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What
is healing? While we may think
of it as a purely physical
experience, the result of a
strengthened immune system or of
some innate capacity of the body
to self-correct, true healing
actually involves all parts of
ourselves: physical, emotional,
mental and spiritual. This is
why physical crises, whether in
the form of serious illness,
chronic problems, or accidents,
often come at times when we are
called upon to make decisions
about our lives that take us in
new directions, and to leave
behind what has become stale,
entangled, or toxic to us.
No one
likes or wants crises, yet they
often come into our lives to
mobilize change that our
conscious mind resists, but that
our unconscious and our spirit
know we truly need in order to
grow. When a crisis shows itself
in physical form, through
illness, accident or pain, it is
therefore important not only to
seek out medical and nutritional
care, but also to look for
underlying spiritual or
emotional challenges. Sometimes
these involve changing our
lifestyle or seeking a form of
work that is more meaningful for
us. At other times, they may
involve letting go of
relationships that don't work
for us, or establishing better
boundries in the relationships
we maintain.
There
was a time in my life when my
need to establish better
boundaries regularly signalled
itelf by back pain. Because I
had learned as a child to be
overly responsible for others,
as an adult I could not clearly
define my own space. As a
result, when that space was
invaded and I turned myself into
someone's doormat, my body
rather than my conscious mind
took over the job of signaling
that I wasn't paying enough
attention to my own needs Once I
recognized the emotional issues
behind my physical pain, my need
for medical care diminished as I
addressed the underlying
problems more effectively. As I
have seen in my healing practice
numerous times, virtually any
pain and any kind of disease
process can have an underlying
spiritual component that needs
to be addressed for full
healing.
We are
all subject to physical illness.
After all we live in a very
toxic world. Nonetheless, few
chronic illnesses have a purely
physical cause, whether that be
genetic, environmental or
nutritional. The spirit always
plays a part in our challenges,
and especially in our healing.
If you suffer from a chronic
problem, consider seeking help
in understanding your spiritual
needs and gaining your emotional
freedom. You can get immediate
support in this process by
listening to my free live
podcast entitled "How the
Alexander Technique Helps with
Physical and Emotional Healing."
You will find it at
www.BodyLearningCast.com.
Click on the icon for "View
Latest Podcasts" and scroll down
to the May 14 podcast. It's
free, and it can help you.
You
may also want to join me at a
wonderful five-day retreat I am
offering in Ireland from July
4-9, in beautiful county Wicklow,
at the gorgeous Chrysalis
retreat center. Called The Art
of Effortless Living, this
intimate, playful and fun
workshop will take you deep into
your own process and guarantee
helpful results for you. And of
course, you will enjoy
phenomenal food and a beautiful
setting. For more information,
go to
www.chrysalis.ie or contact
me directly. And of course, you
are always free to book
one-on-one sessions over the
phone or in person, if you live
near New York City.
Have a
wonderful summer, full of growth
and healing!
Ingrid
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