The Healing Relationship

I recently read a great post by marketing expert Tad Hargrave reflecting on his experience with a healing practitioner, and I was actually very surprised to hear of someone interacting with their client in this way. 
 
I guess despite best intentions, sometimes practitioners forget what it's like for new clients. I remember 20+ years ago when I received my first energy medicine session, I was nervous! I felt vulnerable. I wondered if she could read my mind, and see everything about me. As I continued receiving sessions, these fears faded, we worked together consistently, and she became my first energy medicine teacher. What also popped up for me during these early years of receiving energy medicine and massage, was a concern that my healing practitioner would be negatively effected by my 'bad energy'.  This seems to be a common concern, as I've had a couple of my own clients express this to me. It's important to trust that your healing practitioner knows how to take care of him/her self. We all have 'stuff'. You or any part of you are not 'bad' and whatever moves, clears or shifts during a session is compassionately felt with, cleared and given a place to go. Sometimes this energy is something picked up from your life experience, that can be learned from, healed and shifted. 

I do my best to remember what it's like to be a new client, entering the unknown. I'm conscientious to meet clients where they are at. If it's not part of their belief system or desire to explore their chakras, the energy realm or multidimensional aspects of Being, I respect that and don't go there. However for the most part, this doesn't come up because people who are drawn to work with me usually very much want to engage this way and already are in their lives to small or great degrees.
 
I remember once I described to an energy medicine client some interesting imagery of 'gold blocks' I was seeing flowing into her solar plexus chakra. I shared some other imagery as well, but mostly had the sense that this particular client just wanted to zone off, sleep and be nurtured. Afterwards, it became clear that the lack of explanation and exploration of what the imagery was conveying, left her feeling that the imagery and the sharing of it was "weird".  I should have at the very least, explained to her that I see clairvoyantly and many times the imagery I see during the energy medicine is like a metaphor and intuitive information about the state of a chakra, the healing energy coming through, or what is needed on some level of her being. Perhaps the gold blocks represented an infusion of her own self worth and empowerment.  This experience reinforced to me, how important it is to communicate more fully with people who are new to this work, so that they might not only feel more comfortable, but also have the opportunity to integrate more depth and meaning from the session. 
 
We have to remember as practitioners, that clients don't always know how or what to ask, and we need to remember not to assume. But don't also assume they know nothing. Learn where they are at and meet them there. I make this a practice with clients, and in my life in general. I ask. I seek to find out where they are at, so that I'm not telling them something they already know, nor assuming they do know. I find it slightly annoying when someone talks to me in a way that clearly shows they have no idea of my competencies, and I try my best to avoid doing that to others. 
 
I'm very lucky that for the most part, I've had good experiences with all the healing practitioners and intuitives I've chosen. I can think of maybe 2 not so good experiences. It sometimes helps to check into someone, get a feel, listen to friend's or trusted practitioners recommendations, read any reviews that may be available and be clear about how they work so you know what to expect. For me, I've mostly trusted my gut, as well as looking at their website to get a feel. I've also found that hearing someone's voice gives me a lot of information about their energy and approach. One other thing that I think is very important: Always trust yourself. Never give your power away to a practitioner or psychic. Honorable practitioners and intuitives will support you in honing your own inner skills, honor your freedom of choice, and desire your well-being of body-mind-emotion-spirit. 
 
Here's my reply and  a link to Tad's very interesting post that I mentioned:
"I agree, it's very important to listen. Practitioners need to understand that if their client doesn't feel 'heard', they will not be as receptive to your information, or whatever your healing modality may be. Part of my practice is bodywork. I AWAYS give attention to the clients primary complaints. When I touch that sore spot or in a sense 'say hello' to those areas early on in the session, their body and psyche immediately relax...the client knows I've heard them, and understand. As practitioners, therapists, coaches, we need to put our 'agenda' aside, and know that healing takes place first with Presence."
 
http://marketingforhippies.com/good/

The Rhythm of the Journey

Some beautiful wise words from my favorite poet philosopher, John O'Donohue:

Guided Message for the week of March 13, 2016

The theme of centeredness comes for us again this week. This time, we are asked to contemplate how flexibility helps sustain everything in our lives, and where centeredness is the dearest companion to flexibility.

from PrayerCards deck by Beth Budesheim

Centeredness is the central axis, the unshakable connection to the core, to our true essence and foundation of who we are. Flexibility is the ability to work with conditions, or circumstances, to bend, to grow, to feel life and like an aikido master adjust body-mind-psyche in such a way that the highest good is maintained. Like a tree in the wind whose branches flex so it remains grounded and unbroken, we are called to incorporate flexibility. 

What area of your life do you need to add a dash of flexibility? Again, the guidance is just to flex a little, not to uproot ourselves and go off center. We are asked to bring flexibility so we can REMAIN centered. So look at what might be pulling you off center right now. Within that, look for where the rigidity is. Is it a rigid unconscious belief (i.e....'I have to work harder', 'I have to close myself off to xyz feelings, it has to be THIS way...) or a pattern that's become too rigid (i.e...working too much, doing the same thing over and over, sending too much time on the computer..etc) ? When you find your rigid area, ask what at the core of your being is truly important, and what flexible action might support your highest good. Be willing to try, to experiment. Flexibility is movement. It explores around the central axis. Our center informs the movement, but the movement also informs our center. ❤️


Current Special: Distance Energy Medicine 

Centering and Inner Balance

I pulled this card for us today, from my PrayerCards deck to accompany the guided energy balancing below. Enjoy and have a beautiful day.

Listen:

Intuitive Message #2 for February 2016

Listen:

Intuitive Message for February 2016

Listen:

What do YOU want to say?

What do YOU want to say?

Ask yourself, 'What do I want to say?'.  This question has the capacity to shift your whole reality because it brings you intimately into the very core of yourself. Take some time away from the internet, away from what everyone else is teaching, advocating, writing about, and creating. Take some time to listen to yourSelf. What do YOU want to say, to express, to create? This question sheds and dissolves any inkling of focus or concern about what you think others might want from you, what might be expected or appreciated or accepted.  It opens a pathway for connection with your own deeper truths, and unique expression, essence, gifts and destiny.