We’ve all faced health challenges at some point in our lives. During those times, it can really shake us up. It can force us to take a closer look at our lives, the way we live, and how we take care of ourselves. Several years ago, I came down with a parasitic illness that didn’t have a known cure. It ravaged my health, my skin and even my spirit. I lost my inner-spark. It was one of the scariest times of my life because I could see the change that was taking effect. It was so overwhelming that my spiritual practice literally flew out the door. I stopped meditating because I spent all of my waking hours trying to find a cure. I felt disenchanted, and it wasn’t until I hit rock bottom that I found my way back to my meditation practice. It is what I believed healed me in the end.
Through meditation, I was able to calm down. It was easy for me to spiral into the chaotic, fearful thoughts of “What if I don’t find a cure? What if I’m like this forever? What if I die from this?” It was an intense practice of bringing myself here and now. Every time I felt fear take over, I would anchor myself in the present moment and remind myself, “Right now I’m okay. Right now I can breathe.”
Being unwell is incredibly stressful, and I realized that instead of creating the “healing environment” to allow energy to flow, I felt frenetic inside. All that time I had taught meditation and yoga didn’t seem to help me (or so I thought). I had to learn how to center and calm myself, be present with something that I absolutely detested in my body. I didn’t want to be present with my condition, because there was a part of me that thought that if I was present and accepted where I was, it would stay with me forever. But eventually, with time, I learned to accept and embrace what was happening.
Meditation also helped me become creative and intuitive. Since no doctor could help me, I found my own remedy and cure. It required a great deal of patience and experimentation, but eventually I found the right combination of treatments that allowed me to fully heal. I realized I was my own doctor and that being sick was medicine for my soul. It cracked me open to higher levels of awareness and growth. It showed me what I’m made of.
It took me a while to stop seeing sickness as something I had to get rid of or overcome. That’s when I started seeing it as a spiritual practice, a way to go deeper and to expand within. Can I wake up today and feel centered and peaceful, even though I look and feel absolutely horrible? Can I still be myself even when things seem bleak?
Meditation teaches us to be present with what is – even if that “what is” isn’t what we want. It gives us a choice, an opportunity to see with new eyes, embrace our true experience, and accept it as it is.
I hope you’ll enjoy this video that will share how you can apply the practice of meditation to any challenge you’re facing. Also, please consider joining us for “Meditation for Deep Healing.” You may know someone who would benefit from the course. It’s a subject that is close to my heart and I am passionate about supporting people through their own healing journey.
With love,
Sura
