Stop Studying and Start Practicing

Don't get me wrong; there is value in studying and learning.  Without it we wouldn't have the knowledge, information and tools to try new things to help ourselves grow and change.  However, it's really easy to get stuck in a safe place and wonder why we aren't making any progress. That safe place is a perpetual state of research and study, and since we have more knowledge and techniques to help us along on our journey we can mistakenly think we should be getting better. The truth is nothing can change if we don't DO SOMETHING with all the new things we've learned.

This is a rut I get stuck in time and time again, especially when it comes to my own healing.  For years when I wasn't feeling well and the lab tests said there was nothing wrong, I gradually began to take matters into my own hands by learning about complementary and natural medicine, natural products, and suggestions for diet and exercise. Truth be told, I did way more learning than actually trying out the ideas that I learned. Instead of giving myself Reiki every day I would do it once every couple of weeks or once a month, but I would read about it constantly.  I would read about different meditation techniques and rarely try them.  Every source tells you how important exercise is, yet I would say I felt too tired to even go for a walk. I know how important it is to eat more fruits and vegetables, and it never stopped me from eating at fast food restaurants.

Now in some ways the above paragraph is me just beating myself up again for not being perfect. I did learn a lot and have new things that are a regular part of my life that really make it better - like yoga, Reiki and eating gluten free. Lately, I am trying to apply the simplest practices into my daily life (like walking, meditating, and being in the present moment) and to worry less about studying new things. Am I perfect? Absolutely not. And Big Bird from Sesame Street gets it right, because "Everyone Makes Mistakes." There is still more I can do, and little by little I keep on getting better. Balance really is the key.  If you don't look for new ideas, it's easy to get stuck in a rut.  If you don't practice new techniques long enough or with enough regularity you may not receive the benefits you were looking for and give up on something that may help you. Know when you are stuck and do something about it. Don't punish yourself.  Do the best you can.  And like Nike says, "Just do it!"

Different Aspects of Healing

Through my years of practice I have experienced the different types of healing that Reiki can manifest in us.  I have often used Reiki to help with physical healing to relieve my itchy allergy eyes.  It has helped me to concentrate and focus when grading those end of semester research papers.  Reiki has even helped me come to terms gradually over time with emotional and spiritual matters.  But Reiki is not the only tool I use to help me along through life.

Recently, I began using The Grief Recovery Method to work through some emotional wounds from the past.  A friend recommended it to me and offered to work through it together.  It is hard work.  Sometimes it is sad and a little scary to face the darkness, but I know it has to be worked through.  It can't be avoided, walked around, or buried.  I had a picture with a quote by Robert Frost, "The best way out is always through," from an artist I found at the Ann Arbor Art Fair years ago and found it so beautiful.  But a few years ago I couldn't stand it.  Actually, I realize now I couldn't handle going through the pain of my grief.  There are days I'm still not sure I can stand being with the pain, but I know in order to get to the other side I must go through it. I'm thinking I might need to reorder that lithograph and hang it where I can see it everyday.

In working through The Grief Recovery Method, it addresses emotional healing.  Last week I heard a podcast from Sounds True's Insights at the Edge that dealt with the physical healing that needs to occur to finish releasing the emotional residue from trauma. Now not all emotional pain is trauma, but I'm no expert and really can't speak to that. Dr. Peter Levine and Dr. Maggie Phillips address that very clearly in the podcast.

What I am learning is that using only the Grief Recovery Method alone will help with the emotional pain from loss I have suffered in the past.  But to complete the healing (and maybe get rid of some of my yucky headaches), I need to find ways to address the pain from a spiritual and physical perspective too. Physical exercises to shake away the pain and continuing in earnest with my spiritual practice should help. I don't have the complete answers yet, but serendipity seems to be guiding me along with just enough information to travel the road to recovery.  For all of us, it is so important to pay attention to the things around us and what we hear, watch and experience.  The miracles are all around us if we just slow down and pay attention.

Why Am I Writing?

By nature I am a very private person, and also an extrovert.  These two traits do not always mix well.  Over the years I have begun to realize that while I love to be at the party, I don't try to be the center of attention.  I'd rather listen and help, than share what's really on my mind.  To turn this trait around a bit, it is my intention to post here the things that I have found helpful in the process of becoming a better, more whole and balanced human being.  What tends to instigate the process of self exploration, self expression, and the spiritual journey is some sort of crisis, be it physical, emotional, mental or spiritual. Some things that are shared here are to help all of us cope while on the journey and some will help us move forward in our process of becoming the people we are capable of being. These ideas are meant to be complementary to any person's physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health, as well as a complement to any spiritual belief system.

This blog is for the expression and explanation of my personal experiences. Far be it from me to tell anyone what to do. I am not a medical or mental health professional; I am simply someone who has tried some of this stuff out to help myself. If you've been like me, looking for something to soothe your body and soul while making sense of the sometimes crazy world we live in, keep reading.  It is my intention to hold a lamp up to what helps me.  It is my sincerest hope that you can benefit from it as well.

Several of the links here refer to the Reiki classes and services that I offer. This is not specifically a Reiki blog. Reiki is simply one tool in my bag of tricks that I share with others.  Reiki has helped me enormously over the years.  I enjoy sharing it with others so they may use it to help themselves and the people closest to them. As my services change, so will the tabs on the site.

Thanks for stopping by.

Welcome

This is my personal blog.  You can learn more about energy and the Reiki classes and services that I offer here.

Please be patient. The site is brand spankin' new and still under construction.  There will be many updates still to come.