Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Another New PM Adventure




Until a few years ago, the most metaphysical/paranormal/woo-woo thing I'd done was read my horoscope and play with my mother's old Ouija board.


Then I met the Playfriends and the Mavens and made my first visit to a psychic, had my tarot cards read and was introduced to the concept of guided meditation.

The guided meditation was good. It's a great way to relax and level out. I have a progressive relaxation track on my iPod and use it to help me sleep on nights when my brain won't shut down.

The psychic and tarot cards? Ehhhhhhh. The readings were never right. They were so far off in left field I had to laugh. I pretty much dismissed it all as a fun way to spend an afternoon, but beyond that, nothing. I even remember getting into a discussion on Facebook with someone who basically called me an atheist because I mentioned tarot. A friend, who is an ordained minister, put that person in his place when she said she studied tarot in Divinity School and quoted off some facts about religion and the metaphysical. I think the guy unfriended me after that. I don't consider it a loss. Having a negative person move out of your life is never a loss.



After the ex and I separated, I had another tarot reading from a man I'd seen featured in the local newspaper. I figured at worst I was blowing $20 at the flea market. But OHMYGOSH! He was spot on. And I was careful not to tell him anything he could use to guess at anything going on in my life.

Apparently my metaphysical plumbing had contained a huge clog. And a dose of woo-woo Drano had flushed it right away.

Fast forward a year or so, and a friend from church was talking about something called Reiki. I asked what it was and I won't go into a long explanation because you can read about it here. Interestingly (or oddly) enough, I'd just reconnected with a woman I'd met when I first moved to Huntsville over 35 years ago. She'd told me she was a Reiki master and a massage therapist. And these two women know each other. The Universe was conspiring, and it wasn't against me.

I was having some serious physical issues all related to stress, and my church friend suggested Reiki and massage might help (she's not only a Reiki Master but a licensed massage therapist too). I knew massage would be great, but I went into the Reiki with a healthy dose of skepticism.
I came out of the session as a true believer. She never actually put her hands on me during the Reiki session, but when she had her hands over my abdomen because I'd told her I had gastric issues, I felt intense heat, like a heating pad set on high. She told me this indicated release of negative energy. During another session, I never mentioned pain in a particular part of my body, but when she had her hands there, that heat returned. She felt it. I felt it. Okay, something was going on there.

I was on a massage table, all relaxed and covered with a light blanket, with an mask over my eyes to block out the light. Af first everything was black behind my eyelids. But then I began to see vivid colors coming in waves. Let me back up a bit and say that during the guided meditations we did with the Mavens, we were supposed to "see" the white light of the Holy Spirit around us as we began, see a green meadow, see a white rock path, see this and that and the other. What did I see? NOTHING.

And now I'm seeing colors, mostly green and purple. It was awesome!

Last week I visited an acupunturist because of some knee issues. I also went in with a bad low-pressure headache and ask if he could help with that too. As soon as the first needle went into my face, the light show started. I saw green and purple. Before I could say anything to him, he asked if I saw any colors. When I told him about the green and purple, he said those are considered healing colors.

I walked in with a killer headache. I walked out without one. And those low-pressure headaches ususally last two to three days. I've been headache-free since last week.

My blog title is "Another New PM Adventure" and that new adventure is Reiki training this weekend. I'd talked with my friend about it a few months ago and decided to pursue Reiki a little further. It's for me and my own personal healing. Some people do Reiki sessions for money and maybe at some point I will too. But right now I'm going to be selfish, get my own energy lined up and flowing right and heal myself. The Playfriends might get to be crash test dummies at some point though. ~grin~

Are you into any alternative or complementary therapies such as Reiki, acupunture, Rolfing? Tell me about it. I certainly won't laugh.

10 comments:

Cheryl said...

This sounds very interesting, PM. I don't think it's Woowoo. There is definitely something to it. I truly believe that we can tap this energy. Please let us know how the training goes. I volunteer to be a guinea pig to practice on if you need one!

Kira Sinclair - AKA Instigator said...

I'm looking forward to being a crash test dummy. :-) I haven't done any meditation or tarot in awhile. In fact, you're blog reminded me that I need to make that a priority in my life right along with eating better and exercising more. I think it all plays a part in a healthy, balanced body and mind.

Instigator

Christine said...

Sounds very cool. I had Reiki massage and she helped with a trouble spot on my ankle. It was very interesting. I don't have a problem with Tarot Cards. I used to read them quite a lot when I was younger. Now I just keep a few decks around and play around with the MBS readings if I'm in the mood. I just consider them psychological tools to get people to open up and make changes in their lives. To get unstuck. Prayer can do that as well. I tend to pray more now.

Good luck with the new adventure!

Pam Asberry said...

I find this all very fascinating. I had my cards read a few months ago - zip - and saw a psychic recently - remains to be seen. I have never tried acupuncture or reiki but I just might now that I have heard about your experience. I definitely think there's something to all this; I'm just not sure where it all fits in for me. I look forward to hearing about your future adventures!

robertsonreads said...

Well PM that sounds very interesting. I have never heard of Reiki but I certainly would not discount it. I definitely want to find out more. Good luck with your training.

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

I don't like closing myself off to possibilities. If something works for you, great. I don't care if its sticking needles in your forehead or getting your palms read. I think the human brain/body/soul interaction is something we will never quite understand but I wouldn't underestimate its ability to do great things. I'm all for being a guinea pig.

Hell, if hopping around on one foot in a wheat field chanting with chicken blood smeared across my forehead could put me in a more positive place, bring me a chicken.

Gannon Carr said...

I'm a big believer in alternative therapies. I've been going to an acupuncturist for years, and I swear by it. It works wonders for so many ailments, plus I'm always very relaxed afterward. Win/win!

I was actually certified last year in Reike, First Degree. I only work on my family, friends and myself, but everyone says they "feel" a difference. I'm considering going for my Second Degree soon.

As far as psychics go, I've been to a couple who were "meh", but then a few others were right on the money.

Playground Monitor said...

Ooooh! Lots of crash test dummies here. LOL!

Gannon, I'd had acupuncture years ago for an inflamed muscle in my back. My chiropractor had done all the traditional therapies -- electro-stim, ultrasound, hot and cold packs, and nothing helped. He asked if I was open to acupunture. I told him I was open to having a horse manure poltice if it would stop the pain. Two treatments later (acupunture, not manure) and the pain was gone. That was in about 1995 and I haven't had it recur. I'm a great believer.

The National Institutes of Health even has a National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine where they study everything from acupunture to zinc and every letter of the alphabet in between.

Angel said...

I've definitely been open to alternative therapy all my life. As a teen, I went to see a chiropractor to treat my TMJ issues even though the dentist told me it was stupid. I avoided surgery and have kept my TMJ under control ever since.

My MIL does some herbal stuff and energy scanning, which does help in some areas and not in others, but I think that's true for "acceptable" treatments as well so I don't worry about it.

One interesting thing she did do was a "working out of emotions" where she read from a paper the emotions she felt led to "release" from me (ones that were hendering my progress or bringing on illness). Ok, I was game. When she came over, she had the list. I let her read through it, and honest to God, I felt exhausted afterwards but better, much better. I won't let her do it to me anymore though, because the emotions she "read" for me were spot on, very spot on. And there were things I simply didn't want my MIL to know about me.

Marilyn, I think I'd feel much more comfortable with you. :) And if it will help me balance this out-of-balance life, I'm all for it!

Angel

Betty Bolte said...

I love the idea of alternative ways to heal without invasive measures or man-made chemicals called medicine. I too would be willing to be practiced on! And I've had psychic readings in the past; one even predicted that I'd marry a blond man and have two children -- all of which came true. And when my niece (at 18 mths old) hid my diamond engagement ring, I grew so desperate I called the phone a psychic and she told me it was near water but not really, it was confusing her -- lo and behold, the ring had been wedged into a ceramic bathtub decoration! I still have it as a reminder of how close I came to losing my ring! I'm a believer!