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Author Topic: ways to promote healing?  (Read 2158 times)

liza.minelli

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ways to promote healing?
« on: January 01, 2017, 02:01:38 am »
hi there. i've been agnostic for a long time. i've been in recovery from an eating disorder for several years, and mentally, am pretty much recovered (not restricting my food intake at all). physically, though, my body still has a lot of healing to do (although a lot of healing has occurred with food and rest! i've grown like 2 inches, healed organs that were damaged, regained my menstrual cycle, etc.)

i find paganism and earth-centered religions appealing because i realized how much my body is like an ecosystem as it returns back to life, and somehow the process of completely respecting that ecosystem and giving into what it was asking for (food, rest, time to cry and emote, respect for my sensitivity) caused me to feel a sense of connection and awe about the earth in general. lately i've found myself crying every time i think about how grateful i am to the earth for providing for us, which is a new experience for me. i'm not sure why but it feels profound.

i would like to start learning more about ways that i can help support my body in its process of healing, and remove stress and anxiety from my life as much as possible (promote the action of my parasympathetic nervous system). there are definite physical benefits to stress reduction and i often see them in the way my body reacts to my mind and to things like touch (hugging my dog or getting a massage from a friend). i have a very strong sense of smell, so maybe something related to that could be helpful. i've already been meditating a bit. if anyone has any resources or ideas i would be very grateful if you'd share them. thank you.

missgraceless

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Re: ways to promote healing?
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2017, 09:04:25 am »
Quote from: liza.minelli;200717
hi there. i've been agnostic for a long time. i've been in recovery from an eating disorder for several years, and mentally, am pretty much recovered (not restricting my food intake at all). physically, though, my body still has a lot of healing to do (although a lot of healing has occurred with food and rest! i've grown like 2 inches, healed organs that were damaged, regained my menstrual cycle, etc.)

i find paganism and earth-centered religions appealing because i realized how much my body is like an ecosystem as it returns back to life, and somehow the process of completely respecting that ecosystem and giving into what it was asking for (food, rest, time to cry and emote, respect for my sensitivity) caused me to feel a sense of connection and awe about the earth in general. lately i've found myself crying every time i think about how grateful i am to the earth for providing for us, which is a new experience for me. i'm not sure why but it feels profound.

i would like to start learning more about ways that i can help support my body in its process of healing, and remove stress and anxiety from my life as much as possible (promote the action of my parasympathetic nervous system). there are definite physical benefits to stress reduction and i often see them in the way my body reacts to my mind and to things like touch (hugging my dog or getting a massage from a friend). i have a very strong sense of smell, so maybe something related to that could be helpful. i've already been meditating a bit. if anyone has any resources or ideas i would be very grateful if you'd share them. thank you.

Are you looking for anything in particular? I could recommend countless gemstones for touch, or several herbs for smell (other members are definitely better at herbs than me). You said you already meditate, have you tried adding a set of mala beads to your meditations? They help bring focus, and if you use a mantra (repeated word or phrase) let you keep track of counting.

ETA: sometimes malas are great just to keep with you and play with. They (at least for me) bring a certain mindfulness that says "breathe. It's gonna be okay."
« Last Edit: January 01, 2017, 09:08:54 am by missgraceless »
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Obsidia

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Re: ways to promote healing?
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2017, 11:56:06 am »
You can focus on your eating. Perhaps wear certain crystals. It depends on what's wrong. You mention cycles. Are you taking contraceptives? Do you have other medicines you take?

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Re: ways to promote healing?
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2017, 04:26:35 pm »
Quote from: Obsidia;200741
You can focus on your eating. Perhaps wear certain crystals. It depends on what's wrong. You mention cycles. Are you taking contraceptives? Do you have other medicines you take?

 
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liza.minelli

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Re: ways to promote healing?
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2017, 04:47:52 pm »
Quote from: missgraceless;200735
Are you looking for anything in particular? I could recommend countless gemstones for touch, or several herbs for smell (other members are definitely better at herbs than me). You said you already meditate, have you tried adding a set of mala beads to your meditations? They help bring focus, and if you use a mantra (repeated word or phrase) let you keep track of counting.

ETA: sometimes malas are great just to keep with you and play with. They (at least for me) bring a certain mindfulness that says "breathe. It's gonna be okay."

thank you for responding. herbs would be wonderful. i will look into mala beads as well. having something to hold like that sounds really helpful; i might even try to do so with some beads that i inherited from my grandmother, because they have a lot of meaning to me.

i think i'm looking for small rituals or ways to make a space conducive to bringing in healing energy of any kind. specifically my lymphatic system and cardiovascular system are still weak (according to my doctors) and need support. they are healing, according to blood test results and ultrasounds and everything else, but i was sick for a long time so the whole ecosystem of my body basically has to be rebuilt. i will continue to heal regardless of whether or not i incorporate additional practices, but i'd love to do something to support my healing. i'm moving to the country from the city in the next month and i'm certain that will help.

i'm also curious if there are particular entities that i could reach out to for help. i'm of partly slavic/germanic (border of poland and germany, actually) descent so i am a bit interested in those types of traditions, as well as in female goddesses in particular. i know it's very vague and i probably sound silly and naive but i would love any guidance in a particular direction.
« Last Edit: January 01, 2017, 04:55:42 pm by liza.minelli »

liza.minelli

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Re: ways to promote healing?
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2017, 04:51:15 pm »
Quote from: Obsidia;200741
You can focus on your eating. Perhaps wear certain crystals. It depends on what's wrong. You mention cycles. Are you taking contraceptives? Do you have other medicines you take?

 
i think i'd like to avoid altering my diet because it's working well for me; certainly not removing any food groups, but would be open to the addition of other types of foods. it's generally not a safe route for me to take because of my mental illness.

i am taking contraceptives, not for birth control reasons but as a means of regulating my cycle.

Sefiru

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Re: ways to promote healing?
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2017, 05:55:54 pm »
Quote from: liza.minelli;200752

i think i'm looking for small rituals or ways to make a space conducive to bringing in healing energy of any kind. specifically my lymphatic system and cardiovascular system are still weak (according to my doctors) and need support.


You might look into using music in various ways -- after all, music can raise or lower your heart rate, among other things. (Also, I'm listening to your namesake on YouTube right now LOL.)
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liza.minelli

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Re: ways to promote healing?
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2017, 06:02:44 pm »
Quote from: Sefiru;200762
You might look into using music in various ways -- after all, music can raise or lower your heart rate, among other things. (Also, I'm listening to your namesake on YouTube right now LOL.)

that's a great idea! thank you. i have been doing it a bit. i made a playlist that tends to make me feel really thoughtful and calm and introspective. heart rate would be great because i have tachycardia and my heart really needs to chill.

do you have any specific suggestions? i really like bjork!

hahahha only after i had made the username did i realize i spelled her name wrong! oh well!
« Last Edit: January 01, 2017, 06:04:14 pm by liza.minelli »

Sefiru

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Re: ways to promote healing?
« Reply #8 on: January 02, 2017, 03:59:55 pm »
Quote from: liza.minelli;200763
that's a great idea! thank you. i have been doing it a bit. i made a playlist that tends to make me feel really thoughtful and calm and introspective. heart rate would be great because i have tachycardia and my heart really needs to chill.

do you have any specific suggestions? i really like bjork!

hahahha only after i had made the username did i realize i spelled her name wrong! oh well!

 
For calming music I like Enya and . And if you want to try something a little different, there's (warning: long video is long); I'm not entirely sure what kind of music it is, but definitely good for meditation.
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missgraceless

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Re: ways to promote healing?
« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2017, 02:31:32 pm »
Quote from: liza.minelli;200752
thank you for responding. herbs would be wonderful. i will look into mala beads as well. having something to hold like that sounds really helpful; i might even try to do so with some beads that i inherited from my grandmother, because they have a lot of meaning to me.

If you want to buy some premade, Etsy has a huuuge selection of malas, under the "prayer beads" section. (Home & living > spirituality & religion > prayer beads & charms) you can search by specific gemstones or just browse and see what you like.

Or see how your grandmother's feel to you. If they're prestrung in jewelry but they don't quite seem right, would dissembling and restringing be a possibility? Sometimes the beads are right but not the order, or there's just too much or not enough.

Quote
i think i'm looking for small rituals or ways to make a space conducive to bringing in healing energy of any kind. specifically my lymphatic system and cardiovascular system are still weak (according to my doctors) and need support. they are healing, according to blood test results and ultrasounds and everything else, but i was sick for a long time so the whole ecosystem of my body basically has to be rebuilt. i will continue to heal regardless of whether or not i incorporate additional practices, but i'd love to do something to support my healing. i'm moving to the country from the city in the next month and i'm certain that will help.

I've found unakite to be excellent for weight related issues (including eating disorders) as it helps reach/maintain a healthy weight. Bloodstone and hematite are both excellent for the cardiovascular system, as well as any of the red stones (garnet, carnelian, etc.)
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Re: ways to promote healing?
« Reply #10 on: January 10, 2017, 07:52:05 pm »
Quote from: liza.minelli;200763
that's a great idea! thank you. i have been doing it a bit. i made a playlist that tends to make me feel really thoughtful and calm and introspective. heart rate would be great because i have tachycardia and my heart really needs to chill.

do you have any specific suggestions? i really like bjork!


I find video game soundtracks often make excellent meditative/ritual music. A really good one for me is the soundtrack to the game Transistor, by Darren Korb.
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