What Heals: Physical Remedies vs Energy Work

Healing Conventional vs Alternative

Q: Herbs/supplements/foods/physical therapies VS energy work and the mind. What is more effective in healing disease and sickness?

Swallowing capsules, eating/omitting certain foods, receiving various physical therapies VS rewiring our mindset/belief systems/spirit. What is your own experience in the above healing modalities?

A: My personal journey as below.

Major conditions: Anxiety and Depression.

Symptoms: Rapid heartbeat, 24/7 headaches, trouble breathing, panic attacks, constant worrying, easily distracted, always rushing, procrastination, social avoidance, cold hands and feet, bad memory, insomnia, mood swings, exhaustion, no interest in life, etc.

Most effective treatment: Mind/Heart/Spirit methods – Breathe, Silence, Meditation, Listen, Read, Write, Discuss.

Complementary treatment: Vegan diet, Walk in Nature, Distance Running, Yin Yoga, Artistic Creations, Music (Classical, Kirtan, Hymn, Bahjan), Ecstatic Dance, Hugs, Massage…

Band-aid: Anti-depressant, positive thinking, motivational speaking, spiritual bypassing, wishful praying.

Separation is the gateway towards healing. Separation is not the enemy. When used consciously, separation is a great tool for healing.

On another perspective, healing is not the goal. There is nothing to be healed. When I recognize my wholeness, separation drops, ego drops, sickness drops, healing drops, history drops, future drops, everything drops. Now arises. Awakening happens.

Pain is still present, but suffering is not.

Descartes: I think, therefore I am.

I say: Conscious, therefore I am not.

When I realise I am not, my anxiety, stress melts away. I, the Ego, disappears. There is no person, no mind, nobody for stress to hold on to. What’s left is a profound “Oneness” experience. A peace that cannot be disturbed. A love that embraces all. A joy that lasts forever.

Relaxation, rest, silence reduces physical stress, calms the nervous system, especially the autonomous nerves, my body’s natural healing abilities are enhanced. My immune system is at its peak. These are recent scientific discoveries. But traditional Chinese medicine, Indian Ayurveda knew about this for thousands of years.

Body, Mind, Heart and Spirit are different aspects of the human being. However, this is a mental construct based on separation. Western philosophy, the scientific method, medical research, technological development are all rooted in separation.

This distinction helps us to understand ourselves and the Universe better. This is only model. This is not us. We are connection and separation. We are one and many. We are That. We are beyond definition by any language.

Medication, diet, bodywork, yoga…physical treatment; meditation, psychotherapy, artistic expression, sound healing…conscious therapies are all valid pathways towards wholeness (healing).

Healing from the outside in. Healing from the inside out. Which is better? There is no one correct answer.

Each healing modality’s merit (effectiveness and efficiency) depends on the client’s particular condition, the practitioner’s expertise and the quality of their therapeutic relationship.

I am my own best medicine.

There is no greater guru than myself.

I and only I, am responsible for my own healing.

❤

Zhen EX

BLISS DANCE

MAIN PRACTICE:

Eyes Closed
Abdominal Breathing
Feel the Music
Full Body Movement

FINE TUNE:

Dim Light
Tribal Music
Sacred Space
30 Minutes Minimum

COMMENTARY:

1. Eyes Closed – You must dance with closed eyes. Dance is the body resonating with music. You start by listening to the music. Closing the eyes shifts our attention from images and thoughts, to sounds and body sensations. This opens the gateway to the ecstasy of dance. Shutting off visual input quiets the busy mind. Not seeing other people stops us from feeling self-conscious, eliminating the biggest obstacle to dance. I recommend wearing an eye mask to ensure complete darkness. The dark night is home to stillness and silence. From stillness, movement arises. From silence, music begins.

1. Abdominal Breathing – This is the start of your body’s dance. Feel deeply into your body by breathing deeply. Imagine breathing all the way into the ground, and then out of it. Notice the sensation of your belly rising and falling with each air intake. As you breathe deeply, scan your body from head to toe, and relax every muscle. Let go of all the weights you have been carrying, and all the tension you have been holding. Stay very still, feel the softness, lightness and aliveness of your being. At the beginning, you consciously regulate your breathing. Eventually you forget it. Your body breathes deeply on its own. You become your breath.

1. Feel the Music – Back into the mother’s womb, lovingly held in a dark, still and silent space, you listen to the music. Let the melody flow through you. Allow your body to vibrate with the rhythm. Tune into the sound. Feel the vibe. Let your body be filled with music. You become the music. When you feel so full of music that it is overflowing, then your body is ready to move. Maintain this connection with the music at all times. If you ever lose it, stop, listen, and let the music fill you up again.

1. Full Body Movement – Your body moves because it wants to, not because your mind tells it so. Trust your body’s instincts to move. Let go of the mind’s hold on the body. There is no right or wrong way to move. One way is not better looking than another. Dance is music expressed through your being. Start with slow and small movement. Tune into the music. Feel the resonance in your body. Then amplify it by gradually increasing the intensity and range of your movement.Feel the music in every part of your body. Every part of the body has its own unique movement. Explore the rich melody of your body by moving through each part. Wiggle your toes, tap your feet, knock your knees, lift your thighs, roll your hips, wave your torso, shimmy your shoulder, spin your arms, shake your hands, flutter your fingers, circle your neck, nod your head, twirl your hair… Learn the vocabulary of your movement language. Then mix them up, create your own musical phrases and sentences. Before long, you will surprise yourself at how effortless and enjoyable dancing is.As you venture further into your dance ritual, you will find your body feeling more alive, your heart oozing with love, your mind reaching new clarity and your spirit becoming more connected with the divine. This is the gift of dance, the path to bliss through movement. The dancer becomes the dance.

1. Dim Light – Draw the blinds, lit the candles! The absence of light enhances our sense of hearing. It helps us to get out of the mind, and into the body. Low light sets the mood for music and dance. Unable to see people and things clearly minimises mental analysis and judgment, opens our heart for love and connection.

1. Tribal Music – Dance is in our blood! For millions of years, our tribal ancestors roamed the Earth. When the night descends, they dance around a campfire. Mankind has since learnt to harness the power of the mind and build great civilisations, at the expense of losing touch with our instincts. Tribal music helps us to reconnect with our inner animal, wild and raw. Dancing to music from African tribes, Australian Aboriginals and the American Indians is an immensely grounding experience, connecting us to mother Earth.

1. Sacred Space – Create a space that invites the contemplation of the divine mystery. A dance circle is a celebration of life. Through the ritual of dance, we transcend the body, delving into the sacred spiritual dimension. Dance is medicine. When we surrender to the music, let our body’s instinct take over, healing takes place. Physical pain, emotional hurt and mental block may be spontaneously resolved.The physical space should be clean, tidy and free of clutter. Consider warm ambient light, calming music, candles, incense, statues, plants, art, sacred texts, etc. The interpersonal space should make us feel calm, safe, open, playful and loved. In a group, avoid talking during the dance. Before the dance, set an intention and meditate. After the dance, allow time for reflection and sharing.

30 Minutes Minimum – The duration of your dance ritual matters. It cannot be too short. It does not matter how slow you are dancing, or how awful you look. What matters is that you are relaxed, tuning into the music and enjoying yourself. Happiness is like peeing in your pants. Everyone can see it, but only you can feel its warmth!Dance for at least 30 minutes. Your eyes need time to adjust to the dark. Your breath needs time to regulate. Your mind needs time to settle down. Your body needs time to warm up and get in sync with the music. Your heart needs time to pump up its beating. Your awareness needs time to lose track of time. When you forget the time, forget the self, become one with the breath, the music, and the dance, you do not want to stop. You are in bliss. You are bliss.This is a 30-minute dance playlist:

Chapter 1 – Fuck This World!

“FUCK THIS WORLD! I’m fucking this world with all I’ve got! I’m gonna ravish her like the woman of my wildest dreams, hold her tight with my firmest grip, penetrate her with my most powerful thrust, and claim her with my most fierce passion!” Man shouted out loud in his thought.

For quite a while, Man has been feeling restless. Something was amiss, yet he could not put his finger to it. He was a top student at school, envied by the other boys and admired by the girls. He started to feel stressed out and depressed. After graduation, he landed in a well-paid, respectable professional job. He did not find the money, the prestige or the technical challenges satisfactory. After jumping over a few corporate ships, he decided to veer off the well-laid-out career path.

In the midst of all the above busy-ness, he met a girl. She was very pretty. Of all the girls he’s ever met, she also happened to be the first one who could keep up with his rapid train of thought. The sparks of chemistry lighted the fire of passion, one thing lead to another. It was not long before they both ended up in bed, naked. Sex was great. They made love regularly, sometimes twice or even three times a day. However, his relief from stress and depression was short-lived. Their initial passion dwindled with familiarity and routine. Love making felt increasingly more mechanical and distant. He knew the relationship would not last.

When it was finally over, he experienced a sudden surge of life. He did not know what it was. But he felt like a bird out of the cage. It was the same emotion he felt when he handed in the honours thesis during his final year at university and when he waved goodbye to his colleagues at the office of his last job. The image of his favourite poster leaped out at him: the dark silhouette of a dolphin in mid-air right above the rising sun. He had always been the thoughtful, non-impulsive type. Yet it was a love-at-first-sight affair when he first saw this poster. The blue ocean and sky, the orange rising sun, the graceful dolphin’s powerful thrust, spoke volumes to him.

He did not bother asking for its price. He bought it right away. And it had been hanging in every room he’s had ever since. Fifteen years had gone by. The poster had been blu-tacked through some ten different walls in various suburbs scattered across the city. It had even been taken over multiple road-trips across the country and flown abroad to a foreign country. His love for the poster was as strong as when he first laid eyes on it. It had been one of the few constants in his life. Sometimes he wonders if he is more in love with the poster than he was with his ex. The caption of the poster reads: Leap of Freedom.

This morning, as if possessed by the spirits, a sudden urgency took hold of him, a seething desire burned red hot in his groin. But instead of an erection, the heat swelled upwards, filling up and sinking into his abdomen. The rest of the steam continued to rise and then swirled around his chest. It spiralled deep down into his heart, solidifying into a dense ball of energy.

BANG! An explosion went off in his core. His eyes were closed the whole time. Yet he swore that he saw a flash of white light illuminated the entire sky of his inner world. He was enveloped with light. He also felt waves of energy emanating outwards from his chest and stomach to the rest of his body, reaching every finger, toe and hair and then beyond into the surrounding space. He was engulfed with warmth. His body trembled and shook with delight. Involuntarily he tilted his head backward, arched his back, thrust his chest forwards, opened his mouth, and moaned in ecstasy…

“Whatever that was, it was better than sex!” Man made a mental note. Relaxed and satisfied, his body was still feeling the bliss of the delirious experience. He noticed instead of feeling spent and sleepy after sex, he was incredibly alert and buzzing with energy. “That was amazing. That was pure bliss! Nothing in my life came close to that! I want more of that. I want it every day. I want to experience that in everything I do. I want that in my every waking moment. I would give up everything for that!”

And then it hit him! “This is it! This is what I’ve been looking for! The Holy Grail! The answer to all my questions! The cure for all my blues!” Man was savouring his Eureka moment!

“But what is this? Is it a feeling? Is it an idea? Is it even real? Am I dreaming?” Man pinched his nose. It hurt. He was not dreaming.

“Does it have a name? Should I give it a name? Pleasure? Happiness? Joy? They don’t feel quite right. They are incomplete… I’ll leave the naming for now.”

“More importantly, what am I going to do with it? Well, I definitely want it every day. I want to make sweet love to it all the time. Wow, this is turning into a committed loving relationship! I better start calling it ‘her’ instead. She is so incredibly beautiful, so much more mysterious and enigmatic than the Mona Lisa! The world must see her! Her light dispels all darkness! Her love cures all sadness! Her glory is second to none!” Man was seized by a new-found religious fervour.

“Yes, this is what I’m gonna do! FUCK THIS WORLD! I’m fucking this world with all I’ve got! I’m gonna ravish her like the woman of my wildest dreams, hold her tight with my firmest grip, penetrate her with my most powerful thrust, and claim her with my most fierce passion!” Man shouted out loud in his thought.