Happy

 

After one month of Mirapex I visited my neurologist, Dr. V. Thankfully, he made little comment about my delay of 8 months between his writing a prescription and my taking the medication. I resisted taking medication longer than that, and now I feel rather guilty at times for giving in. Yet, I am happier now that I can again do things, and though perhaps some of these things are not productive towards healing myself (still my goal), they at least allow me to feel I am contributing.

            For instance, I am cooking more. I joined a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and every week pick up large quantities of produce from the farm, at this time of year a lot of greens. So, I clean and stem bunches of kale or collards and fix nourishing recipes to entice lovers and haters of vegetables.

            I have worked more in the garden and this year have a tidy and lush garden, a quite inspiring place.

            Instead of asking the men about the house to clean or do chores, I have been able to assume more tasks. Washing dishes isn’t the excruciating, time-consuming job it was before the medication.

            I can write again, and fill out the endless forms for camp.

I can forget my glasses at the other end of the house and think nothing of walking back to get them.

If it sounds as though I am touting the glories of medication, and in a way I am. It is like a miracle. If in the long run it turns out this was a big mistake I’ll be sorry, but for now, I am happy.

I Am Attuned

Reiki is energetic bodywork, adhering basically to the same theory as other Eastern systems that I’ve studied. Last Sunday, Michele, a Reiki Master with Rena, her student teacher covered the first level of Reiki with me, the only pupil. I observed a treatment, and after being attuned in a short ritual intended to open me up to to receive cosmic energy, tried giving a treatment. I also received a Reiki treatment. Since the class I have practiced on two people - my son and my mother out in the studio where I have set up a table that is very tranquil and private.

            Reiki addresses the phenomenon of blocked energy, which in theory, impacts overall health by stalling the natural movement of energy through the body.

            In a Reiki treatment, the practitioner lays both hands gently on areas of the body i.e. the chakras. While the hands remain in place there may be sensations, visualizations, memories, or thoughts that arise in both the practitioner and the recipient. For me, I am focusing on the person’s intention, what they want from the session, and largely trying to sense the energy in my hands and in the area of the person’s body I am working on.

            What I like about it so far is the opportunity it gives me to focus on energy and feelings particularly in my heart. My heart is responding quite noticeably – a kind of whirring sensation sometimes. The act of trying to channel cosmic energy through myself, my hands and into someone else’s body is a potentially very powerful exercise. For me it’s similar to the meditation I practice, except I am not alone.