Thursday, July 1, 2010

I've Got Butterflies in My...

I finally had my appointment last night with the Gastroenterologist and that was the official diagnosis:


"Butterflies in Tummy"

No, that's my SELF diagnosis.  His was more medically accepted:  An infection that damaged the stomach lining. 

I am getting better.  I asked him the question so many of you ask me:  How could a person as health conscious as me, get so sick for so long?  He replied that the speed at which I have recovered is actually quite remarkable.  I guess it's all how you look at a thing.

But I want to run with the whole butterfly metaphor for a minute if you don't mind. 

Back when I was in the midst of the 100-Day Vegan Challenge, I tried to express that something was happening to me on the Spiritual Plain, that I didn't quite understand or know how to explain.  I felt, like I was, well, turning inside out.

And then I got sick.

And while sick, I had this deep need for turning my energy inward, getting quiet, circling my wagons, being still....

Sound like anything familiar?

We all know that when the caterpillar enters the cocoon, he rests there before undergoing his metamorphosis.  But did you know that he actually turns to MUSH??  His entire body dissolves before it re-forms.  Ick, right?

Well, that resonates pretty strongly with me right now - the icky mush thing.  I'm still in it, but I do feel that I am slowly solidifying and that the person who cracks out of this thing will be very different than the person who went in 4 months ago.

Do you guys think that's totally weird?  Well, too bad.  It's my blog and I will babble on mystically as much as I want, because GUESS WHAT?  I've got even more to say and it turns out that being fully who I am and not apologizing for it, is an enormous part of all this!

You see, one of the healing modalities I study is the Chakra system.  Chakras are energy wheels that run along the center of the body.  There are seven of them and if one gets unbalanced, energy gets stuck in that area and causes emotional, physical and spiritual problems.



The 3rd Chakra is the yellow one up there called Solar Plexus.  It's located right over the stomach, right up there high center abdomen.  You can find it by putting your three middle fingers right in the soft spot where the sternum ends.

For four months, as I have traveled from doctor to doctor, they have all asked me "Show me where it hurts"and I point exactly to the center of my 3rd Chakra.  Do you want to know what the 3rd Chakra represents?  OK, I will tell you anyway:

3rd chakra = The Seat of One's Personal Power  3rd chakra directly affects one's ability to project their will into manifestation. (Holy Yoga Batman! This is exactly what I have been struggling with!)  This center is one that is constantly challenged in humanity . The majority of people are constantly having their power chakras challenged whether it be at work, in our relationships, or simply within ourselves. Power struggles are constant in our daily grind. An under active third chakra can lead to a true feeling of powerlessness. An over active 3rd center can be just as detrimental as an under active one and may result in the over powering of others, typically for selfish desire.


The root of this problem stems from not transferring the energy of the 3rd center up through the heart center. The power that stems from the third chakra, balanced in love will lead humanity to a grand state of peace and well being.  The 3rd center is commonly associated with the “core” balancing activities that many aerobics focus on. The focus on this core, or power center, allows people to feel in control of their own destiny.

As it is located in the belly it is also tied into the digestive system.  When the 3rd chakra opens, there can be tremendous emotional upheaval. Lots of painful unconscious material can erupt. Vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and other digestive troubles can accompany this opening.  The newly unfolding 3rd chakra can make one emotionally and psychically hypersensitive.

(Source)

So why blather on about all of this butterflies and yoginis and bright balls of yellow light?  Because it illustrates perfectly what I do for a living.  When a client comes to me they often have some sort of physical complaint: over-weight, poor digestion, fatigue, bloating/gas, high cholesterol...  and what is happening to them physically is never just about the physical.  We see Western doctors to heal our bodies and believe you me, when I am sick I want an MD to help me get better!  But beyond the cure of symptoms they offer, is the root of the problem, which unless addressed, will just keep manifesting in a variety of ways.

I don't suppose it's always about chakras, but when I look this kind of thing up for people, they are usually pretty surprised at how well it matches up with what they know to be true inside.

So, me?  I am happy now to just hang out here in my mushy cocoon, doing my sit-ups and core work, channeling the 3rd chakra energy up to the 4th - the heart - and when I'm done, something really cool is going to emerge.  So, I hope you'll stay tuned!

1 comment:

  1. Great to hear you are getting better and also know what was wrong with you.I like your butterfly metaphore.

    ReplyDelete