Do you take the time to care for yourself?

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A special invitation for those of you that live in and around Antwerp (Belgium) and have an interest in the Seishindo work. You are all invited to an evening presentation on April 20th from 19:30 hours till 23:00 hours, in Kasteel Den Brandt, Antwerp. Charlie will do a short presentation and demonstration as a way of giving you a 'flavour' of the Seishindo work. Afterwards, there will be opportunity to join us for a drink and socializing.
Marleen Adriaensen

For detailed information and registration, please visit the Seishindo Presentation page.

1. Do you take the time to care for yourself?

In October I wrote to you describing my unexpected encounter with a truck while out roller-blading. I talked about feeling great afterwards, and how my Aikido training saved me from catastrophic injury when I was thrown into the air.

A month and a half after landing, "all of a sudden" my right knee began to swell, and swell, and swell. Finally, 25 cc's of extracted fluid later, the doctor told me I would need an operation on my knee. I don't know about you, but I don't like operations. One reason being that I don't believe in "factory authorized replacement parts" for humans. The other reason being, I'm a sissy when it comes to medically induced pain. I told the doctor I was unlikely to show up for an operation, and he finally agreed to giving me a course of physical therapy and anti-inflammation medication.

And from there, the second part of my story unfolds.

Ever since I was an officer in the Navy, I've realized I excel during emergencies. What I don't do quite as well at is taking care of myself over the long haul. It's not that I abuse myself all that much. It's more that I often keep myself too busy to attend to myself properly. I am sure many of you suffer from the same syndrome.

This time around I vowed to do things differently, but I soon realized I wasn't getting the job done. Finally, a good friend pulled me aside and said, "You offer such a wonderful gift of healing to others. I'm surprised to not see you use these gifts with yourself."
I immediately understood that she was saying something quite important.

"I've seen you play and work with young children from other cultures," she said, "And I'm always amazed and touched by the connection you make and the results you get, even when you don't have a common verbal language."
"Talk to your knee as if you are talking to a young frightened child."
"Talk to your knee with tenderness and intention, and it WILL understand and respond."

My friend's kind words were enough to jump start me into action. I took a private two hour Yoga class every day for two weeks, and during the evenings I put my hands on my right knee and spoke to it in loving terms. It took three days of talking before I could feel my knee responding. A pulsing here, a softening there, and little by little the pain subsided and I felt stronger and more confident when standing and moving.

If there is one thing the body really does understand, it is the language of love!

The language of love touches each of us in a profound way, and we need to trust in this fact if we are to play an active part in our own healing.

Several days ago I went back to the doctor and he said he was pleased to tell me my knee appears to have fully healed. He said he was quite surprised given the extent of the damage. When I told him what I had done he smiled and seemed amused as he closed my folder and said, "That's all for you, your treatment is complete."

I wish I could have helped him understand that the critical element in my treatment was self love. What a shame that he didn't understand what I was saying. Hopefully this message is one that you can hear and come to believe in.

Whenever you open yourself up to the experience of love, you offer yourself a gift of profound healing. And there is no greater gift of love, than the ability to love yourself.

2. Commentary

I wrote above that it took three days of talking to my knee before I could feel it responding. My belief is that my knee was a bit confused at first. Even though I've had trouble with my knees my whole life, I'd never taken the time to let my knees know that I truly care.

During the initial three day period of talking to my right knee, I think two things were happening. One, I was warming up to the whole experience and getting over being self conscious. Two, my knee had to take a bit of time to absorb my energy, and trust that I really meant what I was saying.

I am guessing that when some of you read what I write here, you might think I am being a bit wacky. But believe me, I feel that I am sharing well founded, important information with you. Whenever you take the time to care for yourself and offer yourself love and understanding, your system DOES appreciate and respond to the attention! And depending on how long you have been neglecting yourself, it could take three seconds or three months before you feel a response.

Please trust in the fact that no one can love and understand yourself better than you can. Your love for yourself is what will make you whole.

3. Recommended Link

My good friend Sharon Mijares is leading a workshop in Costa Rica. Have a look at what should be a very interesting experience.

Journey to Costa Rica's High Mountain Sanctuary
An Intensive for Women Awakening to Compassionate Activism
July 22 -29, 2006

With Sharon Mijares, Ph.D., International speaker and promoter of psychospiritual psychotherapy paradigm, and Sienna Lea, MA, Author of Stealing the Moon & an expert in dealing directly with the hidden shadow programming of the collective.

Please visit http://www.siennalea.com/costarica.htm for details.

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