Physician Healer
A Season of Continued Giving
Many folks celebrate the winter holidays in different ways. For me, Christmas was always a time of monumentally festive celebration. Complete with magical illuminating lights, Christmas music, crimson and white candy canes, exciting gifted surprises and magnificent decorations everywhere, everyone and everything seemed just a little bit brighter. As a child, the entire month of December was a month filled with exceptional warm magic. I was especially happy during this time. Even my parents’ spirits were on an all-time high then, although it was also a stressful time of gift finding, fulfilling obligations with friends whom we had not seen in a whole year, card sending and tolerating traffic that seemed 3 times as busy as normal.
Suddenly, no one seemed to be bothered by anything. It also meant that they had time off to spend with us going to the park, to the stores to look at the decorations and to drive around the streets admiring all the holiday creativity at work with people adorning their homes. This was a special time when we were able to spend quality moments together at home watching holiday TV specials and eat out at our favorite restaurants more. It meant whenever the radio was on there would be Christmas songs being played and sung. My brother and I used to sit on either side of the back of the car and keep score looking out the window. Whoever came away with the highest count of decorations spotted would win.
As we enter the first week of December, I sat in reflection how things have changed and that while frequently the memories of past events seem like they were just yesterday now feel as if decades upon decades have passed, leaving me with a stagnant scream of heaviness rather than a fond yearning from the heart. I’ve even hopefully fantasized about being able to travel into the past just once to see my parents at their most glorious time to hug them and tell them how much I do love and appreciate them. I could continue on and on effortlessly talking about all the disappointments and regrets that cleverly paved my path with deceptively sparkly thumb tacks and ask why the universe seemed to always be against me. But, these days, thankfully, I know better. It’s just my pessimistic egoic brain and its mental chatter trying once again to bring me down. Well, I have a choice. I just won’t have it.
So, to get myself into the right reminiscent mood, I am now listening to appropriately upbeat Christmas jazz on Spotify. I laughed just now as I am remembering one of my parents’ favorite singing groups was called Mitch Miller and the Gang. We used to sit next to their prized Grundig stereo system and play the full-sized vinyls. I learned the words to most of the old Christmas classics from the lyric sheets that were included in the album. I loved, loved that album. As for the Christmas hymns, my dad knew most of them and so gifted me his old hymn book with the covers missing. I can still hear him singing them while he used the chopping board in the kitchen preparing dinner for us. I believe that I still retain at least the first verse of many of the most popular ones. Back in the day, he boasted how he used to sing at his Southern Baptist church.
Good times. But, enough lingering.
Today, as I move forward, spending my first Christmas in a place that is still foreign to me, I am grateful for the experiences that the universe has generously shared with me, now tucked away like coveted books with loving, well-worn covers. Like many, I, too, by nature am resistant to change; however, I read, study and do research into all things related to personal growth and mindfulness to collect tools on “how to deal with life” and its endless ups and downs like a bad example of a roller coaster in an amusement park and my collection proudly continues to grow each day.
I have been ever curious about the recent topic of this “big change” coming that I hear on many of the popular podcasts and YouTube videos by popular motivational, personal growth, and leadership speakers and authors. They maintain that this month of December is the month that we will all experience immense life-altering events and situations in our lives regarding not just our personal, work or social lives, but also concerning our internal peace or lack there of.
It is said that the old ways of doing things aren’t going to work anymore. The way things were done aren’t going to fly anymore. What we were used to yesterday and any time in the past aren’t going to work out beginning this month and carrying on through 2022. Apparently, the anguish, confusion, depression and anxiety that many of us are experiencing stem from our unawareness that the old patterns and stories are disintegrating and falling off and yet we are desperately attempting to hold onto what is familiar. We are afraid to let go because we cannot see where we are headed next year and that sinking feeling that we control nothing.
Recently, Kyle Cease (Comedy Central comedian turned personal growth author and speaker) in one of his live talks labeled “Navigating December” (excerpts can be found on YouTube) shared that while moving forward, experiencing the new feels frightening because we are pulled into the unknown, practicing avoidance by stepping backwards into an old habit or pattern will be extremely painful. It is certainly worth a listen. As this month and the new year push forward unapologetically, we will feel unnerved being propelled into uncharted territory. It is a year in which we can all explore fresh new avenues of how we desire to live, to find out truest purpose and follow our passion.
He went on to remind us that those of us who were used to calling a friend when trouble arose, would no longer feel this as a satisfying solution and that we would have to work this out by being alone. On the contrary, for those of us who were used to mulling alone with our issues, we would have to reach out to others to find the answers. Also, if we were used to drowning out our stresses with alcohol, with going out to eat, with scrolling through social media, with binging Netflix, will be shocked that none of that will suffice anymore.
Our attempts at diving back into our old patterns and habits of avoidance as we seek comfort to sooth our unhappiness, anxiety, depression, and dissatisfaction will inevitably produce incredible pain. As much as not everyone is going to understand any of what is said here, I found that he answered all of the questions I had from way back when my life began to change. I do believe that the powers-that-be guided me half the time with delectable carrots and the other half with slaps and bruises. As I continue to reflect today on my life, I was without a doubt pulled into a soul-led kensho vision after weathering many years of harsh awakenings through satori, painfully pushing and prodding me with what felt like sticks of thorns.
Admittedly, the beginning of this week was challenging and I am not referring to anything physical. Filled with the usual doubt and uncertainty as to where this road was winding off and to what purpose, I asked if I were embarking on a future to serve my highest calling? My highest and truest alignment? As Robin Sharma (leadership consultant and author) always reminds us, I certainly don’t want to die with regrets. They are mostly jabbing painful whispers from the constant mental chatter interrogating me whether I know what I am doing and to provide proof that this way is the path of the warrior. Well, I don’t know and I will never really know. I just have to keep moving, remembering that each moment is perfect in all of its temporary imperfections.
There is never any proof of prior experience when we are on the road not yet traveled. However, I have consistently maintained that my current situation was the doing of my guardian angels and my mom; and, if that is indeed the truth of it, then I am exactly where I need to be, even if I don’t know where I’ll end up. I just contemplate that if going back produces pain, then the only way is to go forward and to keep clearing the path with courage. It is said that this is the way to magic. I am going to hold the universe to it. In the meantime, I am going to enjoy the process and embrace the journey. That is all there ever is.
Relaxation and Meditation
1) If you haven’t listed the 50 things you are grateful for from the last installment, please take a few minutes to do so now.
2) Remember to read over the 50 gratitudes and ask yourself why you are grateful for those. Feel them.
3) Then, when you are ready you can close your eyes gently to do some deep breathing to open up your body to relaxation. If this is bedtime for you, then it is important to know that a tired body going to sleep will wake up the next morning tired.
4) With the eyes closed, take a very slow deep breath in through your nose and track the breath down into the belly, expanding the belly outward. This should take about 5-7 seconds. Then, very slowly, exhale through the mouth with a vocal sigh and visualized all the heaviness being released. Again, this should take 5-7 seconds. Repeat 2 to 3 more times.
5) Place your fingers at the Meridian chest points located under the collarbone on both sides and begin to gently tap these areas while saying the following intentional statements:
—Why is my life moving forward so smoothly that I didn’t notice before?
—Why are there so many wonderful new things unfolding in my life no matter what?
—How is my life suddenly so lucky that I didn’t notice before?
—How did my life become so magical that I didn’t notice before?
—Why is there so much love coming into my life no matter what?
—Why am I so strong and healthy no matter what?
—Why do I feel so peaceful that I didn’t notice before?
—Why am I so happy and calm now no matter what happens?
6) Consider repeating the above statements while accessing an additional or several more Meridian points.
7) Always remember to conclude with long, deep breathing cycles to release any residual heaviness lingering behind. By slowing down the breath, you slow down the mind to allow relaxation.
As an aside, there were 2 interesting patient cases this week I wanted to share. The first is a gentleman who came in for me to perform the Meridian therapy as he had exhausted all avenues in traditional medical care. After the session, he reported that he had always had trouble with the R shoulder for a long time, but he never shared it with me. After the therapy, the shoulder pain had improved considerably. Interestingly, I did notice that his R arm was moving and rotating around during the session. I assumed he was trying to get comfortable. But, he said it was because he felt intense sensations in the shoulder joint itself as if the energy was concentrated there.
The second case is an experienced yoga and meditation instructor who is also a physical therapy instructor who is aware of the Meridian technique. After the session, she was surprised to be filled with emotion, so much so, there were tears falling from the eyes. There was no specific memory. She also admitted that she was shocked that her stomach pains had completely resolved. She had been experiencing considerable stomach pains for the last 2-3 days and was going to address it but she decided to wait until the session was over. A relevant point we discussed was what if her stomach issue was discussed first and the Meridian was never done? We both agreed that we would have proceeded to treat this with a medication. How different the outcome would have been.
I hope you found one aspect of this article meaningful. And, please share with anyone you think may benefit from my stories. Thank you for reading. Until next time.
With love and gratitude,
Celeste Amaya, MD
