Healing
Healing Power of Compassion
Day Eight
It’s funny how some ideas for doing something positive in the world take off, while some take two giant steps just before they fall on their faces. I’ve had a few of both types, I suppose, and I’m always curious as to what quality determines the success of one and the “failure to fully manifest” of the other. (I won’t ever call these things outright “failures” because there is bound to be some important lesson or skill achieved even if it never sees full completion.) This morning a theory on this subject arose and it was based on a phone call from somebody calling me — essentially — a New Age lunatic.
Luckily, it was just my mom.
Yeah, I’m being a bit sarcastic…because even though I’ve spent the last few years really striving for individuation and diligently so, I still seem to care quite a bit what my parents think of me. But let me back up a minute and explain the back story real quick…
For quite some time now, I’ve been secretly guarding a sure to waveringly sure belief that I can help people access healing energy by laying on of the hands. To some of you out there, this is called energy medicine. If you are familiar with Asian healing arts, it’s called Reiki. And if you’re going to my parents’ conservative church, it’s called blasphemous.
So on my way to my certification training this morning, my mom calls me at least four times to chide me, mock me, and, finally, convince me to turn around and go to church with them (today being Sunday). The first three times, I simply listen and attempt to get in a few words about energy, its universal participation in all form, how its density or low vibration can cause disease, pain, and stress. She continues to harp.
After the third time, I’m beyond riled up. I could feel the volcano preparing its lava within my belly, ready to launch all sorts of attacks on her character and her behavior and its obnoxious disruption of Christ’s essential teachings (compassion, non-judgment, love being just a couple of my personal favorites). And at this moment I took a good long look at my attack and asked myself the following question:
How do you beat judgment with more judgment?
That question led me to: How can I handle this situation compassionately, without being a passive martyr that doesn’t stand up for himself? And this is when I smiled, and realized something very profound to me: this 40 Days of Compassion journey is no joke, no talent show, no attempt to make newspapers under the “Good Samaritan of the Day” column. This is the real deal opportunity to get our lives in shape and, in doing that, make the world a way better place to live in right now. Not tomorrow or next year. Right now!
The Fourth Phone Call From Mom
Before she could even launch, I said plainly: “Mom, I need you to hear me right now. If you’re going to continue with these comments, then I’d rather you didn’t call. You’re behavior is both judgmental and it’s hurtful to me.” (Folks, it may not seem like much but then you don’t know how non-confrontational I can be…this took nuts on my part.)
Her response? “Ok.” Me: “Ok? Got it?” Her: “Ok.” And then we hung up.
Of course, it took me a good two hours to shake the negative energy off, but I felt good about finding a compassionate, respectful way of saying: back off, holmes, your breath stinks and I’m tired of the bull crap you’re spittin.
As a sidenote…
For those of you who are curious about Reiki, it’s essentially a mindful practice of channeling the energetic tones of love and compassion into one’s body, helping to reduce stress and increase inner-peace. Cancer patients are often prescribed Reiki because of its measurable results in such areas.
More than anything, I want people — including myself — to find access points to the limitless abundance of love. I can’t imagine a more empowering gift to people. I truly want to help this place heal and I’m tired of not listening to that calling from within.
If you’re interested in becoming a practitioner (Christian, you’d mentioned something about an interest), I’ll introduce you to the Reiki Master I just got certified by here in Portland, Oregon. Phenom teacher!
You’ll like this: http://www.princeton.edu/~pear/
ooh la la. however… my dad’s an engineer who just came around to the world being older than 5,000 years. his counterpart believes whatever the preacher says because the title of the sermon is “absolute truth”. i ain’t judging (much), but i gotta admit: tough crowd.
maybe you can position it differently to your parents by speaking their language. christ is the ultimate healer and through him we’re delivered from sickness. that’s one of the promises he made us, which can be manifested through faith and prayer. if you acknowledge that, when laying hands on someone, you’re merely acting as a conduit for the holy spirit’s healing powers. then it’s not really blasphemous at all. the bible said that healing is a gift given to certain people (i think in 1 corinthians?). apparently, you have that gift, which is a blessing you can leverage for god’s glory by bringing his message to many people who might not otherwise experience it. perhaps, if framed this way, your message might resonate more with your parents.
or you can blast this and commiserate with my man, prince: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI0dCVwdedE
good luck!
hahaha…that is funny.
It hasn’t come up at all since I made the request to ol’ mama bear. It will probably resurface when I start building a real practice out of it, and I will use your approach. They tend to react pretty darn positively to things if it’s in the Bible.