My son sent me a website that he thought would be interesting. The website was “Brain Pickings” and the article was on the placebo effect and new research on this phenomenon. After reading this article, I began to look at other articles on the website and one piqued my interest. It was on anxiety. This piece was also interesting, but as I was reading I encountered a link to a person within the article. Of course I clicked the mouse and was instantly transported to this website, my third in about 5 minutes. (No wonder we have difficulty focusing these days!) Excitingly, this woman named Tara Brach performs meditation and has free (yes, free!) meditation sessions on this site.
I lead a class in “Seeking Balance” at my studio. The reason I call this “Seeking” is because no matter how hard I try, I myself – the one who leads this class – get pulled into the cortisol producing now world. I am like many (can I say most and be correct?) of all millennium dwellers who get caught up in the constant pounding and stress of this life. At this writing, I am still working a full time job as a physical therapist at a hospital as well as my dream business.
I remember the laughing and antics we had when the Sisters of Mercy were ruling our health care system. That was thirty years ago. We had a break cart that rolled into our department two times a day. They really looked out for our health and they truly cared about getting patients well and treating employees like they were special money was incidental to getting the patients well. The CEO knew everyone by name and truly listened to ideas from everyone. It was special.
I don't quite understand what started this spiral downward to where we are now. Let me just throw out some words and go from there. Greed, MBA's, Insurance Companies, Greed, Money, Greed, Lack Of Respect For Caregivers. Did I say greed? Even more important, did I mention patients at all? Ah Ha! Health care became a business that Was not about health or patients – but about MONEY! So now the health care workers need more health care because we are so stressed out and this increases the cost of health care and on...and on..... and on. As a matter of fact, I think we should change the term Health Care to Medical Care because it certainly isn't about seeking health!
Wow! Did I digress? But that leads me back to the reason why I am having classes to help people seek balance in their lives! I am moving into this business full time in a few weeks and I find myself smiling more. I want that feeling for others who are working in this harried world. A few minutes out of a day where you can relax and laugh with others. And find ways to relax and reset occasionally.
This brings me back to the meditation of Tara Brach. I realize that I am still clenching my teeth until August 7th when I leave the world of “medical” care to continue developing a small little world of “health” care for myself and others. I was listening to Tara's Guided Imagery and I relaxed my jaws. Then she told me to relax my eyes and let the orbs float like they were on a layer of water and I realized that even when I smile I am tensing my eyes. I know I have a ways to go and I bet you feel that way too.
Good Luck with your journey and feel free to check back in to this website and check out the calendar in the month of August as I gear up for classes and get them listed on the calendar. Feel free to come and have fun seeking more balance in your life. See you soon!