I had lived a life of intense competition prior to age 40, running for Student Government and Class offices, pitching highly competitive Women’s Fast Pitch Softball, and working toward my doctorate (and much more). I was the female Midas, touching all and turning it to gold.
In the meantime, my poor body was imploding, but I ignored the stress signs. My vulnerable area was the thyroid gland, so when my mother died suddenly right after my 40th birthday, it said “STOP!” Of course I ignored even those symptoms. After all, there were so many important things to do! My stubbornness resulted in the need to get off of my feet and potentially serious consequences. I call that my second birthing, a wakeup call. Many of us aren’t lucky enough to catch our carelessness in time.
In our culture, we’re trained to ignore our bodies. We don’t ignore how our bodies look…and there are implants, Botox injections and all sorts of bizarre interventions to improve our appearance. What we ignore is how we actually feel. If we feel lousy, we have only to stroll down the aisles of the local CVS or Walgreens and find a million symptomatic remedies to shut our bodies up.
This approach is like cutting the wire to your car’s check engine light. No warning light, no problem, right? Wrong!! Whatever was causing the lousy feeling is still operating its mischief. We’re just blithely ignorant having cut off the discomfort. The symptoms aren’t the culprits, they’re our friendly and unpleasant reminders. “The body remembers what the mind forgets!”
Since I’ve been doing Reiki (light touch energy work) and have now am adding Foot Reflexology (see last week’s blog), using beautiful essential oils and playing gorgeous music, I’m watching my clients melt into the table, their breathing slow and rhythmic and their sweet faces in blissful repose. As the work hits the “reset button,” each client remembers what it feels like to be realigned and clear. As I see the effects of this work, I have renewed belief that being responsible means taking time and listening, making friends with our bodies rather than struggling with them.
Perfect music requires a tuned instrument. The gentle touch, the quiet time and stillness wrapped in Nature’s rhythms, will be the reset button that allows the mind to rest. Quiet time, quiet mind…the peace we all seek.
With love, Rosanne