and gentle. Perhaps the therapeutic value is some vibrational manner of slowing our breathing down in response to the music, eliciting a light hypnotic or meditative state that then shifts inward on a cellular level? My own musings entirely, but it makes sense to me in a strange way.
I wondered at the inspiration for this unutterably beautiful piece of music and did some research. It turns out the original title of the composition was "Almost A Fantasy" and was written as an ode of love to one of Beethoven's students. He later proposed marriage to this lady, but her father refused his permission. How curiously apropo that so many years later, modern science could cobble together the fact that this beautiful musical work of art could, just possibly, be successfully applied to heal a dread disease in the human body. Music written to express love being capable of curing illness. What a concept! Now, mind you, this isn't anything I can document - it is strictly my memories of a 20/20 episode many, many years ago, but it has stuck in my head over the years.
I became a massage therapist in the mid-1990's and had a strong affinity to the overall concept of healing arts. While I no longer work as a massage therapist, that training deepened my interest in medical issues, concepts and applications and how they can be complemented by esoteric, Eastern based philosophies. I find that the more I search, the more that modern medicine, modern science and alternative healing therapies are becoming interchangable and recognized to be beneficial when married together. Perhaps one day in the not-too-distant future, the work of that young scientist will resurface and musical therapy will become commonplace. I see many lightworkers in the healing arts who are using music therapy in their practices now, although it is still a little known concept. It makes complete sense to me that it should, and can work.
How lucky are we to be born into a world full of complex textures, sites and sounds that fill up our senses in myriad ways? Music, then, becomes a part of who we are.
Thomas Carlyle said, "If you look deep enough, you will see music; the heart of nature being everywhere music."
Whether music is a background enjoyment for you, or whether you are like I am and tend to climb right inside the lyrics and music and experience them on a different level, music speaks to us all. It lifts us up, it calms us down. It weeps with us in moments of deep sorrow. It celebrates life's best, brightest victories. And perhaps, it can, and does heal with the softest, melodic touch on our bodies, on a vibrational level that is painless. This is one to continue to ponder on my end, as well as to continue to research. If anyone reading this blog entry knows of details regarding that scientist's work I mentioned, I'd love to know more. For now, I leave you with yet another quote...
"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent." ~ Victor Hugo
That quote is one of my favorites. I am, first and foremost, a writer. Learning to read at a very early age, I can remember very clearly being constantly captivated by words, what they meant, how they sounded, how they were spelled, how they communicated. Little wonder, then, that eventually I became equally captivated by music and lyrics wound together. I have worked in many places over the years where music was part of the overall environment and it never failed to amaze me how many co-workers went about their daily existence completely numbed out and unaware of the music. I have learned over the years another curious thing - that many people don't tend to really pay much attention to lyrics. They listen more to the melody or the beat of the song, echoing the old words of American Bandstand's Rate The Song, "it has a good beat and is easy to dance to." This isn't so much an important thing; not all music contains lyrics to catch the ear on a deeper level. And no, I don't believe that I enjoy music more deeply or better than others; I just think I experience it in a different manner. Those differences, as always, prompted me to start thinking, then start researching....
I believe that music touches us all on a very elemental level. Think about your memories of growing up and invariably, a song comes to mind. Hear an old song playing on the radio and I am willing to bet you can remember the year it played, the fashions worn, where you lived, who you loved and other astonishingly tiny details of life at that particular moment....all prompted by a song. We make memories with music, of this, I am certain.
The next interesting point is the growing presence of the use of music for therapeutic purposes. On a very mundane note, if you have ever had your heart broken, you know this truth - every sad song you hear on the radio seems to be speaking directly to your poor broken heart. I believe that scientists and therapists have only scratched the surface of the concept of using music as a healing device, but occasionally I will run across some fascinating research being done on the subject.
Years ago, around the time that the Human Genome Project was being completed, I remember watching an episode of what I think may have been 20/20. A young scientist had painstakingly spent time mapping the human DNA/RNA strands and matching them up in some obscure manner to the musical scale. He then fed all of this data into a computer program along with all the great works of classical music. Applying yet one more layer of coding into his program to identify a wide range of medical maladies, his results were fascinating. He found that certain noted classical music compositions matched up identically with the genetic makeup of certain cancers. The one that I remember specifically was that Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata," was the perfect genetic match musically to a virulent, deadly strain of cancer. This scientist's hypothesis was that the great composers somehow inherently keyed into these harmonics and produced musical works that would someday become tools for healing on a vibrational level. How fascinating is that?!
I remember sitting there, just spellbound by this concept. From just a general musing, perhaps one might think that the correct music to rid the body of an aggressive type of cancer would need to be an equally aggressive composition. Something warlike and full of pounding drums, crashing cymbals and intense rhythms. "Moonlight Sonata" actually begins the First Movement with a slow, haunting melody that is so gentle and soft it forces the listener to become still and pay attention. The Second and Third Movements pick up tempo and do become more forceful, but the overall tone of this composition is very slow, soft and gentle. Perhaps the therapeutic value is some vibrational manner of slowing our breathing down in response to the music, eliciting a light hypnotic or meditative state that then shifts inward on a cellular level? My own musings entirely, but it makes sense to me in a strange way.
I wondered at the inspiration for this unutterably beautiful piece of music and did some research. It turns out the original title of the composition was "Almost A Fantasy" and was written as an ode of love to one of Beethoven's students. He later proposed marriage to this lady, but her father refused his permission. How curiously apropo that so many years later, modern science could cobble together the fact that this beautiful musical work of art could, just possibly, be successfully applied to heal a dread disease in the human body. Music written to express love being capable of curing illness. What a concept! Now, mind you, this isn't anything I can document - it is strictly my memories of a 20/20 episode many, many years ago, but it has stuck in my head over the years.
I became a massage therapist in the mid-1990's and had a strong affinity to the overall concept of healing arts. While I no longer work as a massage therapist, that training deepened my interest in medical issues, concepts and applications and how they can be complemented by esoteric, Eastern based philosophies. I find that the more I search, the more that modern medicine, modern science and alternative healing therapies are becoming interchangable and recognized to be beneficial when married together. Perhaps one day in the not-too-distant future, the work of that young scientist will resurface and musical therapy will become commonplace. I see many lightworkers in the healing arts who are using music therapy in their practices now, although it is still a little known concept. It makes complete sense to me that it should, and can work.
How lucky are we to be born into a world full of complex textures, sites and sounds that fill up our senses in myriad ways? Music, then, becomes a part of who we are.
Thomas Carlyle said, "If you look deep enough, you will see music; the heart of nature being everywhere music."
Whether music is a background enjoyment for you, or whether you are like I am and tend to climb right inside the lyrics and music and experience them on a different level, music speaks to us all. It lifts us up, it calms us down. It weeps with us in moments of deep sorrow. It celebrates life's best, brightest victories. And perhaps, it can, and does heal with the softest, melodic touch on our bodies, on a vibrational level that is painless. This is one to continue to ponder on my end, as well as to continue to research. If anyone reading this blog entry knows of details regarding that scientist's work I mentioned, I'd love to know more. For now, I leave you with yet another quote...
"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent." ~ Victor Hugo
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Let's talk reincarnation
Some will read the title above and immediately freak. Most likely the people who find my blog are already of a similar mindset, so I won't waste time explaining or proving the concept of reincarnation. You will either click to jump from my blog to something else that interests you, or you'll bide a wee here and keep reading.
I want to discuss Dr. Michael Newton's Life Between Lives regression therapy. About twelve years ago, I "accidentally" stumbled across Michael's books at my favorite place to be....a bookstore. I think it may have been Barnes & Noble, but can't say for sure. Any bookstore is a happy place for me. I was looking for something to pick up as a gift for a friend in the hospital and the rule there is, if I enter a bookstore to pick up a gift, I get one for myself as well. That keeps me from going hog wild and keeps the purchasing insanity to a minimum. So, there I was, poking around in the New Age section and that's where I discovered Michael Newton. He is a psychologist and a hypnotherapist who specializes in regression therapy - taking a subject back to a past life in order to heal issues existing in the current life. At some point in his practice, Michael inadvertently gave a "wrong" command to his client, and rather than taking that person back to a past life, he wound up taking them to Between Lives - that space we occupy after completing a lifetime and preparing for the next go 'round. I was hooked immediately and devoured that first book in record time, then went in search of the second book Michael had written. The titles are "Journey of Souls" and "Destiny of Souls" and can be found on Barnes & Noble or Amazon websites.
In order to not spoil the lovely experience for you too much, I won't go into broad detail about each book. I will say that reading Michael's work was a life changing experience for me, personally. For those of you who pick up either book, I am going so far as to say that you also will be changed by reading the contents. Michael has compiled over 20 years of case studies of Life Between Lives (LBL) regressions that challenge the reader to embrace concepts that we are not raised to contemplate in the U.S. Reincarnation obviously flies in the face of most American theological beliefs and Michael's work is not different in that regard. You will read of concepts that dabble in quantum physics and the ability to split energy and "bi-locate" into more than one existence, or lifetime. You will learn of life contracts made prior to birth in your current life, of viewing chambers that "program" key moments, images and circumstances into your subconscious as a kind of migration instinct in order to connect with vital members of your Primary Soul Group, and many more concepts that I won't go into here. Search these two books out, read them, and shoot me a comment after.
I'm always fascinated to hear how other people are affected by this whole concept, and I regularly recommend both books to anyone who will listen. For those of you who then decide to seek out a hypnotherapist and experience a LBL session, there is a website available for you to search out a therapist trained in Michael's specific techniques. If you're interested, click here to go to the website for The Newton Institute. Michael is now semi-retired and rarely does LBL sessions these days, preferring to do the occasional lecture for large groups, as well as guest appearances at various hypnotherapy schools. I was fortunate enough to be able to correspond with Michael for several years and he has a very large, warm, healing energy, as you might imagine. I went on to have this type of regression session done after writing back and forth with Michael and being guided to a therapist he had trained personally. It was quite an experience, but that's a topic for another blog.
We come here to learn, that much is clear even if you don't embrace the concept of reincarnation. How fascinating, if...just IF, however, we really do come back again and again, and there are all these infinite layers, energies, stories, dramas and experiences to explore?
I want to discuss Dr. Michael Newton's Life Between Lives regression therapy. About twelve years ago, I "accidentally" stumbled across Michael's books at my favorite place to be....a bookstore. I think it may have been Barnes & Noble, but can't say for sure. Any bookstore is a happy place for me. I was looking for something to pick up as a gift for a friend in the hospital and the rule there is, if I enter a bookstore to pick up a gift, I get one for myself as well. That keeps me from going hog wild and keeps the purchasing insanity to a minimum. So, there I was, poking around in the New Age section and that's where I discovered Michael Newton. He is a psychologist and a hypnotherapist who specializes in regression therapy - taking a subject back to a past life in order to heal issues existing in the current life. At some point in his practice, Michael inadvertently gave a "wrong" command to his client, and rather than taking that person back to a past life, he wound up taking them to Between Lives - that space we occupy after completing a lifetime and preparing for the next go 'round. I was hooked immediately and devoured that first book in record time, then went in search of the second book Michael had written. The titles are "Journey of Souls" and "Destiny of Souls" and can be found on Barnes & Noble or Amazon websites.
In order to not spoil the lovely experience for you too much, I won't go into broad detail about each book. I will say that reading Michael's work was a life changing experience for me, personally. For those of you who pick up either book, I am going so far as to say that you also will be changed by reading the contents. Michael has compiled over 20 years of case studies of Life Between Lives (LBL) regressions that challenge the reader to embrace concepts that we are not raised to contemplate in the U.S. Reincarnation obviously flies in the face of most American theological beliefs and Michael's work is not different in that regard. You will read of concepts that dabble in quantum physics and the ability to split energy and "bi-locate" into more than one existence, or lifetime. You will learn of life contracts made prior to birth in your current life, of viewing chambers that "program" key moments, images and circumstances into your subconscious as a kind of migration instinct in order to connect with vital members of your Primary Soul Group, and many more concepts that I won't go into here. Search these two books out, read them, and shoot me a comment after.
I'm always fascinated to hear how other people are affected by this whole concept, and I regularly recommend both books to anyone who will listen. For those of you who then decide to seek out a hypnotherapist and experience a LBL session, there is a website available for you to search out a therapist trained in Michael's specific techniques. If you're interested, click here to go to the website for The Newton Institute. Michael is now semi-retired and rarely does LBL sessions these days, preferring to do the occasional lecture for large groups, as well as guest appearances at various hypnotherapy schools. I was fortunate enough to be able to correspond with Michael for several years and he has a very large, warm, healing energy, as you might imagine. I went on to have this type of regression session done after writing back and forth with Michael and being guided to a therapist he had trained personally. It was quite an experience, but that's a topic for another blog.
We come here to learn, that much is clear even if you don't embrace the concept of reincarnation. How fascinating, if...just IF, however, we really do come back again and again, and there are all these infinite layers, energies, stories, dramas and experiences to explore?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)