Life is full of polarity: love and hate, joy and suffering, compassion and greed, laughter and tears. We can choose our perceptions, we can choose our thoughts, but sometimes they smack into the harsh reality of life turning the wheels of fate as it may – whether a loss of loved one, a car accident, loss of a job, or some other hardship beyond our control. Even when you are doing your best to surround yourself with positive souls, meditate, eat right, exercise while not giving in to the God of Ice Cream and Goddess of Chocolate, or the Demon of impatient road rage, the truth is no one is immune to the fact that we all have good days and bad days. One dynamic cannot exist without the polarity of the other. Our range of experiences makes us human, contributing to our continued growth and development of lessons lived and learned. However, when we experience trauma, pain, grief, sorrow or disappointment, it does not mean we failed to ‘manifest our ideal life.’ We need to feel our emotions, own them, sink into it, process them fully.
Hiccups along the journey to our soul’s purpose do not mean we have to run away from friends we care for who are challenged with negative life experiences. Everyone goes through trials in life, but we have the ability to encourage, support, uplift and pray for each other instead of acting as if there is a virus of the negative cooties to which we are immune.
When I was hit head on by an inebriated driver the day after Thanksgiving a few years ago, he totaled three cars and my dominant hand was ripped in half. Forget about the surgeries and almost a year of painful rehabilitation, I just wanted to ask the Doctor if I would be able to wipe my own ass and when I could drive to go back to work. If it were not for the kindness of my family, a few good friends and volunteering at the local homeless shelters to teach children therapeutic arts to deal with their own traumatic experiences, I would have died of cabin fever. The reality is that there may be a time when some inebriated driver will metaphorically intersect with the road to your dreams. It is what it is, and although we cannot control the repercussions of someone else’s actions affecting our life, we always have the ability to control our own attitude about a situation.
Fellowship is powerful. Divinity gave you two hands for a reason: one to help yourself and another to help uplift someone else. Babies cannot survive without touch, and I know a lot of ‘big babies’ in great need of a hug. Our modern technology has left many people feeling isolated, struggling with depression and other silent mental health issues like loneliness. Connection is good for the soul that is why show up in life- have dinner with someone, cook a meal together, meet for coffee or tea, play games, grill out by the pool and dive into swim, go fishing or take a walk in the park. Any positive activity that moves you forward is a good start to building or nurturing a solid friendship to keep each other motivated in life. Life is often like a roller coaster- it comes with highs and lows no matter how many Wayne Dyer or Louise Hay affirmations you do. The crap we survive ourselves or as friends, family or as a community makes us a stronger team supporting and encouraging one another whenever needed. We do not have to remain forever stuck in a perpetual state of emotional suffering regardless of our past experiences or triggers, if we commit to recovering our joy, love for life and not allowing any life storms to steal our inner peace. If we ever feel stuck in a hamster wheel of never-ending life trials and are seeking to heal or retreat, there is always help available to us beyond our own circle of influence.
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Neurophysiologist and psychoanalyst John C. Lilly, M.D. had the idea of floating in a giant martini glass of supersaturated solution of Epsom salt to explore the limits of human consciousness and determine what would happen if all external stimuli were removed. By enclosing the water maintained at the temperature of 93 degrees, Dr. Lilly was able to create an environment for scientific research and meditation. Further experiments of sensory deprivation were done by Peter Suedfeld, Rodrick Borrie, and others. This technique was named Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST). Over time, this integrative tool has been applied to many areas of human healing and recovery from trauma and life stressors. Floating frequently has shown to improve overall health without drugs. Scientists around the globe continue to experiment with sensory deprivation to treat post traumatic stress disorder, grief, anxiety, autism, and rehabilitation from injuries. The stress reduction and increased rate of recovery have made the floating experience attractive to athletes, fitness enthusiasts, body builders and personal trainers. Presently, the trend has sparked an opening of float centers around the world to help the average person feel rejuvenated and relaxed. Every day the benefits of floating garner more support from the fields of health and scientific research. More importantly, float therapy is helping people to maintain and reclaim their peace of mind regardless life circumstances beyond their control.
Lex Lumiere
Healing HeARTS
646-493-4582
