The Body Speaks
In 1998, I read two books that significantly shifted my perspective about the body and my understanding of consciousness. These books were, Hands of Life: An Energy Healer Reveals the Secrets of Using Your Body's Own Energy Medicine for Healing, Recovery, and Transformation, by Julie Motz, and The Heart's Code: Tapping the Wisdom and Power of Our Heart Energy, by Paul Pearsall, PhD.
Let me explain why these books have remained seminal works on the shelf where I keep the books I consider most influential.
Julie Motz is an intuitive healer who worked with Dr. Mehmet Oz, back in the day when he was just a heart transplant surgeon and Oprah had not "discovered" him. At that time, Motz worked closely with Dr. Oz, in the operating room, "dialoguing" with both the "exiting" organ, and the new one being received. Motz reveals in her book, how the "out-going organ" and the body are saddened at their parting of the ways so to speak, and the "in-coming organ" is just as apprehensive about its coming into a new host. Motz sought to make all the parties involved "play nicely," and this led to a quicker recovery for the patient. Of course, there is much more that this process entails.
I was somewhat shocked at the time. How could a body part "dialogue" with a whole organism - or another individual? Did it have its own mind? I had not yet considered that consciousness could fully exist in every cell of the body.
Paul Pearsall's book was equally unsettling and fascinating when I read it. He recounts countless stories where transplant recipients "inherited" a donor's tastes, likes, and even memories. In one story, a young recipient is able to help solve the murder of her donor by identifying the perpetrator. In another case, a recipient, a foreigner with a weak command of English, utters as one of his first words, an arcane expression used as a code between two spouses, one deceased, and the other living, to indicate things were alright between them.
What explanation could there be for such a thing? Back then, it was such an amazing thing to me. Now, it is something I take for granted.
Around the very same time I read these books, I met my very gifted craniosacral therapist, Suzanne, and now I could write my own book about the incredible experiences I have had in my healing journey, in subsequent years.
As I prepare for a hysterectomy next month, something that has been a long time coming, I have been struggling with how comprehensive this surgery should be. So, more specifically - without being evasive - the question I have been asking myself is - should I - or should I not remove my ovaries?
There are many reasons for and against doing this. My surgeon wisely noted, that we don't completely understand the function of the ovaries. I wondered if I should split the difference - take one out, and leave one in...
Today, on Suzanne's table, I got a clear answer.
For a few months, we had worked together to ready my body for this major transition, and I really felt everything was quiet, and just ready and waiting. But, to both of our surprise, we got very clear messages about what to do, and I was convinced, as a result, that these organs needed to stay in. I even received specific instructions of what I needed to do for the recuperation to go more smoothly!
I "received" details about the inter-relationship of these organs to other systems, and how they worked in tandem. Other parts of my body jumped in as well. For years, I've experienced increasing pain in my legs due to the condition that has made the surgery necessary, and they "spoke" to me as well, noting that I had been able to endure so much pain for so long because of my dedication to my yoga and meditation practice - even though the yoga has become increasingly more limited, and thus frustrating to me as well. Still, I was "told" that once this situation is resolved, I would be able to deepen my practices in a way I could not have done so up until now.
I was even told that with all of this, a deeper feminine wisdom would emerge that would be more characteristic of this second half of my life. All of the various dialoging parts of my body joined in unison to commend me by noting that I had honored my process and really listened to my body, and that I took time to explore and address whatever needed attention, and that I had also done my homework.
So, that being said, I am at peace. In more ways than one. Over 13 years ago, I might have questioned this experience, but I no longer do so.
In many recent entries I have written about how answers to questions come in so many ways - if we are willing to listen. They can come from perfect strangers and chance encounters, from nature, from people we know, things we read, and so forth. Lately, it seems I am overwhelmed by messages and insights coming - sometimes so rapidly - I almost do not have time to process them.
A couple of years ago, I wrote and self-published two books: The River Speaks, and The River Speaks: The Dialogue Continues. Both of these books documented the lessons I learned on the banks of the river, and later on, inside of it, when the river instructed I come in. Then, one day - I realized it had ceased talking and teaching - and our relationship to each other changed.
I share this, to encourage you to listen to your body. Listen to the insights that come to you. My most powerful insights and messages come through my practices. Everything speaks. "God speaks, in the silence of the heart - and we listen." This is what Mother Teresa of Calcutta once taught. Yes, God speaks. And sometimes God speaks through a gifted therapist, or through the body - or both.
For Suzanne's account of the session, see:
http://massagemag.com/massage-blog/presence-matters/2011/06/07/awakening-the-deep-feminine/
Let me explain why these books have remained seminal works on the shelf where I keep the books I consider most influential.
Julie Motz is an intuitive healer who worked with Dr. Mehmet Oz, back in the day when he was just a heart transplant surgeon and Oprah had not "discovered" him. At that time, Motz worked closely with Dr. Oz, in the operating room, "dialoguing" with both the "exiting" organ, and the new one being received. Motz reveals in her book, how the "out-going organ" and the body are saddened at their parting of the ways so to speak, and the "in-coming organ" is just as apprehensive about its coming into a new host. Motz sought to make all the parties involved "play nicely," and this led to a quicker recovery for the patient. Of course, there is much more that this process entails.
I was somewhat shocked at the time. How could a body part "dialogue" with a whole organism - or another individual? Did it have its own mind? I had not yet considered that consciousness could fully exist in every cell of the body.
Paul Pearsall's book was equally unsettling and fascinating when I read it. He recounts countless stories where transplant recipients "inherited" a donor's tastes, likes, and even memories. In one story, a young recipient is able to help solve the murder of her donor by identifying the perpetrator. In another case, a recipient, a foreigner with a weak command of English, utters as one of his first words, an arcane expression used as a code between two spouses, one deceased, and the other living, to indicate things were alright between them.
What explanation could there be for such a thing? Back then, it was such an amazing thing to me. Now, it is something I take for granted.
Around the very same time I read these books, I met my very gifted craniosacral therapist, Suzanne, and now I could write my own book about the incredible experiences I have had in my healing journey, in subsequent years.
As I prepare for a hysterectomy next month, something that has been a long time coming, I have been struggling with how comprehensive this surgery should be. So, more specifically - without being evasive - the question I have been asking myself is - should I - or should I not remove my ovaries?
There are many reasons for and against doing this. My surgeon wisely noted, that we don't completely understand the function of the ovaries. I wondered if I should split the difference - take one out, and leave one in...
Today, on Suzanne's table, I got a clear answer.
For a few months, we had worked together to ready my body for this major transition, and I really felt everything was quiet, and just ready and waiting. But, to both of our surprise, we got very clear messages about what to do, and I was convinced, as a result, that these organs needed to stay in. I even received specific instructions of what I needed to do for the recuperation to go more smoothly!
I "received" details about the inter-relationship of these organs to other systems, and how they worked in tandem. Other parts of my body jumped in as well. For years, I've experienced increasing pain in my legs due to the condition that has made the surgery necessary, and they "spoke" to me as well, noting that I had been able to endure so much pain for so long because of my dedication to my yoga and meditation practice - even though the yoga has become increasingly more limited, and thus frustrating to me as well. Still, I was "told" that once this situation is resolved, I would be able to deepen my practices in a way I could not have done so up until now.
I was even told that with all of this, a deeper feminine wisdom would emerge that would be more characteristic of this second half of my life. All of the various dialoging parts of my body joined in unison to commend me by noting that I had honored my process and really listened to my body, and that I took time to explore and address whatever needed attention, and that I had also done my homework.
So, that being said, I am at peace. In more ways than one. Over 13 years ago, I might have questioned this experience, but I no longer do so.
In many recent entries I have written about how answers to questions come in so many ways - if we are willing to listen. They can come from perfect strangers and chance encounters, from nature, from people we know, things we read, and so forth. Lately, it seems I am overwhelmed by messages and insights coming - sometimes so rapidly - I almost do not have time to process them.
A couple of years ago, I wrote and self-published two books: The River Speaks, and The River Speaks: The Dialogue Continues. Both of these books documented the lessons I learned on the banks of the river, and later on, inside of it, when the river instructed I come in. Then, one day - I realized it had ceased talking and teaching - and our relationship to each other changed.
I share this, to encourage you to listen to your body. Listen to the insights that come to you. My most powerful insights and messages come through my practices. Everything speaks. "God speaks, in the silence of the heart - and we listen." This is what Mother Teresa of Calcutta once taught. Yes, God speaks. And sometimes God speaks through a gifted therapist, or through the body - or both.
For Suzanne's account of the session, see:
http://massagemag.com/massage-blog/presence-matters/2011/06/07/awakening-the-deep-feminine/
Comments
Blessings to you!
Olga