Meditation Pond
A few years ago I decided that I wanted to really connect with my inner self. I wanted to increase my intuition, and really know my Higher Self – whatever that was. I was starting to work as an EFT practitioner, helping people to release emotional trauma, so what better way to serve my clients than to strengthen my intuition? So I set the intention that I was going to “find myself” but I didn’t know how to go about it, other than to wait for an opportunity to present itself.
I’ve learned that God, or The Universe, or whatever you would like to call the Divine, has a way of orchestrating opportunities for us to move toward our heart-felt desires, and this was no different. Twice in one week I heard a radio ad for Sunstone Cancer Center, a non-profit organization which supported cancer survivors and those touched by cancer. My mother had recently died from breast cancer so I felt a connection to Sunstone, and I wish my mother had known about it during her ordeal.
I looked up their website and among the other services they offered, they had an upcoming 4-day retreat with the title “Connecting To Your Inner Healer”. Perfect! It was just what I was looking for so I signed up right away. I was a little timid at first because I didn’t know what to expect. I had never been to a retreat before so I was imagining that it would be something like a group of new-agers sitting around in a circle chanting! I was afraid that I might have to share my feelings and get all touchy-feely with a group of strangers. But I was still determined to go and check it out - I figured that I could always leave if it got too weird.
Well, it turned out that it wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. There were other nice people there who were searching for something just like me, and the atmosphere was friendly and supportive, and although I did have to briefly introduce myself, there was no pressure, no judgement, and most importantly, there was no chanting! I found myself really relaxing and enjoying the experience, and just allowing the energy of the group to flow. I had plenty of time to myself and plenty of time for pleasant conversation with the other people attending the retreat. We listened to inspiring music, did some guided meditations, and learned from eachother’s experiences as well as our faciliator’s. It was a very gentle, healing experience that opened my mind to new ideas and new possibilities for my life. The experience gave me a new perspective and yes, it also gave me a sense of trust in myself to open to my own intuition and my inner self.
I returned home to my family much more relaxed and serene than I had been when I left, and although I didn’t feel the earth move or anything, or hear a loud voice saying “This is your intuition speaking”, I really felt that the retreat was a gift and a blessing in my life that I would never forget. Well, that was the way I saw it – my wife noticed something else……
The day after I returned from the retreat I took my wife to lunch, and while we were having what I thought was a normal conversation, she noticed that I seemed to be questioning everything from the meaning of life to my core beliefs! At first she turned pale as if she no longer knew the person sitting across from her. I saw that she was uncomfortable with my new-found open approach to things, so I shut up and tried to act “normal”. After this initial shock, over the next few days we did have more open conversations and allowed ourselves to question things that we wouldn’t have ever considered questioning before. I felt as if I had lived my whole life with blinders on (which I had) and now the blinders were gone, and I no longer had such a narrow perspective of life and other people. I felt a stronger connection, not only with my inner self, but with every other human being on the planet! I felt liberated and free to explore everything the world had to offer, not just what I was brought up to believe. My wife and I were now on this journey together and we haven’t looked back since.
While this new perspective did change our lives in some very real and dramatic ways, it has been a very gentle transition and we are so grateful for our new perspective of life and the world around us. It started with a desire and an intention and grew into something so wonderful and beautiful that changed our lives.
Well, Sunstone isn’t around anymore, but the facilitator of that retreat, Marcey DiCaro joined forces with Barbara Evans-Levine and they now continue their work with Awakening Retreats. And I have had the distinct pleasure of being a guest presenter at their healing retreats! If you would like more information on the value of attending a retreat like this, and for information on their upcoming retreat in May, visit their website at awakeningretreats.com.
