Thousands of years ago Glen, the caveman, was frustrated while attempting to open a coconut. In his anger he threw a heavy rock at it. To his utter amazement, the fruit cracked open! Soon Glen was the most popular caveman in the tribe. He discovered--through trial and error--that attaching the rock to the end of a sturdy stick made a useful tool. Eventually the tribe called this tool "hammer" and everyone had one. It was all the rage.
Over the next couple thousand years the hammer was adapted for another use--to pry items apart. This required a split curved wedge on one side of the hammer. The people were very satisfied and convinced that they would never need another tool. Until one day, Sam from the next village came to visit with the "pliers." Very impressed, the town's people included that pliers to their tools.
Eventually there were many types of pliers all specialized for various purposes and other tools were created.
Today one could spend a small fortune on carpentry tools. The toolbox has definitely grown.
Healing is a lot like our imaginary story of the hammer. We may discover a wonderful healing modality; for thousands that modality is yoga. This "tool" serves us well and may even prove useful for various issues. However to think that one healing modality is the most appropriate in all cases, is as silly as thinking the hammer is the only tool you need.
I've spent almost a decade questing for the Holy Grail of healing. Along this path many wonderful techniques have proven useful, but the best lessons of all are:
There is no Holy Grail of healing.
One size does not fit all.
Different techniques may or may not be useful to all of us and one time or another. It's key for each of us to be open minded and to be willing to try new ways--especially when previous systems aren't working any more. Here are some methods that you may find useful:
* Spending time in nature
* Yoga postures
* Energy medicine
* Pranayama
* Meditation / Prayer
* Affirmations
* Awareness
* Aromatherapy
* Steam baths
* Bubble baths
* Extras sleep
* Supplements
* Journaling / Reflecting
* Dancing
* Laughing / Being less serious
* Byron Katie's "the work"
* Diet / Food consciousness / Spices
* Acupuncture
* Visualization
* Transcendental Meditation
* "Learning from the heart: Lessons on living, loving, and listening" by Daniel Gottlieb
* "The Four Agreements"
* Slow food / Cooking
So, what's in your healing toolbox?
2 comments:
Ah, I have to say that after looking at your list, my toolbox is going to get a few additions! You, Kris, are currently the most popular cave...person.
xx
Yoga and Meditation is a great exercise for the mind, but even more so for the body, and these are some of the benefits that could be accomplished with yoga. With yoga you will be doing a lot of stretching and putting your muscles into action, so yoga will let you achieve incredible flexibility, because yoga will make you use each and every one of your body’s muscles, and you are going to be pulling on your ligaments and tendons, therefore achieving flexibility. Another great thing about yoga, is that since you are going to be stretching so much, you will find out that it is really easy to exercise your ligaments, and therefore, get stronger on parts of the body that otherwise would get weak. With yoga, you are going to be toning your muscles, you are going to definitely get a much better looking body, which is also going to be healthier.
Post a Comment