Excerpt from my letter to Gary Craig, creator of The Emotional Freedom Technique:
Dear Gary,
When I took your training at Marilyn Gordon's Hypnotherapy Center on May 3, 1998, I had no idea it would be a life-changing event. Your work has been an integral part of my work ever since. I have been particularly proud to share your extraordinary integrity, humility and compassion each time I introduce EFT to a new client or audience.
Your decision to retire brought tears to my eyes. There are no words to express my gratitude for who you are and all you've done.
With blessings, love and light,
Lucy Grace
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
Trust In the Moment
In all the work I've done with the Vimala System of Handwriting, in the teachings of Nara White Owl, in my dabblings with astrology, and all the other esoteric studies sprinkled throughout the past twenty years of my life, the theme of "learning our lessons" is a single, unifying thread.
From what I can see, the lesson these days is TRUST; trust that there is an overall movement toward the good in this Universe. Staying in the moment is a direct path to staying in trust. As has been pointed out again and again across millennia, across philosophical and religious lines, this moment, moment by moment, is really all we have.
The promise of sanctuary lives in this moment. Beyond this moment is the chaos of uncertainty and the fear that brings.
We are at the forefront of a new paradigm. Life has never been like this before. We look ahead and it seems as if all the possible paths are blocked off. The heart starts to hammer and anxiety ratchets up. Anxiety is an excellent fertilizer for worry and as the brain becomes more and more full of worry, creative thought is squeezed out. Our focus narrows down to all the things great and small that are not working in our lives. The spiral that invites us upward in spirit ends up screwing us down into a dark, sticky abyss.
The problem is not a paucity of options, but a limited scope of vision. I’m sure of it.
From what I can see, the lesson these days is TRUST; trust that there is an overall movement toward the good in this Universe. Staying in the moment is a direct path to staying in trust. As has been pointed out again and again across millennia, across philosophical and religious lines, this moment, moment by moment, is really all we have.
The promise of sanctuary lives in this moment. Beyond this moment is the chaos of uncertainty and the fear that brings.
We are at the forefront of a new paradigm. Life has never been like this before. We look ahead and it seems as if all the possible paths are blocked off. The heart starts to hammer and anxiety ratchets up. Anxiety is an excellent fertilizer for worry and as the brain becomes more and more full of worry, creative thought is squeezed out. Our focus narrows down to all the things great and small that are not working in our lives. The spiral that invites us upward in spirit ends up screwing us down into a dark, sticky abyss.
The problem is not a paucity of options, but a limited scope of vision. I’m sure of it.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Long time no write!
What a time it's been! For my clients, friends and self, the past couple of months have been unusually intense. I have responded by easing up on my commitments, including this blog. Instead, I have allowed myself more mindless pursuits like finishing up the season of "Mad Men" and the latest episode of "The Good Wife." It's been incredibly satisfying to watch certain shows whose turmoil only lasts 44 minutes or so before being neatly and happily resolved.
Last Friday, November 13, my husband and I had just merged onto 101 from 128 on our way back from a much-needed vacation in Mendocino. I still don't know what came over me, but I turned to him and said something like: "It feels as though something significant has shifted. I don't know why or how, but it's huge -- like tectonic plates shifting. I know it sounds really weird, but I feel suddenly as though our world has changed somehow and life will never be the same."
When we arrived home, we heard of three deaths that had taken place over the few days we had been away. One was a 6-year-old girl in Oakland who had been born with cancerous melanomas, one was the cherished 22-year-old son of my Alphabetical Sister, Robin in Rhode Island, and one was a man in his 50's in the San Fernando Valley, the father of one of my kids' friends. All the services had been completed for these dear ones. Since January, I have attended 6 funerals of people who were each precious to me.
There is no doubt that our resilience muscles are being toned. There is no doubt that uncertainty is one of our few certainties. I can only hold fast to the hands of my Guides and Angels and trust them to keep me going in the right direction.
Last Friday, November 13, my husband and I had just merged onto 101 from 128 on our way back from a much-needed vacation in Mendocino. I still don't know what came over me, but I turned to him and said something like: "It feels as though something significant has shifted. I don't know why or how, but it's huge -- like tectonic plates shifting. I know it sounds really weird, but I feel suddenly as though our world has changed somehow and life will never be the same."
When we arrived home, we heard of three deaths that had taken place over the few days we had been away. One was a 6-year-old girl in Oakland who had been born with cancerous melanomas, one was the cherished 22-year-old son of my Alphabetical Sister, Robin in Rhode Island, and one was a man in his 50's in the San Fernando Valley, the father of one of my kids' friends. All the services had been completed for these dear ones. Since January, I have attended 6 funerals of people who were each precious to me.
There is no doubt that our resilience muscles are being toned. There is no doubt that uncertainty is one of our few certainties. I can only hold fast to the hands of my Guides and Angels and trust them to keep me going in the right direction.
How does hypnotherapy work for weight management?
"Natasha" wrote the following note some weeks after her third session with me. I have made some edits to make reading the message easier but the content is all hers:
Wow, life is great. I lost 9 lbs to date almost effort less since 9/2. I love my husband and his words don't hurt me as often. I also don't put myself in a position of being hurt because now I trust my decisions and don't look for confirmation as much. I say to myself before I go to him, if I don't get the affirmation from him that I am hoping for then 1) is he being an ass? 2) does he have to believe as I do? Usually No. 3) is he capable of the feelings I am hoping for?
Walking through these questions first when I head into an emotional discussion allows me to still love him for who he is and then I can still be who I am. So far this has been very freeing.
I do the same with my best friend who is similar to [my husband].
For eating, I eat a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I sometimes have a 10am and/or 4pm snack. I only weighed myself three times so far because I am in tune with my emotions and healthy eating. When I eat unhealthy, I am not really enjoying it. Not sure why right now, but I don't need to know.
Wow, life is great. I lost 9 lbs to date almost effort less since 9/2. I love my husband and his words don't hurt me as often. I also don't put myself in a position of being hurt because now I trust my decisions and don't look for confirmation as much. I say to myself before I go to him, if I don't get the affirmation from him that I am hoping for then 1) is he being an ass? 2) does he have to believe as I do? Usually No. 3) is he capable of the feelings I am hoping for?
Walking through these questions first when I head into an emotional discussion allows me to still love him for who he is and then I can still be who I am. So far this has been very freeing.
I do the same with my best friend who is similar to [my husband].
For eating, I eat a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I sometimes have a 10am and/or 4pm snack. I only weighed myself three times so far because I am in tune with my emotions and healthy eating. When I eat unhealthy, I am not really enjoying it. Not sure why right now, but I don't need to know.
Friday, October 16, 2009
She did it!
"Elaine" was in on Wednesday. She was almost in tears at the thought of driving her daughter from Danville to a class in Lafayette that afternoon. "Perfect!" I said.
We took it step by step: leaving the house, driving through the town streets to the freeway entrance, onto the freeway, then exit by exit to the 680/24 split, the dreaded overpass, and finally to the Pleasant Hill Exit. For nearly the full 90-minutes of our session, we tapped. By the end of the session, she was able to go through the entire route in her mind without fear.
As she was leaving, I asked her to email or call me to let me know how the actual drive went. When I hadn't heard from her by Thursday afternoon, I called her. Had it gone so badly that she was too disappointed to call?
Nope. Turns out that it went so well that she forgot it had been a big deal to begin with, forgot her promise to check-in with me. When I reminded her how frightened she had been, she turned sheepish. It was hard for her to relate to the intensity of the fear she'd experienced for so many years after such an effortless drive.
And that, folks, is exactly how it's supposed to work.
We took it step by step: leaving the house, driving through the town streets to the freeway entrance, onto the freeway, then exit by exit to the 680/24 split, the dreaded overpass, and finally to the Pleasant Hill Exit. For nearly the full 90-minutes of our session, we tapped. By the end of the session, she was able to go through the entire route in her mind without fear.
As she was leaving, I asked her to email or call me to let me know how the actual drive went. When I hadn't heard from her by Thursday afternoon, I called her. Had it gone so badly that she was too disappointed to call?
Nope. Turns out that it went so well that she forgot it had been a big deal to begin with, forgot her promise to check-in with me. When I reminded her how frightened she had been, she turned sheepish. It was hard for her to relate to the intensity of the fear she'd experienced for so many years after such an effortless drive.
And that, folks, is exactly how it's supposed to work.
Monday, October 12, 2009
How much do you charge?
In my circles of friends and colleagues, it's common to speak in terms of "an exchange of energy" when describing the collection of fees for services rendered.
Setting fees has been problematic for me from the very first client I saw, nearly 18 years ago. How does one put a monetary value on one's skills? On healing? On wellness?
When I say I have a "sliding scale," some people are puzzled by the phrase. It means that my fees are adjustable, according to the client's financial situation.
Some years ago, there was one troubled man I saw over a period of several months. He was a referral from Dr. Len Saputo of the Health Medicine Institute and because of debilitating back pain, could only work part-time. Dr. Saputo was using photon light therapy on him and although there was some improvement from that, Dr. Saputo astutely figured that there must be emotional components to the pain that prevented the complete "cure" possible. I offered to see "Jim" at $25 per visit. He was fearless in our work together, never refusing to go into what I think of as the "tender places" in order to heal. As he got better and better, he was able to work more. I realize that I expected him to offer to increase his weekly payment to me as his financial situation improved. When that didn't happen, I understood how naive I'd been in my expectation.
I'm better at setting those boundaries these days. As important as it is for to me to be of service when I can, and to price those services to be accessible, I know it is also up to me to ask for what I feel those services are worth. People who don't blink at dropping hundreds of dollars for a single dinner at a fine restaurant put up all kinds of resistance when asked to pay my full fee. Sometimes I can laugh about. Sometimes.
Setting fees has been problematic for me from the very first client I saw, nearly 18 years ago. How does one put a monetary value on one's skills? On healing? On wellness?
When I say I have a "sliding scale," some people are puzzled by the phrase. It means that my fees are adjustable, according to the client's financial situation.
Some years ago, there was one troubled man I saw over a period of several months. He was a referral from Dr. Len Saputo of the Health Medicine Institute and because of debilitating back pain, could only work part-time. Dr. Saputo was using photon light therapy on him and although there was some improvement from that, Dr. Saputo astutely figured that there must be emotional components to the pain that prevented the complete "cure" possible. I offered to see "Jim" at $25 per visit. He was fearless in our work together, never refusing to go into what I think of as the "tender places" in order to heal. As he got better and better, he was able to work more. I realize that I expected him to offer to increase his weekly payment to me as his financial situation improved. When that didn't happen, I understood how naive I'd been in my expectation.
I'm better at setting those boundaries these days. As important as it is for to me to be of service when I can, and to price those services to be accessible, I know it is also up to me to ask for what I feel those services are worth. People who don't blink at dropping hundreds of dollars for a single dinner at a fine restaurant put up all kinds of resistance when asked to pay my full fee. Sometimes I can laugh about. Sometimes.
These are the days of miracle and wonder ...
My newsletter column this month was about two quirks of the subconscious mind: one, that it can't tell the difference between what's real and what's imagined; two, that it has no sense of time.
One of my clients commented that as logical as that second quirk sounds, she found it impossible to believe that "It's never too late to have a happy childhood." She offered the analogy of an amputation, asserting that once the limb is gone, it's gone forever and the impact of that injury must be dealt with every day.
I explained that the work we were doing together made the difference between the ability to live life feeling healthy and whole versus experiencing "phantom limb pain" for the rest of her days.
One of my clients commented that as logical as that second quirk sounds, she found it impossible to believe that "It's never too late to have a happy childhood." She offered the analogy of an amputation, asserting that once the limb is gone, it's gone forever and the impact of that injury must be dealt with every day.
I explained that the work we were doing together made the difference between the ability to live life feeling healthy and whole versus experiencing "phantom limb pain" for the rest of her days.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
A Work In Progress
Often when things get really, really slow in my work, I take it as a sign that I need to do some healing work on myself. When I taught hypnotherapy at Marilyn Gordon's Center for Hypnotherapy Certification in Oakland, CA, I always encouraged students to go for a tune-up healing session with a professional at least once a year. I still feel that putting myself in the role of being a client every so often is the best way to stay in touch with how difficult it is for a person to pick up the phone, ask for the help, and keep the appointment. Boy was that theory validated big time today!
You'd think that after nearly 20 years of working on myself it would get easier. During the night, I woke up with anxiety and did several rounds of EFT to calm my agitated spirit. In the morning, I left in plenty of time and yet managed to miss an easily recognizable turn. I ended up wandering long enough to make me 15 late for the appointment. Once I got there, I had trouble following the simplest directions because I had somehow forgotten how to distinguish my left from my right. And, in case all that wasn't humiliating enough, I discovered that I had left my purse -- and wallet -- at home.
The practitioner was gentle, understanding and very kind. I had a terrific healing session. I left her office a bit dazed but feeling lighter and freer.
Chances are that some of you reading this have had similar experiences getting to my office, especially for your first appointment. As the saying goes, we are all one. Everybody's got "stuff," and everybody faces resistance in letting go of our stuff; even me!
You'd think that after nearly 20 years of working on myself it would get easier. During the night, I woke up with anxiety and did several rounds of EFT to calm my agitated spirit. In the morning, I left in plenty of time and yet managed to miss an easily recognizable turn. I ended up wandering long enough to make me 15 late for the appointment. Once I got there, I had trouble following the simplest directions because I had somehow forgotten how to distinguish my left from my right. And, in case all that wasn't humiliating enough, I discovered that I had left my purse -- and wallet -- at home.
The practitioner was gentle, understanding and very kind. I had a terrific healing session. I left her office a bit dazed but feeling lighter and freer.
Chances are that some of you reading this have had similar experiences getting to my office, especially for your first appointment. As the saying goes, we are all one. Everybody's got "stuff," and everybody faces resistance in letting go of our stuff; even me!
Fore!
Got a call from Mr. D, a golfer I've been working with. He was beside himself with joy. Over the weekend he shot a 78 on an 18-hole golf course. Now, I'm not a golfer but even I recognize a terrific score when I hear it. He's been hovering in the 90's, with an occasional dip into the high 80's. This was fabulous news for us both.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Spiritual Midwifery
I am of the opinion that sometimes we have issues, especially physical problems, whose sole purpose is to bring us closer to Spirit. Sometimes, my most valuable role in healing is as a spiritual midwife. Over the years, in the course of my work, I have witnessed many remarkable spiritual awakenings. One happened yesterday that I will long remember.
This was the fourth or fifth visit of this particular client to his "House of Healing." I call these kinds of hypnotherapy sessions where the client speaks to me while in a deep hypnotic trance Essential Healing because such work produces dramatic results. Usually after one or two Essential Healing sessions, a client's issue clears up.
For this man, the decades-old issue wasn't budging but he was feeling lighter, clearer, more peaceful after each session. Even his wife noticed the improvements in him. His "Inner Wisdom" was adamant about his ability to completely overcome his problem, so the lack of progress was a little frustrating for both the client and me. Because of his Inner Wisdom's unequivocal promptings, we kept at it.
So, there he was in his House of Healing, which for him was very much like an old Greek or Roman temple. He described in detail the few objects in the House as well as the landscape around it. Then slowly, with long pauses in between, he described a feeling of great peace, deep acceptance. He said he'd never felt like this before. Tears began to slip down his cheeks. This man who professed no particular faith, religion or spiritual beliefs quietly said, "I am filled with the grace of God."
Before his Essential Healing session concluded, his Inner Wisdom appeared more tangibly than ever before with yet another assurance that his problem could and would be resolved. After what I had witnessed, I couldn't possibly doubt that.
This was the fourth or fifth visit of this particular client to his "House of Healing." I call these kinds of hypnotherapy sessions where the client speaks to me while in a deep hypnotic trance Essential Healing because such work produces dramatic results. Usually after one or two Essential Healing sessions, a client's issue clears up.
For this man, the decades-old issue wasn't budging but he was feeling lighter, clearer, more peaceful after each session. Even his wife noticed the improvements in him. His "Inner Wisdom" was adamant about his ability to completely overcome his problem, so the lack of progress was a little frustrating for both the client and me. Because of his Inner Wisdom's unequivocal promptings, we kept at it.
So, there he was in his House of Healing, which for him was very much like an old Greek or Roman temple. He described in detail the few objects in the House as well as the landscape around it. Then slowly, with long pauses in between, he described a feeling of great peace, deep acceptance. He said he'd never felt like this before. Tears began to slip down his cheeks. This man who professed no particular faith, religion or spiritual beliefs quietly said, "I am filled with the grace of God."
Before his Essential Healing session concluded, his Inner Wisdom appeared more tangibly than ever before with yet another assurance that his problem could and would be resolved. After what I had witnessed, I couldn't possibly doubt that.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Some things are not for everyone
In my August e-newsletter, I wrote about an extended training I had with Donna Eden, energy medicine guru. I was so impressed with her genuineness, her expertise and her caring. When she recommended 5 daily energy exercises for "every body," I took on the practice.
I don't know why, but something about those 5 exercises did not work for me. I became overly emotional and depressed at the same time. My husband noticed. My Body & Brain teacher noticed. Both urged me to stop the exercises and I did. I very quickly felt more like myself again.
Donna Eden's work continues to inspre me and I continue to be fascinated by its power to heal. At the same time, because of my own experience, I am more cautious about recommending those 5 daily exercises to my clients and friends. This energy stuff is serious business and a "one size fits all" approach is apparently not the way to go with it after all.
I don't know why, but something about those 5 exercises did not work for me. I became overly emotional and depressed at the same time. My husband noticed. My Body & Brain teacher noticed. Both urged me to stop the exercises and I did. I very quickly felt more like myself again.
Donna Eden's work continues to inspre me and I continue to be fascinated by its power to heal. At the same time, because of my own experience, I am more cautious about recommending those 5 daily exercises to my clients and friends. This energy stuff is serious business and a "one size fits all" approach is apparently not the way to go with it after all.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
A new level of awe
In 17 years of doing this remarkable work, I have witnessed some truly amazing things. Just when I think I've topped the "awe" chart, something new happens that extends the chart.
This afternoon, "A" was in deep trance in the client chair. This was her first "Journey," accessing her vision of Sacred Space and interacting with her Guides and Angels. As concerned as she was about "What if I don't see anything ... What if it doesn't work ... what if, what if, what if ..." she was doing beautifully. She met with an angel she identified as R-ielle, as well as several Guides and a deceased loved one.
At one point, I looked at the clock and noticed that our time was almost up. Without thinking, I waved my hand in the direction of the chair where she was lying, as though to say, "Time's up!" It was a totally mindless act on my part.
Imagine my shock when the fingers of her right hand curled, one at a time, and "A" said, "Someone is moving my hand!" She was still in deep trance, eyes completely closed. She was not aware of my action in any way.
Un-believable. Except I was there. And it happened. As I am fond of saying, "For all this and more, I give thanks."
This afternoon, "A" was in deep trance in the client chair. This was her first "Journey," accessing her vision of Sacred Space and interacting with her Guides and Angels. As concerned as she was about "What if I don't see anything ... What if it doesn't work ... what if, what if, what if ..." she was doing beautifully. She met with an angel she identified as R-ielle, as well as several Guides and a deceased loved one.
At one point, I looked at the clock and noticed that our time was almost up. Without thinking, I waved my hand in the direction of the chair where she was lying, as though to say, "Time's up!" It was a totally mindless act on my part.
Imagine my shock when the fingers of her right hand curled, one at a time, and "A" said, "Someone is moving my hand!" She was still in deep trance, eyes completely closed. She was not aware of my action in any way.
Un-believable. Except I was there. And it happened. As I am fond of saying, "For all this and more, I give thanks."
Thursday, July 9, 2009
My Life as a Frog
When we think of symbols for "transformation," the butterfly comes readily to mind. Sure it's impressive to go from sturdy, fuzzy, crawling caterpillar to delicate, exquisite, flying butterfly. No argument there. I just think it's highly significant that the whole process is accomplished in total seclusion.
I don't know about you, but I don't have the luxury of going off to a quiet, safe, secluded place when I have growing and changing to do. Just the opposite seems to be true for me. Here I am, compulsively comparing my AmEx statement against my checking account balance, sitting in summer traffic, trying to call my mother every day, doing my best to avoid hysterical accounts of potential geo-political catastrophes just about everywhere ... and ... oh yes, also making huge personal shifts in how I think, feel, behave and react. I know I am evolving from a five-sensory being to a multi-sensory being, as Gary Zukov described in Seat of the Soul, all while living my life as a healer, wife, mother, daughter, sister and citizen of the world.
Because of this, my new hero is the frog. Not nature's most attractive animal, yet one I can thoroughly relate to and admire.
The transformation from tadpole to frog takes place step by step in the real world. The tadpole is still in the pond when it begins to realize it needs air, not water; legs, not fins. There have got to be some days the creature doesn't know where he belongs, how to get around or even how to breathe. Sound familiar?
So, today I salute the valiant frog, just as I salute all of us conscious humans who are struggling with all this change and yet still keep going. Yay us!
I don't know about you, but I don't have the luxury of going off to a quiet, safe, secluded place when I have growing and changing to do. Just the opposite seems to be true for me. Here I am, compulsively comparing my AmEx statement against my checking account balance, sitting in summer traffic, trying to call my mother every day, doing my best to avoid hysterical accounts of potential geo-political catastrophes just about everywhere ... and ... oh yes, also making huge personal shifts in how I think, feel, behave and react. I know I am evolving from a five-sensory being to a multi-sensory being, as Gary Zukov described in Seat of the Soul, all while living my life as a healer, wife, mother, daughter, sister and citizen of the world.
Because of this, my new hero is the frog. Not nature's most attractive animal, yet one I can thoroughly relate to and admire.
The transformation from tadpole to frog takes place step by step in the real world. The tadpole is still in the pond when it begins to realize it needs air, not water; legs, not fins. There have got to be some days the creature doesn't know where he belongs, how to get around or even how to breathe. Sound familiar?
So, today I salute the valiant frog, just as I salute all of us conscious humans who are struggling with all this change and yet still keep going. Yay us!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Why allopathic medicine gets a bad rep
I pride myself on being a bridge between worlds and people and groups of people. Many of my colleagues are rabidly anti-allopathic (Western) medicine. I prefer to take a more measured position, reasoning that if my appendix is ready to burst, it would not serve me to "tap" on myself as the remedy. Doctors have their place, as does surgery.
All that said, I wanted to scream yesterday when I heard the following story. "T" is a vibrant, dynamic powerhouse of a woman in her mid-sixties. She owns her own company and leads a very spirit-centered life.
It has been determined that "T" has "pre-cancerous cells in her cervix" which have a "30% chance of becoming cancerous." Every medical practitioner she has consulted with has recommended that she have a total hysterectomy. When she asked about keeping her ovaries, she was told that most women don't ask those kinds of questions and why does she want to keep equipment in her body that she no longer needs. Even her homeopath -- who also happens to be an MD -- counseled her in this direction.
"T" is telling me that she has a great resistance to the surgery, especially to the removal of her ovaries. She feels as though her doctors (and she can afford the best) are simply checking off boxes on a list marked "What to do for women over 60 having 'women's problems'" rather than actually assessing her individual situation. Her questions have been met with increasing impatience and condescension.
Using deep relaxation techniques, I facilitated a conversation between her, an angel protector she encountered in the course of the journey, and her body. The angel told her that she's been under so much stress that her body is acting up. Her being out of balance has put her body out of balance.
When I guided her to look at her cervix, she saw it was clear. Her uterous was clear. Her ovaries were clear.
Unfortunately, with the entire medical community filling her head with dire images of cancer spreading throughout her body, trusting her own wisdom seems foolhardy rather than the way to go. She's already postponed the surgery twice and is fearful of a backlash from her doctors if she postpones it yet again.
What's wrong with this picture?
Before we parted, I suggested that she shift her prayers to something along the lines of, "Show me with crystal clarity the path I need to take; I'd like a billboard telling me clearly what to do."
All that said, I wanted to scream yesterday when I heard the following story. "T" is a vibrant, dynamic powerhouse of a woman in her mid-sixties. She owns her own company and leads a very spirit-centered life.
It has been determined that "T" has "pre-cancerous cells in her cervix" which have a "30% chance of becoming cancerous." Every medical practitioner she has consulted with has recommended that she have a total hysterectomy. When she asked about keeping her ovaries, she was told that most women don't ask those kinds of questions and why does she want to keep equipment in her body that she no longer needs. Even her homeopath -- who also happens to be an MD -- counseled her in this direction.
"T" is telling me that she has a great resistance to the surgery, especially to the removal of her ovaries. She feels as though her doctors (and she can afford the best) are simply checking off boxes on a list marked "What to do for women over 60 having 'women's problems'" rather than actually assessing her individual situation. Her questions have been met with increasing impatience and condescension.
Using deep relaxation techniques, I facilitated a conversation between her, an angel protector she encountered in the course of the journey, and her body. The angel told her that she's been under so much stress that her body is acting up. Her being out of balance has put her body out of balance.
When I guided her to look at her cervix, she saw it was clear. Her uterous was clear. Her ovaries were clear.
Unfortunately, with the entire medical community filling her head with dire images of cancer spreading throughout her body, trusting her own wisdom seems foolhardy rather than the way to go. She's already postponed the surgery twice and is fearful of a backlash from her doctors if she postpones it yet again.
What's wrong with this picture?
Before we parted, I suggested that she shift her prayers to something along the lines of, "Show me with crystal clarity the path I need to take; I'd like a billboard telling me clearly what to do."
Thursday, June 18, 2009
I leave today for four days of intensive advanced training with Dr. Vimala Rodgers. Vimala has a unique perspective on handwriting as a tool for personal, professional and spiritual excellence.
It is sometimes a challenge to keep up with Vimala. She is truly a visionary and as such, is often far ahead of what most people -- including me -- can grasp. She is Mensa-level brilliant and has no use for most of what we might call our "modern world." She had never heard of a Wii until faced with one at a Christmas gathering last year. The reality of such an invention puzzled her. Why would anyone want to participate in life through such a filter? If you want to play a game, go play the game! Why play a game that plays the game?
I have been working with The Vimala System of Handwriting for 15 years. I never would have imagined the changes in my outlook and reactions to life that my daily handwriting practice has solidified in me. And yet, among all the tools I offer to clients (and even speak about to family and friends), The Vimala System creates the most resistance and skepticism. At times I've crossed over into that camp. But the results in my life bring me back to this extraordinary tool.
Trainings with Vimala are usually non-stop. They take place at retreat centers -- but there is very little "retreating." Instead, we're usually in class every moment we aren't eating or sleeping. It can be grueling. Still, we return, again and again. What magic might we miss out on otherwise?
I'll let you know how "Sacred Symbols" goes.
It is sometimes a challenge to keep up with Vimala. She is truly a visionary and as such, is often far ahead of what most people -- including me -- can grasp. She is Mensa-level brilliant and has no use for most of what we might call our "modern world." She had never heard of a Wii until faced with one at a Christmas gathering last year. The reality of such an invention puzzled her. Why would anyone want to participate in life through such a filter? If you want to play a game, go play the game! Why play a game that plays the game?
I have been working with The Vimala System of Handwriting for 15 years. I never would have imagined the changes in my outlook and reactions to life that my daily handwriting practice has solidified in me. And yet, among all the tools I offer to clients (and even speak about to family and friends), The Vimala System creates the most resistance and skepticism. At times I've crossed over into that camp. But the results in my life bring me back to this extraordinary tool.
Trainings with Vimala are usually non-stop. They take place at retreat centers -- but there is very little "retreating." Instead, we're usually in class every moment we aren't eating or sleeping. It can be grueling. Still, we return, again and again. What magic might we miss out on otherwise?
I'll let you know how "Sacred Symbols" goes.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Part of my problem with having a blog is the name "blog." It sounds suspiciously like a Lewis Carroll invention marrying, say, "bleah" with "slog." Anyway, certainly not something worth someone actually taking the time to read, let alone write.
Yes, I know I sound like a cranky old woman. I AM a cranky old woman when it comes to certain things -- and it's tough to let you readers see that side of me because who wants to work with a cranky hypnotherapist?
Hypnotherapists must be perfect, without vices, right? After all, if I don't have my life totally together, what gall to suggest that I can help you get your life together? So, it's very challenging for me to reveal that I have a favorite punctuation mark (I love semicolons and trust me, they are woefully underused). I'm a nut I am about grammar ("lay" needs an object, folks, and should never be followed by a preposition -- "lay down" makes me cringe like nails on a blackboard); and I'm addicted to Mamy Susan, an obscure form of Solitaire on my computer. I realize that these things don't just make me sound pleasantly quirky, they make me sound like a vintage Saturday Night Live charicature.
'Twas brillig and the slithy toves ...
Yes, I know I sound like a cranky old woman. I AM a cranky old woman when it comes to certain things -- and it's tough to let you readers see that side of me because who wants to work with a cranky hypnotherapist?
Hypnotherapists must be perfect, without vices, right? After all, if I don't have my life totally together, what gall to suggest that I can help you get your life together? So, it's very challenging for me to reveal that I have a favorite punctuation mark (I love semicolons and trust me, they are woefully underused). I'm a nut I am about grammar ("lay" needs an object, folks, and should never be followed by a preposition -- "lay down" makes me cringe like nails on a blackboard); and I'm addicted to Mamy Susan, an obscure form of Solitaire on my computer. I realize that these things don't just make me sound pleasantly quirky, they make me sound like a vintage Saturday Night Live charicature.
'Twas brillig and the slithy toves ...
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
This work is never boring.
The day began with a 15-year-old soccer player who wanted to improve his ability to manipulate the soccer ball with greater control. I made a custom hypnotherapy CD for him that he can listen to either during the day or at bedtime.
My second client has been working with me to regain her sense of balance after her husband announced he doesn't love her anymore.
After lunch with Linda Schwan, a wonderful cranial-sacral massage therapist in Walnut Creek, an awesome session with a client I haven't seen in a year and a half. She's been unable to stay asleep in spite of a variety of natural/herbal remedies. I used touch hypnosis to help her relax very deeply and she was able to go to a Sacred Space in her mind and speak with her Inner Wisdom. Her Inner Wisdom told her the reasons for the insomnia and suggested she write a list of gratitudes every day to shift her mind to the more positive place she needs to cultivate.
Better and better and better. Better and better every day, better and better in every way ... as all is moving toward the good. And so it is.
The day began with a 15-year-old soccer player who wanted to improve his ability to manipulate the soccer ball with greater control. I made a custom hypnotherapy CD for him that he can listen to either during the day or at bedtime.
My second client has been working with me to regain her sense of balance after her husband announced he doesn't love her anymore.
After lunch with Linda Schwan, a wonderful cranial-sacral massage therapist in Walnut Creek, an awesome session with a client I haven't seen in a year and a half. She's been unable to stay asleep in spite of a variety of natural/herbal remedies. I used touch hypnosis to help her relax very deeply and she was able to go to a Sacred Space in her mind and speak with her Inner Wisdom. Her Inner Wisdom told her the reasons for the insomnia and suggested she write a list of gratitudes every day to shift her mind to the more positive place she needs to cultivate.
Better and better and better. Better and better every day, better and better in every way ... as all is moving toward the good. And so it is.
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