Category: Original Writing

Opening Into The Unknown

This short article was first printed in the November 2010 issue of the Motivational Institute of Hypnotherapy newsletter. Enjoy!

Take a moment to think about something you REALLY want to have or a goal you want to reach. Really let yourself experience how it would feel to have that situation in your life. The next step is to consider actually creating it.

Now, if a reason why you can’t popped up in your mind first thing, just acknowledge it. We can let go of judging that thought and understand it is just the Ego’s way of trying to protect us from change. Perhaps your Ego chimed in with something like this: “I can’t do that! I don’t have the money! I don’t know how! Yeah right, how will that ever happen?” Or something along those lines.

We get blocked from creating our desires when we get stuck on wanting to know HOW and all the details. We don’t have to know HOW it can happen or the steps that will lead to that goal manifesting in our lives. I like the way Wayne Dyer explains this, he says, “The answer to HOW is YES”. What this means is we don’t have to know how or all the details, we just have to be open and say YES to our dreams coming true.

This is what I call ‘opening into the unknown’. We just send out what we want to create in our lives and allow the Divine energy to fill in the blanks. Louise Hay also addresses this issue, explaining that we don’t need to know how we are going to create something, we just need to be willing. Her affirmation for this is: “I am willing to shift the patterns in my unconscious mind that are creating this condition.” ‘How?’ is a challenge question. Stop challenging yourself and making blocks between you and your goals. Instead just open into the unknown, say ‘YES’, be willing, and be ready to receive.

BURN AND BLANKET

You were dead, asleep, or praying.
The old and the young held each other

in the arms of coming and going. They bore
the seams of their lives in the shadow

of a mutual solitude. I was the witness
and the hot middle ripening over –

and after that climax, my descent.
Blood moving backward in the desert –

it will remind me of your creases,
your cheetahs – all of the times

you could have been running.
All of the times

we closed our eyes
in order to be touched.

©2010 by Jessica Ann d’Arcy

5 Easy Natural Tips for Healthy Toddlers

There are so many little things you can do to add a touch of holistic health into your toddler’s life. Here are some easy ideas to bring them some comfort and love:

1. Before nap time or bed time, I like to add a chamomile tea bag to my son’s water bottle or milk (organic is always best). It is not necessary to heat the water or milk, but you can slightly if you like. Even in cool water, the energy and some medicinal properties of chamomile are infused, which help soothe and calm nerves and ease him to sleep.

2. An easy way to get your sick toddler to drink more fluids when they are sick is to add a splash of 100% juice (again organic is best) to their water (I like the brand: First Juice). Coconut water is another great way to get electrolytes into your sick child. Mix it with juice if they don’t like it plain.

3. For a child who is nervous, stressed, or anxious, try adding 2 drops of Rescue Remedy to their water. This is a wonderful flower essence that I always keep on hand for everyone in my household – it even works on animals (just a drop on their nose)! Rescue Remedy is a vibrational medicine, so it works on the energetic level to calm anxiety and stress to make things feel more manageable. It is also a great thing to use after something upsetting has happened when people need to be calmed and re-oriented.

4. Worried that your child is not getting their daily requirements of vitamins and minerals? Try Juice Plus + gummies. These are natural fruit and vegetable supplements. They are made from the juice of fruits, vegetables, and berries – juiced on the farm where they are picked and triple checked to be pesticide, herbicide, and fungicide free. Children 4 yrs and older can receive them free when an adult in the family orders the adult capsules. Otherwise they start at $23 per month. Contact me to order or place your order here: JuicePlus+

5. Did you know that 1 – 2 year olds need to be getting 1000 – 1300 calories per day with 40% of those calories from fat? Something my son loves to eat is Greek Yogurt, the whole milk version. It is high in calories and has twice the protein of regular yogurt. Plus foods with probiotics, like yogurt, help keep digestion regular and strengthen the immune system. I buy plain greek yogurt or brands that don’t have added sugars – a little fruit is fine.

©2010 by Jessica Ann d’Arcy

Prayer For Tranquility

Slow me down Mother,
Let my spirit be reserved again,
Rooted and still as the ancient sacred trees.
Help me to stop chasing my life
And instead pour my life like a waterfall
Collecting here like a fresh pond of water
In the center of this moment.
Let me observe; be calm;
Let me know peacefulness
So that your natural messages
Are clear to me.
I ask to remember
My own true rhythm,
My own true pace,
My inner quiet as tranquil
As the green shade in the lightest breeze.
I call my own rivers back to me
Bringing in silence,
My essence on a silver wave.
Let me touch now
The serenity of the Goddess.
And may the oceans that flow
Through my soul flow calm and free.

So mote it be.

– Jessica Ann d’Arcy
©2003

Opening Your Mind To Hypnotherapy

OPENING YOUR MIND TO HYPNOTHERAPY

Usually when I tell people that I am a Clinical Hypnotherapist, I get a kind of jokingly scared response from them, like, “Really, so you can put me in a trance and make me bark like a dog?” I can only conclude from this that there is a lot of ignorance in our society about what hypnotherapy really is and what its benefits are. Let me attempt to correct some of the misunderstanding and dissuade you from having fears about this powerful tool that may be useful in your life.

The first thing to understand is that clinical hypnotherapy is very different from stage hypnosis. Stage hypnosis is what you see at fairs, carnivals, and shows where a hypnotist takes people from the audience and puts them in a trance as a form of entertainment. Clinical hypnotherapy is not a form of entertainment and has a very different intention than stage hypnosis. The intention is to help the client overcome any issue they have going on and improve their life in a confidential setting where they feel safe, comfortable, and aware of the process.

Hypnotherapy works because it is an easy and safe way to bypass the conscious mind and access the unconscious mind. In some schools of psychology, the unconscious mind is called the subconscious. Many hypnotherapists, including myself, prefer the term ‘unconscious’ to ‘subconscious’ because it does not connotate that this part of our mind is ‘less than’ or or ‘inferior to’ the conscious mind.

The conscious mind is the part of the mind we can control – our thinking. It is the thoughts we are aware of and the ideas and decisions we make. The unconscious mind is more mysterious. It is operating all the time, but in a less tangible way. Hypnotherapists use the analogy of the unconscious mind being like a computer because it is easily programmed by whatever information is put into it. Like a computer, it processes the data that it is given and runs on the programs that it has been taught. The data going into your unconscious mind on a daily basis includes the things people say to you, the television you watch, what you see in the world, what you hear on the radio – in other words, everything coming in through the senses. The unconscious mind does not have the ability to discern what information or ‘programs’ would be harmful to us. It does not censor what is coming in. The conscious mind is different in this way because we can choose to be aware of our thinking and therefore make judgments about how we think, feel, and see the world.

Many people are unaware of what their core beliefs are. These are the programs running in the unconscious mind that are like filters that change the interpretation of your experiences to validate the core beliefs that you have. For example, a person may have the negative core belief of “I am unlovable”. It is likely that an early childhood trauma or situation or pattern has shaped this belief. At some point, the unconscious mind has adopted this belief. Again, because the unconscious does not know whether the information it is receiving is good for us or not, it takes in everything as ‘true’; there is no ‘false’. The person who believes on the unconscious level that they are unlovable then creates their life experiences to validate this belief. They get into relationships and sabotage them because deep down they do not feel they are lovable. Hypnotherapy is a powerful tool for shifting beliefs like this that exist on the unconscious plane.

Knowing about the unconscious mind is important because it will help you make positive choices for yourself concerning who you surround yourself with and what information you expose yourself to. It can also help you better understand how to talk to yourself and more effectively structure your thoughts. For instance, when you learn that the unconscious mind does not register negatives, such as the word ‘not’, you can learn to change your thoughts into positive affirmations. When we tell ourselves something like, “I am not going to smoke cigarettes”, the unconscious mind only hears “I am going to smoke cigarettes.” We could rephrase this to: “I am letting go of smoking permanently now.”

Hypnotherapy is a way to journey into the unconscious and look at what ‘programs’ are running and what beliefs or traumas may be influencing our daily thinking and routine. Through hypnosis, we are able to reprogram the unconscious mind. Much of this takes place in restructuring how we think and what stories about the world we are telling ourselves.

(A special thank you to my most respected teacher, Dr. Marla Brucker. More information about hypnosis can also be found on her website: www.sandiegohypnosis.com)

The New Paradigm: Integrative Hypnotherapies

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” – Alan Kay

Take a deep breath and for a moment, as you read this, let go of what you have agreed in your mind to believe about what is true about reality. Let go of what you believe you ‘know’ about yourself. Suspend your judgments about what can or cannot be the truth. For this moment, allow yourself to be open to the possibility that what you have come to understand about your own life has actually been a series of decisions you have made, partially on an unconscious level. Allow yourself to be open to the possibility that your perspective can shift in a way that releases you from the limitations of your past thinking – giving you the opportunity to see life in a way that brings you everything you have ever desired.

We are complex beings living in a complex universe. The knowledge and understanding we have of what is truly going on inside and around us is still full of holes that we call mysteries. What we do know is that we are vast and interconnected beings. We are multi-dimensional people living in a multi-dimensional universe. Our lives are affected by so many variables: our thoughts, our bodies, our dreams, the energies inside and around us, the vibrations of the earth, the collective unconscious and what is happening in our societies, our families, and our personal lives. We are influenced by the stars and the astrology of each moment compounded by the astrological elements we were born into (in other words – our charts). We have the genetic blueprints that have been passed down to us and whatever information is written in our DNA. We have the patterns that our ancestors passed down to us and cycles that have repeated through the generations. We have the karma from our past lives and the issues we have not let go of from those lives also affecting us. With all this at work in and around us (and so much more than I have even touched on here), how do we know where to begin when we want to create change and healing in our lives?

“We do not grow absolutely, chronologically. We grow sometimes in one dimension, and not in another; unevenly. We grow partially. We are relative. We are mature in one realm, childish in another. The past, present, and future mingle and pull us backward, forward, or fix us in the present. We are made up of layers, cells, constellations.” – Anais Nin

Have you ever tried to think your way out of your feelings? Have you wasted time asking ‘why is this happening to me?’ Have you blamed yourself or felt like you were being punished when something went wrong in your life?

Our minds fall into these familiar traps because it is the ego’s way of keeping us stuck in our old negative beliefs. The ego likes to validate the old stories you tell yourself – stories like, ‘things like this always happens to me’ and ‘I did something to deserve this’.

These stories point to underlying core beliefs. These beliefs reside in the unconscious and operate like programs that our thinking runs on. When a particular program that no longer serves us is running in our unconscious mind, it is creating outcomes in our lives that are based on that old programming. The good news is that all of this can be shifted and cleared using Integrative Hypnotherapy!

The old paradigm of undergoing years and years of psychoanalysis on our issues is no longer necessary. Traditional “talk therapy” brings realizations through awareness and connections in the conscious mind and can be very useful. But we can also choose to shift and clear traumas and beliefs that no longer serve us without having to consciously re-live past feelings. Without suffering, we can release ourselves from these issues by making shifts on core and cellular levels by working with the unconscious mind and the energetic body.

Integrative Hypnotherapy, which incorporates Energy Psychology and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) into Hypnosis sessions, removes traumas that are stored as blocks or stuck energy. These modalities allow us to eliminate the emotional charge that is attached to situations that are affecting us and clear them from the body. Integrative Hypnotherapy combines a variety of advanced techniques that bring about change to a person’s unconscious belief system that automatically rearranges their experience of the world and their life. As old traumas, core beliefs, and stuck energies are released, a person transforms their well-being on all levels. They are free to manifest an unlimited increase in their health and happiness… and to make their dreams come true.

“The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.” – Charles DuBois

We begin by being willing to open our minds to the truth, which is: we truly can have anything in this life that we desire. We take an honest look at what is holding us back and take responsibility for our thinking, even whatever is going on that we are not conscious of. These issues can be easily revealed to us and healed through Integrative Hypnotherapies. Remember, this is your life and… “You are as happy as you have decided to be.” – Ingrid Coffin

Choosing Positive Thought Amidst Unstable Sociopolitical Landscapes

“Uplift everybody and uplift yourself.” Words of advice I got from a recent tea bag. At first glance I thought: how trite, how one-dimensional. But then the word ‘uplift’, probably since it was repeated twice, rang out to me. The word implies movement, both physically and emotionally. This was definitely an excuse to visit one of my favorite websites, dictionary.com (yes, I read tea bag sayings and the dictionary), which provided more insight on the verb ‘uplift’: “to exalt emotionally or spiritually.”

In a time when most of the information that comes at us via the media suggests we should be in fear (of terrorism, nuclear weapons, rising gas prices, a recession, global warming, etc.), how do we uplift ourselves and others? How do we do the opposite of what is being done to us; how do we replace fear with positivity?

We have to begin with ourselves. In taking responsibility for our own mentalities and shifting away from fear-based thinking, we can affect change in others and in the world around us. There are many methods of working with the mind to release negative thinking and one of the most powerful tools is Integrative Hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy increases our choices by releasing limited thinking, as well as core beliefs and traumas. New techniques in the field of Energy Psychology allow us to remove the emotional charge from the body and energy system that is attached to a situation or trauma, instantly shifting how we feel. Suddenly we are able to see the situation that was previously disturbing us in a logical way (without being trapped in emotional upheaval) which allows us to take in the lessons and let go easily and effortlessly. This is why at the Motivational Institute of Hypnotherapy, we incorporate various modalities into our training and classes to benefit people on a broader, more holistic level. As you learn to apply the skills we teach to your own life and reprogram your unconscious mind for positivity, you are then able to improve your career, relationships, finances, and health on all levels.

Everyday we have a choice. We are able to choose how we feel and how we think, no matter what is going on around us. We can choose to uplift ourselves and those around us, or we can choose to bring more negativity into the world. Anne Frank is a perfect example of this. Even while she lived in confinement, a child hiding from the Nazis who eventually murdered her, she wrote in her diary, “In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can’t build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery and death…I don’t think of all the misery, but of all the beauty that still remains.”

Take a moment to think about how you feel most of the time and what kind of energy you spread to others. There is no reason why you should not get to wake up excited about your life and your day. If upon this reflection you find that there are things you wish to change and improve within yourself, congratulations! You have just recognized that you are stuck in a pattern of thinking (most likely unconscious) that no longer serves you.

In her book, Heal Your Body A-Z, Louise L. Hay says, “Be willing to change your words and thoughts and watch your life change. The way to control your life is to control your choice of words and thoughts. No one thinks in your mind but you.” Willingness is all that is necessary to begin to improve your life.

With the cutting-edge therapies that are available now, you can quickly and easily implement change and growth. The key is finding the right approach that will work on all levels; addressing the body-mind connection through the mental, emotional, physical, and energetic pathways. At the Motivational Institute of Hypnotherapy, we combine basic Ericksonian and Cognitive Behavioral Hypnotherapy with complimentary modalities that stem from Body Mind Theory to create Integrative Hypnotherapy; a combination of Hypnotherapy, Energy Psychology, and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). These techniques are proven to manifest major permanent shifts in the unconscious mind, which re-programs the way we think and see the world.

Energy Psychology: Pivotal Tools For Health Care Practitioners, Therapists, and Healers

“Energy psychology is applicable to a wide range of areas including psychotherapy, counseling, education, vocational guidance, physical health, pain management, sports and peak performance.” – Fred P. Gallo, PhD.

While traditional psychotherapy is wonderful for bringing us awareness about our behaviors, emotions, and our thinking, sometimes it falls short in actually releasing us from a pattern we are stuck in. Sometimes becoming aware of our issue and where it originated is enough to shift us out of it, yet with other issues we can become aware but still feel and act the same. This is because there is a connection between the energy systems of the body and our behaviors, emotions, and our thinking.

Our bodies and brains contain complex electrical activities and operate electromagnetically, which can be seen in the study of our hearts, nervous systems, and brains, as well as in the anatomy of the energetic body that consists of meridians, chakras, biofields, and much more. We can become cognizant of why we are acting or feeling a certain way, but unless we actually clear the emotional charge from the energy system of the body, it remains as a blockage, keeping us stuck in the same pattern.

For example: A client is addressing her over-eating issues with her therapist. She comes to discover that she is an emotional eater and comforts herself with food. She digs deeper to discover this is related to a feeling of not getting enough love and not being “seen” in her family. She realizes that as she eats, she becomes larger – and, literally, she is being seen more because there is more of her to see. And on a core level, she even comes to see that it is a feeling of anxiety about not being loved and seen that drives her to this behavior. She has made all these fabulous connections and has even learned some other tools to self-soothe without food. However, the anxiety still surfaces when something triggers her childhood feelings. Is there a way to disconnect her emotional charge around feeling unloved and unseen, thereby eliminating the anxiety?

Yes. With the techniques available to us through the field of Energy Psychology, we can facilitate clients to clear the emotional charge connected with a memory or trauma. There are many modalities within the field of Energy Psychology (also known as Energy Therapies). Many can work well together and certain ones seem to be more effective in specific areas than others. To give you a basic generalized overview of how many of these modalities function, let me break down the basic parts of Energy Psychology. Most modalities begin by an assessment of the issue (many include Applied Kinesiology, or Muscle Testing) to determine either the actual core issue or a measurement of the level of distress the issue is causing, or both. Once that is established, the protocol of that particular modality is followed until the subject has cleared the issue. The subject is then re-assessed and tested to see if the body has completely cleared the issue from the energy system. Sometimes this is followed with the instillation of a new and positive belief into the energy system.

“Quantum physics has found that there is no empty space in the human cell, but it is a teeming, electric-magnetic field of possibility or potential.” – Dr. Deepak Chopra

One of the benefits of working with Energy Psychology is that a practitioner can help clear the emotional charge and suffering that a client is experiencing without having to even know the reason for the client’s issue. In other words, the client does not necessary need to relive their trauma or put it into words. They do not need to spend years processing ‘what happened’, they can instead simply release the energetic block that is keeping them locked in the trauma. Although sometimes many beneficial realizations and self-awareness can be gained through self exploration of our past, it is also in other cases not beneficial and in such cases (like patients who do not have the ego strength to handle it) then Energy Psychology can be the perfect tool.

There are many modalities in the field of Energy Psychology such as: Thought Field Therapy (TFT), Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT), Seemorg Matrix, etc. The Motivational Institute of Hypnotherapy is the only school nationwide to offer a 60 Hour Certification in The Healing Art of Energy Therapies. This course gives students training in a wide range of these modalities and prepares them to being applying them immediately into their practice and in their own lives.

Upcoming Training in San Diego
The Healing Art of Energy Therapies
60 Hour Certification
at the Motivational Institute of Hypnotherapy
www.SDHypnosisTraining.com

Friday through Saturday: November 7, 8, & 9
Friday through Saturday: November 14, 15, & 16
9 a.m. – 6 p.m. all days

The Philosophy of Holistic Health

“Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos – the trees, the clouds, everything.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Holistic health is the idea that our health is more than just a physical state. It encompasses more than what is going on in the body, on a physical or material level, and includes what is also happening energetically, emotionally, and spiritually in order to address the whole being.

Though some people would like to classify this approach as ‘new age’, this is not a new concept. In fact, it incorporates many ancient traditions of healing. What is actually more recent is the scientific idea that the body is an organism that operates like a machine and responds only to physical interventions. In holistic health care, we can see the body as an expression of ourselves and everything that is going on in our lives. What the body brings to our attention is always an opportunity for growth.

Illness is not a sign of something being broken that needs to be fixed. To understand holistic health, we need to shift our perspective of dis-ease as something to ‘get rid of’. Perhaps it is a gift. Perhaps it comes into our lives, regardless of what created it or why, to teach us something.

One might ask, “But don’t we all want to feel our best and be healthy?” Yes, many of us do and that allows for a lot of growth. And some people may not truly want to be healthy. They may have a belief, likely an unconscious one, that they do not deserve to be healthy. They may not be able to visualize themselves as healthy. They may be holding onto the idea of being ill if it is creating a secondary gain in their life – such as getting the attention or love they are lacking. It is easy to assume everyone wants health, but this is not the case. From a holistic standpoint, we look at these thoughts and know that they impact the being on all levels, including the body. As quantum physics has proven, thoughts create reality. Looking at unconscious beliefs can be very rewarding and help open up new levels of health for the being. These may be beliefs that were passed down from parental figures, or created due to traumas, or even brought in from other lifetimes. It does not matter how they arrived, they are opportunities for expanding your self-awareness and understanding. Beliefs that are no longer serving you can easily be removed from your being or, in other words, cleared.

This is not to suggest that we are at fault for our dis-ease because of our thinking, or to say if we were ‘enlightened’ we would be free of illness or suffering. Our thoughts are one factor, but there are other factors that influence our health, some beyond our current understanding – our minds, karma, God, the Universe, or whatever else you may call it. In holistic health, we are not interested in blaming something or someone for causing the situation, so we are not focused on the cause in that way. What we are looking for are ways to heal ourselves, ways to grow.

The reason for this is that it actually does not matter why we are sick or why we are healthy. When we focus on the ‘why’ we are lost. Knowing why will not lead us to a solution, but rather take us further away from the present moment and the opportunities that are right in front of us. We can move forward into healing when we can accept that wherever we are in the present moment and state of health is perfect, whether we understand why or not. This is a type of faith that has a powerful healing effect.

Maybe you are wondering, “well, isn’t it important for science to understand what causes certain illnesses so we can prevent them?” Yes, it is. This is different from an individual wondering, “why is this happening to me?” – which is not the best use of one’s energy. Look at what your situation offers you and what thoughts (like that one) come up. If you find a way, such as hypnosis, to allow your unconscious mind to answer those questions for you, you can gain insight and self-realization.

As we shift our perspective on health, we can realize that there does not need to be a ‘war’ on cancer or AIDS or any other disease. We do not need to evaluate these experiences as battles that are being lost or won, though that is often how it is presented to us. This is influenced by our relationship with the concept of death. If death is something to be feared and avoided, staying alive becomes a fight against death. Perhaps we can shift this thinking as well. Perhaps in time we will be able to understand even death as a form of healing and transformation.

In holistic health, we are not separate from our bodies and we honor our bodies. This is how we are manifesting on this planet and what allows us to experience life through our senses. The idea of healing expands from simply curing disease to include anything that can support someone and increase well-being. Though there are some practicioners in holistic health care that get into the dogma of certain diets, rules, and restrictions, this is not truly in alignment with this philosophy. Instead, each individual should be seen as unique and whole and what is healing to that person is whatever expands their health on all levels. Francois de La Rochefoucauld summarized this idea in the 1600’s, writing, “Preserving health by too severe a rule is a worrisome malady.”

What heals in holistic health care is what feels right for your self. It may be the ocean, love, a good meal, the proper medication, herbs, affirmations, surgery, a dream, light, energy work, a new diet, a change in career, yoga, a new food, an animal, anything that adds to your health. There are choices beyond what allopathic medicine has to offer and choices that can support traditional types of treatments. We are all self-healing and always healing. What is amazing about the holistic concept is that there are so many ways to nourish your happiness, your health, your joy, your experience of life.

Physical Pain As A Spiritual Teacher

PHYSICAL PAIN AS A SPIRITUAL TEACHER

“If we could learn to learn from pain
even as it grasps us…”
– Adrienne Rich

I was getting dressed to go out the other night and standing in front of the mirror in a short dress, I asked my girlfriend, “Do my knees look fat in this dress?” We both started laughing. My knees were swollen and full of fluid. Needless to say, I didn’t wear the dress and I definitely wasn’t dancing that night.

For the last eight years I have been dealing with some kind of autoimmune disease that causes my joints to swell up and my body to become stiff and full of pain. For some reason, no doctor (and trust me, I have been to A LOT of them) can tell me exactly which disease I have and I’ve been diagnosed with several different things over the years. Apparently there is a lot of mystery around autoimmune disorders. The medical world is not sure what causes them, though they seem to be brought on after something traumatic happens to the immune system. The tests that determine your diagnosis cannot always pinpoint which disease you have – like in my case I show markers that conclude I have an autoimmune disorder, but my symptoms don’t match up exactly with the disease I was diagnosed with. I find it puzzling that despite how many people are suffering from autoimmune diseases (according to The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, approximately 50 million Americans, 20 percent of the population or one in five people), there is not more information or treatment available.

“I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.” – Maya Angelou

Physical pain is something most people dread, myself included. However, since I have been struggling with the presence of pain in my body for so long, I have developed a relationship with it. It is something you cannot ignore when it comes into your life – it demands your attention. It forces you to stop what you are doing and pay attention to yourself. We may be able to ignore spiritual, emotional, and mental pains to some degree, but when the pain manifests on a physical level, it must be addressed.

“Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.” – Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

I will never forget the first time I realized the power of physical pain and how it could move me into another level of consciousness. Lying in my bed, unable to move, the intensity of my pain rose to a level that was beyond my comprehension. It overtook my body and I began to see lights instead of my room around me. Tears came down my face, but there was also a feeling of transcendence. I felt as if I was crossing a threshold, maybe the veil between this world and the other side, and the light became brighter and I was mesmerized by it. All I could do was surrender to it. I felt safe and knew I was with the Divine (what I call the Goddess, or others call God / Spirit / etc.). And though I am not a Christian, in that moment I thought of Job.

Here is my understanding of the bible story of Job… The devil made a bet with God. He said that God’s most faithful human, a man named Job, was faithful only because God had given him a beautiful, prosperous life. The devil claimed that Job would turn away from God if his perfect life was destroyed. God felt that Job’s faith was strong and told the devil to do whatever he wanted to Job, but do not kill him. The devil then attacked Job’s life – his loved ones died, his farm collapsed, his animals became diseased, and his body became covered in painful sores. No matter what happened, Job still praised God. In the end, God returned Job’s fortune to him.

“Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.” – Jean-Paul Sartre

The Book of Job is one of the most analyzed books of the bible. For me, the message is that it is easy to be spiritual and have faith when things are good in our lives… but faith that is real and strong sustains when we are suffering. Do we curse the Divine or say ‘if there is a God, why do bad things happen’? My experience has taught me to move beyond these limited views. Begin to see a bigger picture. Take responsibility for how you may have created your situation – what beliefs you may have that need to be changed.

“You will not grow if you sit in a beautiful flower garden, but you will grow if you are sick, if you are in pain, if you experience losses, and if you do not put your head in the sand, but take the pain and learn to accept it, not as a curse or punishment but as a gift to you with a very, very specific purpose.” – Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

We may dislike suffering, but can we also believe that it has a purpose? It is a fact that suffering exists on Earth. Entertain the idea that perhaps we chose to experience this and that is why we are here. Maybe it is something we planned to go through in this lifetime that is bringing growth to us on a soul level. Pain is humbling. Pain shows you what you believe and who you are. In the end, you can choose to hate it or you can accept it and grow from it. There is no reason to live in a state of constant suffering – even as we suffer, we can find joy, we can find something spiritual, and then we can move on.

“You don’t have to suffer continual chaos in order to grow.” – John C. Lilly

Some important information from The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (www.aarda.org):

Autoimmunity is a result of a misdirected immune system that causes one’s own immune system to attack the self. There are over eighty known autoimmune diseases; and unlike the many forms of cancer which are recognized as being part of the general term “cancer,” autoimmune diseases are recognized singularly rather than in the overall category of autoimmunity. The public in general is unaware of the autoimmune nature of these diseases. When most people hear one of these diseases referred to as an autoimmune disease, they incorrectly confuse the term autoimmune with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS); or they think it is a form of cancer.

This lack of knowledge and collaborative effort results in untold suffering for persons with autoimmune diseases due to misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis which may result in damage to vital organs. The need to bring a national focus to autoimmunity as the common factor in all autoimmune diseases is vital in order to bring a collaborative effort to research, funding, early detection, and eventually, prevention and cure for all autoimmune diseases.

Some of the over 80 autoimmune diseases are lupus, type I diabetes, scleroderma, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, chronic active hepatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, Graves’ disease, myasthenia gravis, myositis, antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), Sjogren’s syndrome, uveitis, polymyositis, Raynaud’s phenomenon, and demyelinating neuropathies.