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Where the American Healthcare System Meets Jikiden Reiki®

So this just happened, and I am still in awe …

I just left my endocrinologist’s office for a follow-up visit and was pleasantly surprised that THIS happened.

During the visit he opened my chart and my eyes could not believe what I saw. I had to take a double take. What was it? It was the word Reiki written in kanji.

My doctor began to tell me that after my last visit with him, he was so taken back by my last visit that he decided to do some research on Jikiden Reiki® in his own. He even went on to show me his written notes from my last visit where he wrote the word Reiki in kanji. I was pleasantly surprised as this was unexpected.

So TODAY he inquired more about Jikiden Reiki® and how it has helped me overcome some of these “issues” where the American healthcare system was unsuccessful.

He was very curious and inquisitive which was refreshing to see from someone in the medical field. He said as a physician, he is limited in scope of care and there are many things that in the healthcare system, people just have to live with and listed many examples on why that is – eluding to how broken the system is.

My reply was “But it does not have to be so and this is why”. He said he’s never met a patient like me before in all the years he has practiced medicine.

I thought wow. I made this much of an impression on this western doctor so much so that after my last visit, he took it upon himself to research how reiki works medically.

Granted what I have overcome throughout the years shocks many. I explained to him that I am not a doctor, and looking to solicit his assistance to help working together to find out what this last issue that is hindering me to back to myself fully 100%. It is my belief that he can help me do that with appropriate tests and a diagnosis so I know how to treat possibly myself either via Jikiden Reiki®, nutrition, supplements, etc.

To give you a little back story about me and how I landed here…

Some of you know my story, but most of you don’t. To summarize, I left an abusive relationship in 2005 only to have my abuser use the system to continue patterns of abuse until 2014. As a result, I was officially diagnosed with complex PTSD.

In search of “healing the broken me” as I would like to call it, I originally delved into the traditional American Healthcare System in hopes I can quickly return to my unbroken self. Like many others, I have felt that I was not getting better and band-aids were being applied to my mental, emotional, and physical symptoms that were not getting better and began to spiral out of control.

This affected everything with many bizarre symptoms that I felt or manifesting physically as a result of the trauma and abuse I endured.

Some of these symptoms include:

  • From my ability to swallow
  • Choking on water and own saliva
  • Enlarged thyroid
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Intestinal issues
  • Bladder issues
  • Hemorrhagic uterine bleeding
  • Low stress tolerance
  • Heart flutters and palpitations while in a calm state
  • Avoidance issues and fear
  • Nightmares and flashbacks
  • Anxiety and panic attacks
  • Chronic physical pain
  • Memory issues
  • Vision disturbances
  • Left sided weakness
  • Fluctuating weight
  • Circulatory issues

So I increasingly became very frustrated with our system and their ability to help me put myself back together with each new physical symptom that popped up. No one seem to be able to connect the dots to whole picture.

I am more than my uterus or brain or thyroid etc. My body is a miraculous being that is interconnected and multi-functional.  There is NO one shoe fits all as the system attempts to do. Just look at how separated our system is designed by specialists in areas of body parts. Where is the physician who can tie into the link between what is going on in my inner ear with my gut for instance? That what might be going on in one area of my body my actually be caused in another area of my body?

I realized there had to be more to all this and began looking into the spiritual aspects of my issues that the healthcare system couldn’t figure out.

I started reconnecting to my spiritual path. I began meditating. I eliminated inflammatory foods. I sought out reputable teachers and healers. I started connecting with the divine within me and my divine team. I learned and studied multiple holistic health modalities and spiritually based practices.

It wasn’t until I learned Jikiden Reiki®, my entire life drastically changed. I had already been practicing and teaching the more westernized cousin of reiki for 6yrs. But this was different, and in a league of its own.

I’ve learned over the last several years that we have become a culture that will take something that is pure in its roots and traditions … that is connected somehow deep to some ancient wisdoms and healing … and “Americanize” it or westernize it. This is when we have lost the magic aka medicine for the soul to fully heal those deep wounds that escape our awareness.

While practicing all these other westernized forms of healing and spiritually based practices, I didn’t quite understand this until recent years. As time goes on and I work on my craft and my own personal healing, the clearer that gets.

Needless to say, today I see my health almost fully restored thanks to these alternative treatments.

I avoided a hysterectomy, a root canal, 3 rounds of antibiotics for infections due to these therapies and saved my body from additional physical traumas and toxins that would stifle the work I am doing to restore wholeness in my life.

So sometimes, there is more to what’s going on with you than meets the eye.

My question for you is this … when the healthcare system is unable to help you restore “wholeness ” in your life, do you or would you consider alternative therapies to help you?

Do you believe there is more to illness and disease than what’s presented in the way the healthcare system categorizes it?

I come away with a few thoughts:

  1. Don’t give up on you docs who are AT LEAST open to learning, supporting, and aligning with the concept of mind-body medicine or proven alternative therapies
  2. Be a good patient. Walk the walk. Do the work to improve your life physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually without spiritually bypassing, and watch everyone around you ask you how you did that. Best testimonial is your own story.
  3. When you take responsibility for your life and health – eat right. remove toxicity – foods, thoughts, poisons, environment, etc. not only employ therapies such as yoga, reiki, meditation, thai chi, etc, but embody them… your health care team will want to learn more on how you do that without the need to “sell” them.
  4. A pill and/or a procedure will fix very few things so called, wrong. When we understand this and understand how to support our body’s ability to heal itself, and actually choose to live a better healthier life, toxic pills and harmful procedures will be lessened and the burden on our health care system financially will be significantly reduced. This is not to mention the side effect of a lessened burden on our ecosystem and environment due to reduction of medical waste.
  5. Trust your instincts and listen to the wisdoms of the body.
  6. I can keep going on, but won’t. This is a long enough post. The rest may just be added into a chapter in the book I am writing. So stay tuned …

Have you had a good experience like this bridging western medicine with holistic therapies? Please share.

Thank you for sharing this journey with me and supporting my life’s work

With love and appreciation,
Laura

To learn more about Jikiden Reiki, click here.

To learn more about Trauma, click here.

To read more about my reiki stories, click here.

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 © 2015-2018 Laura Joseph. All Rights Reserved. This information is for general educational uses only. It may not apply to you and your specific medical needs. This information should not be used in place of a visit, call, consultation with or the advice of your physician or health care professional. Communicate promptly with your physician or other health care professional with any health-related questions or concerns. This article does not share the opinions of Healing With Spirit or its affiliates.  Be sure to follow specific instructions given to you by your physician or health care professional.
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A Trauma Survivors Election Day Experience 2016 And How To Move Forward

WOW what a ride this week has been and since the election emotions have been quite high.  I have my own feelings that have come to light this week and I will share them with you shortly. This is a very sensitive subject matter especially for trauma survivors, and my only request is that you read this with an open heart and without judgement.

I am also an empath, so I feel intensely the energies around me and of those people around me whether person to person or virtually. As I write this, I am choosing to honor my own feelings and I am choosing to honor yours as well. 

Before I continue on my experiences after the election, let me share with you my experiences and thoughts on the day of the election and why I felt so paralyzed to vote.   One of my trauma coping mechanisms is journaling.  Here is what I wrote on the day of the election, November 8, 2016, and when I decided to publish it, I chose to keep it as is so you may experience my full experience.

Graphic by Laura Joseph, Healing With Spirit

“I never realized how triggering and paralyzing today’s election was until today when it was time to cast a vote. The governmental abuse, disregard and metaphorical rape of women and children, the narcissistic sociopathic behaviors of our two primary candidates, the disregard for life not to mention threats and intimidation brings back flash backs of the horrors I endured attempting to leave and to protect my children from abuse only to have them legally trafficked by way of family court, and the more I fought trying to grasp at any straw to save them and myself, the more I was threatened and retaliated against and even went to jail.

There is no worse feeling in the world than drowning in a sea of trauma, abuse, lies, and deceit begging for someone to reach out to pull me and my children out only to be met with the mighty oar pushing you back under hoping you just die.

Today’s election and everything it stands for and against, has paralyzed my ability to vote bridging past abuse with political rhetoric that merged as if it became one reality especially when the deepest darkest shadows of America is cracked wide open.

Some of you may say, get over it and move on.

After all, it’s been almost 11 yrs since you left your abuser. My head and mind already know that. However, It’s my physical body trapped in fight or flight in its attempt to shield me and protect me from further trauma and abuse screaming inside begging when will it end. When will peace reign on earth, and I no longer have to maintain a fight or flight state which has severely taxed my adrenal glands?

It is extremely difficult to engage in exercising my right to vote especially when reports of bullying, insults, and intimidation are becoming the norm. This weekend I realized I still do “avoidance” tactics which is part of trauma response. Today, I realized how bad I still do it. 

The redtail hawk Laura saw on November 8, 2016

As I left my house this morning tearing myself apart for not practicing what I preached paralyzed in fear a redtail hawk swooped out of nowhere flying alongside my truck on Rockland Street until I hit the breaks and he flew to the top of the tree. i pulled over, exercised gratitude, and had a mini animal totem pow wow.The message I received was to take the pressure off myself and to focus on the long term picture not on the short term and to stop being so hard on myself. The hawk is showing me to trust and take flight. I may feel unsupported in the human realm, but to know I am supported in the divine realm.
I guess in one aspect the avoidance has allowed me to heal and move forward, but in another aspect when confronted, it is paralyzing. God help America.”

Photo & Quote by Laura Joseph
Healing With Spirit. All Rights Reserved

I had so much anxiety on the day of the election, it was overwhelming. I felt alone, as the trigger spiraled.  I pulled every tool I knew to cope including meditation, reiki, journaling, crystal, vibrational healing via tibetan medicine singing bowls, walks and communing in nature, and  non attachment. 

When I saw the redtail hawk, I knew it was a sign. Signs from above have been very prominent for me in my healing journey since I had lost faith and trust in humanity. Connecting  with the divine was my lifeline.

Redtail hawks have been a great message bearer for me over the years. They adapt to life well even amongst the human race and are a great service to humanity. The human race has drifted so far away from source, we miss the magic they offer. I was grateful for my divine team and angels for this message.

As I maintained a ping pong match of emotions that day, I decided to go for a walk and was greeted with three crows with a mourning dove perched just above. I smiled and moved forward, and my anxiety began to wane, but not enough to head to the polls and vote. You see for me it was not the idea of voting that was the trigger for me. It was the idea of dealing with something with what I perceived as a corrupt, abusive government and even though in my head, I knew not to fear, my body kept tying to trick me otherwise.

From a spiritual sense, crow is another very powerful message bearer, keeper of the universal sacred laws, and represent magic. They are the harbinger of change in all areas of life; physical, spiritual, mental and emotional. They can aid us in moving between realms of the spirit world and physical life. Crow was a wonderful reminder to create and manifest what I seek. The fact there were three, reminds me how divinely support I am and focuses my attention to my ability to communicate more effectively. Crow announces a newness on the horizon. Are you aware of the nuances in life? Are you listening to signs around you? Crow can give strength and show you how to maneuver in intuitions and insights.

When I saw the mourning dove above the crows, I smiled as it was the solidifier for me in the message. Traditionally, doves are a messenger of peace, love, joy and gentleness, prophecy of good things, maternity instincts, as well as an awakening to promise of future with clarity. In this case, dove was helping me understand my emotions better, and letting me know that hope and peace will come. 

When I woke up on Wednesday, November 9, 2016, I was and was not shocked at the results. I was not shocked, because, I had predicted early spring of Hillary Clinton’s downfall. I however, was fearful of a Trump Presidency and was hoping for a different, maybe more Utopian result. 

I have over come so much in my life. I have chosen to do my best to never judge those who voted a certain way because it is a constitutional right. I choose to not let those choices break up my “tribe”.  

Although, I thought I was much further along in my healing, I am taking a pause. I am holding space and trying to not feed the fear. Instead, I am choosing to allow to feel these emotions. I am allowing to feel the fear. I am talking to the inner child within, who clearly is still wounded, and asking her what will it take to feel safe again so the fear can be released for good this time.

I am BEing mindful how I unleash my emotions on my friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, etc. We all have a choice. If we want change, we must go within first. 

In the end we are all one. Fear begets more fear. Hate begets more hate. Only love can conquer hate and fear. Only love can create peace.
The veil is thin right now. Many truths are being revealed. Our own shadows are surfacing. We’ve been feeling it rise like a cauldron of a volcano for quite a while.

All the answers we seek lie within. So please let’s pause and be mindful of our thoughts, words, posts, actions.

Here’s a quote I love that resonates, and I changed it to create action: “I surrender to what is. I let go of what was and I have faith in what will be.”

Today, I choose to step into the light and BE the beacon.

It’s time we get centered. Breathe … Bring back our power … breathe … feel compassion … breathe …
And breath in Love … breathe … and breathe out fear.

Together let’s radiate love and let it transmute any misqualified energies.

Together, we not only help ourselves, but our brothers and sisters, our fellow struggling American, the rest of the world, Mother Earth etc.

I honor and appreciate each of you.

Let’s create the greatest most contagious virus of Love. Change begins with us. That change is internal.

Here are a few related links for more information

I am here to help.

With Love and appreciation,
Laura  

Spiritual Medium, Public Speaker, and Teacher
Usui Reiki Master Teacher
Jikiden Reiki Shihan

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