Welcome to the Ask,
Learn,
Heal podcast.
I'm Mary Jo Feeley,
Your host,
And I am delighted that you are joining me today.
The first thing I want to share with you is that I have a passion for health and wellness.
And my hope is that as you listen to the podcast that I offer that you will find a way to be able to touch into some of what I offer,
That it may impact your own health and well-being and that you may benefit from it.
Healing matters and healing takes place in a million different ways.
As a nurse,
I've learned this over time.
I have had a wide variety of experiences working with a wide variety of people from all ages and walks of life.
Settings that I have worked in have included clinics and hospitals to their homes,
To schools,
And even working with those who are homeless and live in shelters and on the streets.
And so over the years as a nurse,
I've really learned that healing,
Not only is it quite different for each individual person,
But it's also very personal and it's cultural and it shows up in ways that I would never have imagined.
Another thing I've learned over the years in my work with healing is that there's a difference between healing and curing.
Now this is a really big difference and when I discovered this,
It gave me some space to be able to really live in to being a healing presence,
Much more than a fixer of a problem.
So my work as both energy healer and crystal healer and mentor and instructor and teacher all blend these wide gaps of culture and of personal life experiences and really teasing out how to support those that I'm working with to be able to heal.
And that is my hope and intent with this podcast as well is that over the course of the various episodes that I offer,
That I am very hopeful that you will be able to find ways in which to support your own healing process.
So I was introduced to energy healing a very long time ago and actually it was this concept of healing and curing that really cemented itself much more firmly in my awareness and in my experience during that time.
So I first learned that as a nurse that there are problems,
I identify the problem,
I fix the problem.
If it didn't work,
I go back to square one.
When I was introduced to energy healing,
This whole concept shifted.
So it's not surprising actually that when I was introduced to energy healing,
This shift from a focus of curing or fixing the problem,
Rather shifting into a place of identifying where the healing need is and to be a healing presence,
Much more at a fixer much less was something that I was really able to connect with.
I want to tell you a little bit about my background.
For those of you who are new to my work,
I was first introduced to energy healing through a program through Healing Touch called Healing Touch Spiritual Ministry.
That was an opportunity to be able to bring concepts of energy healing into the ministry arena,
So to speak,
Where we could support those who were looking for healing from a faith-based perspective.
Following that training,
I became certified and accredited as a Healing Touch practitioner,
And during that time was immersed in a wide variety of healing techniques that spanned various cultures.
So I began to understand that,
Again,
Healing doesn't take place in just one way.
It takes place in a wide variety of ways across cultures and lifestyles and experiences.
Following my Healing Touch training,
I wanted yet again to widen that healing paradigm,
That sense of stepping a little further into other cultures,
And I explored Yusui Reiki.
Now,
Yusui Reiki is a form of energy healing that comes out of Japan,
And I became a Yusui Reiki master teacher.
So while it has its roots in Japanese culture,
And a number of the various techniques that I learned through all my Healing Touch training has roots in various world cultures,
It was still yet one more culture that I was being invited to explore,
And that was the world and the culture of crystal healing.
So some of what we hear about energy healing,
Reiki,
Healing Touch,
Crystal healing,
Much of that is sometimes attributed to almost being like new-agey.
It's something that's kind of relatively new,
But actually all of this is quite ancient.
And gemstones and crystals,
For example,
Have been used for millennia to support healing and well-being.
So throughout all these energy healing modalities that I've been introduced to,
That I've trained in,
And that I've worked with both personally and with clients over the years,
I noticed that how I perceived it was that what ran through all of these healing modalities was a thread of spirit.
There was a sacred connection between all living things,
Connecting each of us to another,
And I learned that through healing work,
We're able to make those connections stronger.
I learned also through this interconnectedness that I became aware of,
That our personal healing actually ripples out into the greater community,
Which is super empowering for sure.
And it also,
Though,
Reminded me that while each of us does our own healing for our own personal reasons,
And not with the end result that it's going to ripple out to others,
It does happen anyway,
And so that's a real cause for celebration.
Healing is really painted with a broad brush,
And so we don't tend to pigeonhole it and do it only one or two different ways.
So as I mentioned just a little bit ago,
I'm going to be covering healing from a wide range of topics,
From energy healing,
Crystal healing,
Self-care.
Every episode is going to have a guided meditation that's going to support the learning and the information that I'm offering.
My sense is that we really heal through our experiences and by allowing our inner healer to shine forth.
And so I will,
In each podcast,
Present some information,
And then I will kind of bring it together in a guided meditation so that you can integrate the information and the knowledge you're gaining with a personal experience of healing.
Now if you're brand new to energy healing or crystal healing,
Perhaps you've not really felt like you shine very brightly when it comes to self-care,
That's all okay.
It's definitely important that you not feel intimidated if you are new to the healing conversation.
We just start right where we are.
And of course that comes right back to you.
Self-care is not selfish.
It's essential.
And we all know that when we're doing well,
Physically,
Emotionally,
Mentally,
Or spiritually,
That our whole life seems to be going really,
Really well.
And actually,
Everybody around us seems to be doing pretty well too.
And occasionally there might be somebody who's not doing quite so great,
But we don't seem to be quite so bothered by that either.
And on the flip side,
Of course,
We also know that when we aren't feeling particularly well,
Whether we're physically ill,
Maybe perhaps we haven't been eating very well,
Or we've had more times of stress,
We're not sleeping particularly restfully,
Then we know that we're more likely to not be as settled.
It's more difficult for us to be with people,
And my hunch is it's probably a bit more difficult for them to be with us too.
So this all comes back to self-care.
I like to think of it that self-care gives us permission to pause,
To breathe,
And to relax even for a moment.
And also to get clear on what we need.
Is it a need?
Like do we need to eat?
Do we need to talk with somebody?
Do we need to take a nap?
Those are physical aspects of health that will interfere with our overall state of wellness.
Perhaps other times there's a sense of maybe needing more emotional or mental support.
Perhaps it's reaching out to a friend to talk.
Maybe it's simply asking somebody to listen for a few minutes.
Sometimes all we really need is a hug.
So those are ways that as we begin to take a look at self-care and really notice what's arising,
We also begin to give ourselves permission to ask for what we believe would be helpful and then to accept that.
So for the next couple of minutes I want to invite you to simply sit back and allow yourself to touch into your own inner healer.
Now that may seem kind of foreign to you,
But imagine that within you is a sense of an aspect of yourself that knows what you need,
Loves you unconditionally,
And is simply there just to support you.
Think of that as your own inner healer.
I'm going to guide you through a very simple meditation that you can experience now,
But also perhaps you want to play it over and over again while you get used to how to touch into your own inner healer.
It'll help you bring clarity about what your body,
Mind,
Or spirit is needing.
So slowly begin by bringing your awareness to your breath and gently drawing your breath in and releasing back out.
And each breath that you draw in,
Imagine that on the back of each of those oxygen molecules that moves through your lungs and into your bloodstream,
Rides this beautiful life force energy that moves and weaves itself through your entire being.
Each breath bringing you an opportunity to tune into yourself.
Each breath as you release it gives you permission to let whatever is ready to be released,
To be released very gently.
And as you breathe in,
Notice that that beautiful breath circulates around your heart center,
The center of compassion and kindness and peace.
And each breath out circulates that beautiful gift of healing throughout your being.
And now very slowly for the next moment or two,
Allow yourself to scan your body.
Noticing where it is that your inner healer is inviting you to pay attention.
And simply notice what area of your body is asking for you to share this beautiful heart energy,
This vital energy,
This life force that you draw in and release throughout your being.
And as you notice areas within your body where you're holding tension,
There may be pain or simply a sense of unease.
Just notice and nurture.
Just notice and nurture.
There's no need to fix what feels unsettled or out of balance.
Simply draw in the healing energy that your inner healer is guiding you to draw into that space.
And you may notice other areas as well within your body that also call forth this powerful healing energy within your heart space.
And send it there as well.
Allowing your entire body to be filled with this powerful healing gift from within your heart.
This gift of healing that resides within your heart,
Within you.
And now,
Very gently,
Begin to bring your awareness once again back to your heart space,
Back to your breath.
This time,
As you follow your breath in,
You are inviting your spirit to become more aware of your current space.
And as you breathe out,
You're sending this healing out to all beings.
So that your healing becomes the healing of all.
Yet all the while,
You have been nurturing yourself and yourself alone.
And to now take a final couple of breaths as you bring your awareness more fully and completely back into the space.
And bring your awareness back into present moment.
This is an example of a wonderfully simple yet very,
Very powerful way of offering yourself healing.
Of offering yourself nurturing and being able to touch into what I refer to as your inner healer.
This sense within you that is able to guide and direct your healing needs.
So following this brief meditation,
I would invite you to begin to be aware of what it was that came to your awareness.
What did you experience from this situation?
And perhaps there are some insights or some new ideas that may have come to the surface that have peaked up into your conscious awareness.
These are the things that I would definitely encourage you to write down.
If you are already skilled in the art of journaling,
Perhaps you'd like to consider bringing this practice of guided meditation into your journaling work.
If you have not journaled before,
My strong recommendation would be for you to consider doing so.
Also,
I would suggest that you get a notebook.
It doesn't have to be fancy,
But sometimes it is fun to have a fancy pretty notebook or a journal.
But have one dedicated simply to the work you do with your self-healing meditations.
This is where that inner healer,
Your inner knowing presents itself consciously and you're able to glean the wisdom as it pertains to your healing.
What emerged for you even during this really short guided meditation is so important and it is offering you a very simple way to address self-care,
To nurture yourself,
And what self-care is going to look like just for you.
So I'm hopeful that you found that meditation to be helpful and I really do encourage you to continue to work with that in the days to come.
So one of the things I want to make sure I tell you about is that in upcoming episodes,
You are going to be learning more specifics about self-care and what does that mean and how can that look.
You're going to be learning more about various aspects of energy healing and crystal healing and all of these are really designed to support your well-being,
Body,
Mind,
And spirit.
For now,
It's enough for you to simply spend time learning how to get in touch with your inner healer.
This brief meditation is a very effective way to help you to do that.
And if you are already doing a lot of guided meditation work,
Then I would encourage you to continue to work with the meditations that you have been working with and perhaps add something of the process that I introduced for you here.
Powerful insight and wisdom is going to emerge.
Our challenge,
Of course,
Is to be still and to be able to listen.
So I look forward to hearing if you have any questions and also if you have any questions or reflections following this podcast.
So I want to thank you again for joining me.
I wish you many blessings.
Be well.
