Are you going through a major challenge in your life right now? We often hear that our 'bruises' are our 'blessings in disguise', but I wonder if we realize the extent of the truth of this statement? What you are about to read is not something that I typically discuss in my written or spoken word.
Living as a single mother with my two children, on welfare in subsidized housing in a rough area of a new town for 6 years, I had no idea how this would lead me to my purpose in life. I felt so low and alone, when I had to visit the foodbank to survive, have social services randomly search my residence in the wee hours of the morning hoping to find a man in my bedroom (verifying that I might be breaking the welfare rules), and keeping my basement window nailed shut to keep uninvited drunken neighbors looking for a night-time thrill from coming in. However, it provided me with such strength and determination to dig myself out of the hole and create a better life, not only for myself and my children, but later for others that were enduring great emotional and physical hardships.
Even when I had to sell my car for $250 in order to get the electricity turned back on in the middle of January, and then bike through ice and snowbanks in frigid sub-zero temperatures to get to Acadia University classes, there was a part of me that knew that God would not make anyone go through this without a purpose for the better good. Without this Inner Knowing there is no way that I could have continued. However, the real test came when I incurred a major back injury that left me nearly immobilized for 18 months. Needless to say being in this much pain and watching my children bear the brunt of it all as they continued to care for themselves while putting my socks on created so much anxiety and depression, that life did feel not worth living. Feeling like a 'loser' was an understatement. Guilt and shame became a way of life.
As syncho-destiny would have it, this led me to the knowing that my back would never heal despite all of the physical modalities of treatment until I cleared up the chaos, fear, negativity and misalignment in my mind. Little did I know that this experience of using exercise, nutrition, nature, prayer and mindfulness would later allow me to help many others suffering with pain. Today, this mind-body holistic type of healing is now common knowledge and known as Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), and has been extensively researched and implemented in the treatment of pain, setting millions of people free from a life time of physical and mental torture, or death in many cases.
After attaining my doctorate and spending years working with clients in emotional distress, I have come to realize that genuine emotional and psychological healing is holistic in nature also. Although talk therapy and medications provide some relief, we now know that emotional pain is stored in the cells of our body and cannot be healed with words. Healing is accomplished through mind-body-spirit-energy attunement.
Holistic Mental Health Provides Many More Opportunities to Heal Here are some basic simple ideas and strategies for attaining this higher level of well being.
1. Spirit - Having a spiritual ritual of some kind to start your day. It may be talking to your Higher Power, reading the Bible, or walking in nature. Go inside yourself and connect.
2. Body - Exercise and nutrition are crucial to heal. Your brain cannot function properly without decent levels of B12, D3 and Omegas regardless of how many antidepressants you might be taking. Sugar is deadly as it causes inflammation in the brain, rupturing the synaptic and neurological pathways, ultimately reducing the major neurotransmitters required to function.
3. Mind - A healthy mind is more than affirmations and a gratitude journal. You have to know who you are at the very core. Where did you come from? How can you strength your I AM? Who are you, really? These questions may scare some people, but you can't have a healthy mind if you don't know who you are on all levels. I wrote extensively about this in my book, Wild Women Never Get the Blues.
4. Energy - Be aware that you ARE energy and the people, places and things that you open yourself up is going to affect your energetic flow, the quality of your digestion, sleep and your ability to think positive thoughts and authentically connect with others.
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