“If people are part of the environment, as we profess, then our first
opportunity to treat the environment in a sustainable way, or even to understand
what sustainability is, is in our relationship with ourselves, and each other.”
John Francis – the Planetwalker, from “Oil on the Water” National Geographic
post May 4, 2010
Coping with one disaster after another - how much more can
we take? Our world is experiencing perilous disasters these days that seem to
be happening on the heels of the previous one, with more devastation than the
last catastrophe. Bigger than usual magnitude earthquakes, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion, Greece
revolting, people dying, riots in the streets. Are we going to be okay? Yes.
A few weeks ago, my father passed away. Experiencing the
death of a loved one is right up there with losing a job, divorce, or losing
everything in a fire, volcano, war zone, earthquake or other disaster. And, my
energy medicine self-healing practice helped sustain me.
I was not prepared for the jilting chaos that occurred as I
converged with my family in our individual and collective grief. Regaining
vitality and a sense of wholeness from the sudden tsunami of my whole
childhood, my life and past “doo doo” with these people all wrapped up in one
energy field of pain and sadness in close proximity with everyone involved was
a huge shock for me. Abrupt distresses that jolt the whole mental, emotional
and physical system may turn on an unconscious survival mechanism.
You are surprised that you are crying so much, your feelings
are volatile, you bite your sibling’s head off with an angry look that could
kill and you think to yourself, “Where did that come from?” You feel like you
are a deer caught in headlights, walking around in a daze, stuck in a bad dream
from which you cannot escape. Where is the love? Where is your support, your
life preserver? How do you make it through? It is the strength of your spirit
that carries you through every time.
For two months I followed my father’s intensive
metamorphosis out of his body. One day while exercising, I was conscientious of
enjoying my physical workout at the same time I was also crying with deep
sadness at losing my father. Suddenly my heart felt like it was breaking from
the center outward in all directions simultaneously. I had a fleeting thought
that I might die. I didn’t. Today my heart feels less rigid, more flexible.
As funny as this may sound, what curiously seeps into mind from
my heart breaking to becoming more flexible memory is the stories in the Stefanie
Meyers’ Twilight Saga books about the
phasing of werewolves and alterations from human to immortals. Some kind of
transformation occurred for me on a holistic level as I observed my father’s shifting
into eternity. It is the strength of your spirit that carries you through every time. However it turns out, your spirit takes care
of you.
The world is transforming whether you and I come along or
not. Harmony and chaos are partners. When I first became aware that my father
was dying, it was the biggest challenge of his life (and mine too as his
witness). I remember saying to my friends that I would look for the Grace
throughout the journey. And I found it. Right there along side some of the largest
“doo doos” standing like a bright beacon in the darkness, was Grace and compassionate
understanding. It is the strength of
your spirit that carries you through every
time.
You can connect with that strength of spirit, infinite life
force, supreme unconditional love that carries you through every life
disturbance, by holding each of your fingers. This is effortless energy
medicine self-help. Your fingers link together all of the subtle energy
pathways of your body. Hold each of your fingers for emotional support. Doing so does not mean you are negating feelings. It means that you bring a higher perspective, the perspective of spirit to your emotional experience. "Doo doo" still happens only now your response is unburdening and uplifting.
- Harmonizing
Worry – Hold your thumb every day, every time you think of it to help
recover your emotional balance when worry causes your energies to feel sticky
and stagnant (the opposite of healthy flow). Wrap your thumb and fingers
around one thumb at a time, drop your shoulders, breathe comfortably and
simply be with your body’s natural system of healing for up to 5 minutes
or longer.
- Harmonizing
Fear – Hold your index finger every day, every time you think of it to
help recover your vitality when standing in fear and shock steals it away from you.
Wrap your thumb and fingers around one index finger at a time, drop your
shoulders, breathe comfortably, and simply be with your body’s natural
system of healing for up to 5 minutes.
- Harmonizing
Anger – Hold your middle finger every day, every time you think of it to
help your hot, explosive feelings recover calm and compassionate
understanding for yourself and other. Wrap your thumb and fingers around one
middle finger, drop your shoulders,
breathe comfortably and simply be with your body’s natural system of
healing for up to 5 minutes.
- Harmonizing
Sadness - Hold your ring finger every day, every time you think of it to
help recover your balance when sadness has depleted your energies. Wrap
your thumb and fingers around one ring finger, drop your shoulders, breathe
comfortably and simply be with your body’s natural system of healing for
up to 5 minutes or longer if you like.
- Harmonizing
Trying to Do and Be Too Much – Hold your little finger every day, every
time you think of it to help shift into balance when you feel, scattered,
chaotic and overwhelmed by the world. Wrap your thumb and fingers around one
little finger, drop your shoulder, breathe comfortably, and simply be with
your body’s natural system of healing for up to 5 minutes.
Come back to neutral often. Hold
each of your fingers regularly to interact with Big Picture, Source-sized serenity,
neutrality, and balance when the world around you becomes more than you can
bear. It is that strength that is your spirit. Many blessings for your health
and wholeness.
Barbara
Copyright 2010 Barbara J. Semple
