In our Western culture, we are raised to believe that the world is black or white, good or bad, up or down… This is the literal, linear world that we think we live in.
However, the longer I dance in the world of energy and healing and spirit, the more I realize everything is paradox – everything is up and down, black and white, good and bad. We are physical and spiritual. Yin and Yang.
Earlier this year, I wrote about a dear friend of mine, Lisa Saubolle, who was diagnosed with cancer that had spread to multiple places in her spine. What a journey we are on! She recently signed up with Hospice, needs 24-hour care, and desperately wanted to go home rather than “live” in the county-run skilled nursing facility she was in. We (her friends) began a fundraiser to help Lisa with the care needed to allow her to go home (estimated at $11,000/month). The fundraiser was started Saturday morning. By Monday evening, we raised over $15,000!!. And, Lisa went home today after over 2 months in the hospital!
During the first few weeks of Lisa’s hospitalization, which began in January, I was at the hospital most days, and spoke with her daily. I realized that I was quickly burning out. I could not keep serving if I was tired and grumpy. As my beloved teacher Rosalyn Bruyere used to say “The world is not a better place if we are up one patient and down one healer.” After some experimentation, I found that I could visit a couple of times a week, offer healing, support, love, and presence, but not much more. I could not continue to go “full steam ahead”, even for a friend who may be dying. I had to take care of myself first and foremost! I had to be what we are all taught NOT to be – I had to be “selfish”. Then I could be present, love and support her, and let go.
Part of letting go is trusting life, trusting the divine. I often imagine that I am handing my clients, students, family to their “source”, who is much more capable to taking care of them than I am. It is easier to let go if you don’t feel like you are abandoning your loved one.
I recently posted this on a wonderful communication site for Lisa: “Healing is happening. Sometimes healing happens and the body dies; sometimes healing happens and “spontaneous remission” is the result. I prefer to hold the paradox of all of this and take one step, one day at a time as Lisa’s friend.”
I also recently sensed that the healing energy that works best for Lisa right now is Reiki. Reiki is so loving and peaceful and soothing, unconditional and gentle. It does not urge her to live, it just loves. Of course, as I offer Reiki to Lisa, both at a distance and hands-on, I get filled with the same loving energy – as I give, I receive. What a gift!
So, if you know Reiki, please feel remember to use it on yourself first and foremost.
In our Western culture, we are raised to believe that the world is black or white, good or bad, up or down… This is the literal, linear world that we think we live in.
However, the longer I dance in the world of energy and healing and spirit, the more I realize everything is paradox – everything is up and down, black and white, good and bad. We are physical and spiritual. Yin and Yang.
Earlier this year, I wrote about a dear friend of mine, Lisa Saubolle, who was diagnosed with cancer that had spread to multiple places in her spine. What a journey we are on! She recently signed up with Hospice, needs 24-hour care, and desperately wanted to go home rather than “live” in the county-run skilled nursing facility she was in. We (her friends) began a fundraiser to help Lisa with the care needed to allow her to go home (estimated at $11,000/month). The fundraiser was started Saturday morning. By Monday evening, we raised over $15,000!!. And, Lisa went home today after over 2 months in the hospital! (Click here for the story on our fundraising site, and please donate and share if you can!)
During the first few weeks of Lisa’s hospitalization, which began in January, I was at the hospital most days, and spoke with her daily. I realized that I was quickly burning out. I could not keep serving if I was tired and grumpy. As my beloved teacher Rosalyn Bruyere used to say “The world is not a better place if we are up one patient and down one healer.” After some experimentation, I found that I could visit a couple of times a week, offer healing, support, love, and presence, but not much more. I could not continue to go “full steam ahead”, even for a friend who may be dying. I had to take care of myself first and foremost! I had to be what we are all taught NOT to be – I had to be “selfish”. Then I could be present, love and support her, and let go.
Part of letting go is trusting life, trusting the divine. I often imagine that I am handing my clients, students, family to their “source”, who is much more capable to taking care of them than I am. It is easier to let go if you don’t feel like you are abandoning your loved one.
I recently posted this on Lisa’s CaringBridge website “Healing is happening. Sometimes healing happens and the body dies; sometimes healing happens and “spontaneous remission” is the result. I prefer to hold the paradox of all of this and take one step, one day at a time as Lisa’s friend.”
I also recently sensed that the healing energy that works best for Lisa right now is Reiki. Reiki is so loving and peaceful and soothing, unconditional and gentle. It does not urge her to live, it just loves. Of course, as I offer Reiki to Lisa, both at a distance and hands-on, I get filled with the same loving energy – as I give, I receive. What a gift!
So, if you know Reiki, please feel remember to use it on yourself first and foremost, and free to send energy to my friend Lisa. If you don’t yet know Reiki, I have a class coming up next weekend, March 31 & April 1, and I would love to have you join us!
– See more at: http://lyw.heroku.com/blog/life-in-paradox-loving-and-letting-go#sthash.mMOCYn1K.dpuf