She had quickly begun to realise the extent to which I live an ‘alternative’ life, while mostly appearing pretty mainstream to the untrained eye!
When I talked about the importance of clearing clutter and how it impacts our health, it all sounded pretty straightforward – even common sense. Then came Feng Shui, homeopathy, paraben-free body washes, Reiki energy healing, and drinking saltwater, all of which she took in her stride.
But now? Talking to yourself?
Yes. I was suggesting she talked to one of her organs. (I haven’t hit her with the sugar-free, 100% black chocolate bar yet, but perhaps after this, that’ll be a breeze).
Some of you reading this will already know about – and totally agree with what I’m about to share here, but others might be feeling just a little bit cautious! I get it. I used to be skeptical, but I’ve seen the positive effects myself and this story is no exception.
Let’s call this friend Pamela. Not her real name. I’m always conscious of confidentiality, so let’s keep it safe.
Pamela told me a few months back about her cancer journey, some seven years prior and I noted the emotion with which she still spoke of it. Especially as she cleared associated items in her home that had accumulated in corners – stacked-up and untouched since that time in her life. The pain was palpable.
Some weeks later that she told me about some blood tests she needed to check out a long-term, niggly problem in her chest, which had manifested by way of a cough that didn’t seem to want to leave. The blood tests had prompted further investigations by the medical team. They wanted to do an x-ray. Something had been picked up in her blood.
Que, fear and anxiety.
After the x-ray, she was notified that a shadow was visible on one of her lungs and on further investigation, there was a nodule there, 1cm wide. Doctors wanted to check it out. Just to be sure.
She was referred for a PET-CT scan.
Understandably anxious whilst doing her best not to ‘fear the worst’, I could see how (and why) fear could easily become the predominant feeling if we let it take up residence.
After getting permission to share my thoughts, I explained to Pamela that in Chinese Medicine, the lungs represent our capacity to hold and express grief. So, I asked her to have a think about whether she might be holding onto some old pain. Or not allowing herself to grieve or feel her pain for some reason.
She explained that the cough had been around since the end of her chemotherapy and although numerous visits to doctors at the time had not found a solution, she also realised that she had perhaps neglected herself and her needs at some level over the years following.
I shared how sometimes our health problems can have a message for us. And that she could start to uncover what that message might be if she wanted to start talking to her chest – her lungs in particular. Engaging kindly with both the symptoms and her organs, asking what they need, what she could do to heal them. What their ‘message’ was for her at this time.
I explained how I believed that ‘everything in life has meaning’ and that perhaps her cough was trying to tell her something.
Not only did Pamela start doing this, she told me how she had begun apologising to her lungs for neglecting them. That she was going to take care of them now. And that there were some very kind people who also wanted to help take care of them as well – whatever happened going forward. She told her lungs that whatever the results of the scan, she would not neglect them again.
After receiving Reiki from me ahead of the scan and again the day after, some healing from her (other alternative) friend and prayers from close her church community, twelve days had passed.
It was PET-CT Scan Results Day.
A nurse telephoned to say that it was good news!
Not only had the nodule on her lung reduced in size, but it had changed shape. Pamela could not believe it! The hospital was no longer concerned. They just asked to see her in six months’ time as a precautionary measure.
So, back to talking to ourselves.
It really is a very important activity to be aware of.
We’re all aware of the importance of speaking kindly to others, but do we really remember to do the same to ourselves?
How do you speak to yourself each day?
#1 Start by being aware of what you’re saying to yourself. It’s the first step to knowing yourself better and getting to know the kind of relationship you have with yourself. Take notes if you dare.
#2 Listen to the words and tone you use with yourself. Do you speak kindly to yourself? Or are you harsh with yourself? What do you say when you’re busy talking to yourself all day? Any praise going on in there? Fun? Appreciation for how well you’re doing today, despite the struggles or what you might be going through?
#3 How do you feel now I have asked you to have a listen to that inner voice? Any sensations present in your body as you read this? Any particular areas of your body or organs even, that have ‘woken up’ or are in need of your attention?
As you check-in with yourself today, remember not to check-out when you start to get busy being busy.
Hold a whispering, kind energy towards yourself, before your body has to shout at you for being ignored.
Remember, your Authentic Life Matters! Contact Sarah now at www.slowcoachsarah.co.uk to book a free, no-obligation conversation that can change your life.