Time to Catch Up!

Okay, I'll admit it. It's been a while. Truthfully, I was and still am tired. I finished my doctorate and after a short break began to feel called to more education, of a different sort. So, I followed that lead, and what a path it took me through.

What was that path? A combination of health and wellness coaching with some east meets west training in meditation, mindfulness, and EFT. I was certainly taken beyond my comfort zone on more than one occasion. I will have to admit, being brought up Southern Baptist, I had some serious walls and boundaries that needed to be crossed and knocked down! And I am still fighting some of those beliefs and teachings to this day!

But I have come a long way over the past 12 months. My solid ground was shaken and I had to find myself along the way. There is so much out there we do not know and unless we open ourselves up to the experience and the receiving of new information, we are really limiting ourselves. I am very thankful for a cultural class I took during my seminary years at United Theological. Without that class, I do not think that I would have made it as far as I have.

I was challenged in my beliefs and struggled to accept that there are a variety of ways that people can heal. It's not all about Western medicine and meds. Let that sink in for a moment. Do you allow yourself to be open to other types of healing? Some people don't believe in chiropractic medicine. Others swear by it. Then there is the use of herbs and roots for healing. Do you think that is a big amount of hooey? Did you know that the drug digoxin comes from a flower? Yup. Did you know the rainforest (which man has almost totally destroyed) holds the biggest medicine cabinet? It's true. Google it. The rainforest was filled with healing medicines at one point.

So, off I went on my journey. Learning about how nutrition affects the body was the most amazing journey. I have been a nurse for over 35 years and the extent of new information in the nutritional field is staggering. Am I a believer? Oh yeah! Did God know what he was doing when he provided us with a variety of fruits, vegetables, and protein sources? Yes, He did! Was Jesus practicing healthy habits

by going off to rest? Absolutely! I am excited to be able to share this with anyone who will listen. The health and wellness journey was filled with information and lit a spark in me.

I am excited to be able to share this with anyone who will listen. This was an easy journey, but I also faced a more challenging one., my journey crossing from the West to the East, at least in the way of caring for the body.

My biggest challenge came from learning about meditation, mindfulness, and EFT. I'll admit it. I thought this was just stupid. I did not have the time to just sit and breathe or concentrate on one thing. What I learned was that, its not just that. There is so much more to mindfulness and meditation. Its not about crossing your legs and sitting on the floor either. There is freedom in how one meditates or is mindful. It's not what you see on a TV show either. This really challenged me to open my mind and learn what was best for my body. I also discovered...it works!!! It is also healthy for our bodies. Not to mention, meditation and mindfulness are now becoming mainstream in the United States. I, now take the time to care for my body and my mind by meditating and practicing mindfulness. It has taken me to another level that my body desperately needed. But the biggest challenge was yet to come. EFT.

EFT stands for emotional freedom techniques. It addresses the pent-up emotions in our body through the process of tapping. Tapping is a form of acupressure. Simply stated, and I do mean simply, it is a process of tapping on acupressure points in the body in a certain sequence. At a deeper level, it is a process of healing the emotional and physical hurts from childhood to adulthood. It is simple, yet complex. It is freeing yet leads one on a journey of self-discovery.

I became a master-certified instructor in EFT. It was created by a man by the name of Gary Craig, an engineer in the United States. You can look him up on YouTube. I love EFT and it works. Becoming Master Certified took some time but was not hard. The hard part was my instructor. She was raised in a Christian household but turned away from the belief in Jesus and heaven/hell. My instructor believes in reincarnation. and more That was the hardest part for me. I was challenged during my time in class by her beliefs and found myself wondering if we, as Christians, have it all wrong. Do I believe in chakras? No, but maybe there is something to them. How do I know what all God created. By the end of my training, I was reminded of my experiences with God and I was able to come comfortably back to my path. Was it easy? No, but I learned a lot.

Is spiritual formation a journey? You bet it is. There is so much to learn from other people, cultures, and practices. The apostle Paul interacted with others all the time and took the time to connect with them but he always stayed true to his belief in Jesus. Don't be afraid to branch out and learn. God created all kinds of healing methods for us. It is not East vs. West but East and West. Bringing everything together as a whole to heal ourselves through the gifts that God created. That was a heck of a journey. But, I'm back!!!!!!!!!