The 5 Gifts of the Spine

An article by Judy Scher, D.C.

Scher Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico

            Our nervous system is responsible for the functions of every joint, muscle, and organ in our body. The shape, tone, and position of our spinal cord determine every thought, feeling, and action we take. Often we think of the spine as simply the backbone, whether straight or crooked, relating it only to posture.

            However, our outward posture reflects the inner distortion or integrity of our spinal cord and the spinal nerves. There is far more going on with our spines then we realize. The nervous system to the spinal canal registers every word, thought, memory, and feeling we have. More importantly it registers the energy state we were in when we have the experiences.

            According to Dr. Donnie Epstein, Developer of Epstein Technologies, Network Spinal Analysis, and Somato Respiratory Integration, the 5 gifts of the spine are:

¨     Function

¨     Emotion

¨     Sense of Self

¨     Behavior

¨     Consciousness

            The nervous system is the first system to develop in utero and it continues to develop into adulthood.  When all of the five gifts of the spine are fully experienced  our potential is unlimited.

Function

            Our spine and nervous system our essential to all the vital functions of our body.  We often only notice our spines when there’s a problem.

            The gift of function is about self healing, self-regulation, muscle contraction, organ function, and hormone balance. When function is not operating effectively the energy of the body is diverted to ensure that survival processes can continue. The survival process shuts down ‘optional’ functions and growth. However, when the gift of Function is working well and we don’t have to consciously think of how to survive then we can put our focus and consciousness on life fulfillment.

Emotion

            Emotions are feelings and sensations that move through the body in response to situations. Our emotions are key to the actions we do or don’t take in life. Emotions are meant to move and change, often instantaneously. When we are “frozen” we are unable to feel enough to create a shift or desire to take action.  the challenge is when we have habituated ourselves to experience only a narrow range of emotions we don’t have enough energy to feel what needs to be felt in the moment. When this happens our body will express what isn’t felt in muscle tension, contraction and rigidity. The gift of the emotion is the ability to express a full range of emotion and to be able to access emotion to create change through new behaviors quickly and effortlessly.

Sense of Self

            How we posture and hold our body says much about who we feel we are. We posture differently when we connect with different aspects of ourselves. Our posture will reflect our lack of confidence, our inability to feel our heart fully, our sadness, our lack of self-worth, and our compensations. This can be directly seen in the position of the spine, the position of the shoulders, how deeply we breath, the position of our tailbone, and the position of our chest wall and heart. The gift of the Sense of Self through the spine is feeling confident and connecting to what it means to be ourselves, which will then be reflected and reinforced in our posture.

Behavior

            Our nervous system and spine coordinate how we move and the actions we take either consciously or subconsciously. Strongly related to our sense of self, the actions we take profoundly reflect our experience in life. The gift of Behavior through this fine impacts our habits and choices. It has to do with how we show up or don’t show up in our lives. The experience of coming from the place of freedom and flexibility is a gift of behavior.

Consciousness

            We are sentient beings. Through the function of our spine and nervous system, which includes our brain, we experience our life. Increasing consciousness and awareness will influence how much you live life or how much life lives you. The gift of consciousness through the spine is being self aware, present, living joyfully, and contributing to others.

Sacred Living Circle: The Art of Listening

The art of listening is a beautiful means for advancing a spiritual practice.  Consider that we communicate every day, some of us from the moment we open our eyes in the morning until we retire at the end of the day.  Becoming aware of how we listen and speak to others can provide many moments of mindful practice every day.   It has been said that we are creating our world with every word we speak.

There are different circumstances, reactions or responses that may arise in any given conversation.  A good question I have found to ask myself is ‘how well am I listening to the person speaking to me?”  If I find that I am not listening deeply, I can refocus my attention in the moment and make a mental note for personal reflection later to find out what was distracting me, or not allowing me to be present and attentive to whoever was speaking at the time.

It can be powerfully revealing to become aware of the thoughts going on in our head while we are listening to someone else.  We often overlook or disregard our inner commentary that can be disruptive to our engagement with what is being spoken and the one speaking.  We may become more involved with the conversation running in our own mind than in hearing what the other person has to say.

How about those times when agitation rushes in triggered by something being said that conflicts with our opinion?  This is what we might call a “charge” or more appropriately a “trigger”.  A trigger may kick off a whole new inner dialog of judgmental thoughts and criticisms about the subject matter and the individual sharing it.  When we find ourselves caught in this predicament the discomfort we experience is usually the result of a painful circumstance from our past that is buried deep in the unconscious mind.  The pain of the incident is still with us even if we have no conscious memory of its occurrence. 

Here again we find rich soil for personal contemplation that can lead us to amazing new understandings and beneficial insights. Every trigger and charge stems from an earlier life incident that we were not willing or able to experience fully.  It may have been too scary or too painful or pass through us too quickly to give our attention to it. It may even have come to us from an opinion or belief structure that our parents held, perhaps passed on to them from their parents and on through the lineage.

Every charge and every trigger allows us to uncover some aspect of an unresolved experience, thus freeing it and ourselves to move forward to a higher expression of life.  We can do this by bringing our attention to the emotion that preceded the onslaught of negative commentary. The commentary is a distraction; a redirection the mind uses to protect us from experiencing the pain. At the time of the incident protection may have been a good thing.  However, the healing comes when we are able to allow ourselves to see and to feel what is there.

I find it quite interesting that every aspect of daily life provides an opportunity to grow spiritually.  It can easily be said that spiritual growth excels as we become more and more aware of what is happening inside and around us in every moment.  In fact, awareness defines our entire journey of awakening.  It’s quite simple, but not always easy.  Fortunately we are living at a time when spirituality is blossoming.   There are many beautiful souls willing to assist us in learning how to heal and awaken to a brighter expression of life and living.

In the long run, embracing the art of listening is an excellent way to improve, repair, or begin good relationships with those we care for.  Listening wholeheartedly to our self and to our friends, family members and partners can save hours and years of misunderstanding and hurt feelings.  We can learn to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes, to listen deeply with a compassionate ear, and to become aware of what is really going on beneath the surface.  Our closest relationships are usually the ones that offer the greatest learning and growth if we pay attention.

Sacred Living - The Art of Being with 'What Is'

In a recent meditation experience I was drawn to some feelings of discontent that I found to be generally lodged in the crown of my head and solar plexus. It’s a good idea to use the body to ground our experience when attempting to access the unconscious mind.  In meditation I begin by scanning my body for unpleasant feelings, beginning at the top of my head and ending at my toes.  When I started my meditation that particular morning my first question was “Why is this happening?”  I then realized it’s just what was happening and my meditation was an ideal time for me to be present to it!

Whatever I am feeling has nothing to do with anything other than myself.  It is simply what is happening inside of me, and therefore is my responsibility to be present to the upset.  It is proven to be utterly useless to attempt to divert the responsibility elsewhere.  So I invoked the Presence of my Higher Self to be present within my heart as I sat in meditation to be with my discomfort.

To my great joy and surprise a gentle calm began to wash over me.  I thanked my Divine Indweller for the grace I was receiving.  A few minutes later the feelings of a traumatic experience during my early childhood came screaming into my calm inner space.  It was a violent incident of not being able to protect myself from an angry outburst from one of my relatives in whose care I was left while my parents were away.

I soon recognized that the memory was triggered during a gathering I attended the night before.  It was a small circle of people.  One individual in the group was feeling very unsettled and carrying a great deal of anger.  I recalled feeling disturbed by his emotional state, which was an indication that something within me was resonating with that emotion.  It offered a perfect opportunity to find out why!

With the understanding that this forgotten and buried memory held within it a potential for deep healing I allowed the fear and sorrow I was experiencing to express while I was in the safety and privacy of my morning meditation. I shook and cried, feeling the fear and hurt I have carried throughout my life because of this long forgotten incident, all the while with an underlying recognition and gratitude that my prayers for liberation were being answered.

This practice has taught me to listen more deeply to what’s going on inside of me than any other wisdom teaching I’ve encountered.  As I have learned to be present to my thoughts and feelings, my opportunities for growth and self-awareness have broadened exponentially. Through it I’ve gained a greater understanding of the complexity of my inner landscape, which allows me to also be more present to others.  This is what I regard as the blessing and gift of a community of people that comes together for the shared intention of spiritual growth.

In sacred circle, as in life, each of us is touched in some way by the other.  This is simply “what is”.  Sometimes we may think it’s a good thing or a bad thing that touches us through others.  In the greater reality it is neither good nor bad.  The real question is what each of us does with what is given.  Our reaction might show up as complaining, belittling, blaming others, anger or upset.  These are all natural and common experiences, part of the human condition.  However, when we are triggered by someone else, or disgusted by our own behavior, the art of being with what is offers a peaceful resolution if practiced sincerely.   Committing to spiritual practice offers many new options and opportunities for growth and healing that such challenges provide

Full Moon Afterglow

Just a little post-moon contemplation...

    During our Full Moon Water Ceremonies, I often give thanks to Grandmother Moon for beaming her light into the darkness ... literally and figuratively.  I find the light of her moon to be very helpful in revealing hidden aspects of the Self.  Our recent moon this week was no exception.

     Touching in with the astrological projections continuing into the coming weeks, it seems that the Universe is setting a backdrop for us to (choose 1: begin / continue) peeling away the masks we wear to conceal our perceived faults from ourselves and everyone else.

     In short, our Universe is throwing its doors wide open in support of our "Getting Real" with ourselves.  Letting go of false courtesy; pretending to be ok with something that you find contrary to how you really feel; laughing at jokes you find offensive; and one of my personal favorites: holding back my truth for fear of being rejected.

     Imagine what it would be like if:  we were able to speak our truth fully, with conviction, respect and compassion; gently offer an alternative to someone breeding doubt and fear, disrespect or lack of gratitude into the world; say what we mean while being open to learn a better way; let all the things that are bottled up inside of us OUT to dance and sing and play in the sun ... without transferring guilt to self or other!

     We are all innocent.  Our jobs as humans are to experience life!  No one ever said experience joy but not pain; truth but not falsehoods; success without failure.  Rather we are learning to experience life as it is so that we may learn to become catalysts of change for the better.

     A wise man once said:  You can't get to where you want to go until you are willing to be where you are.  What's hiding behind your mask(s)?

Transformation! Is it really happening?

Last week I gathered with a group of women for a 4 Seasons in 4 Weeks retreat sponsored by author and wise woman Suzanne Mathis McQueen.  We were a focused group, immersing ourselves in sacred ceremony and calling forth the embodiment of forgotten wisdom and power hidden within a deeper understanding of the significance of the feminine cycle. Within the cyclical nature of all life, there is a time for growth and rest, exuberance, shining one's light, taking on new responsibilities, and letting other ones go.  Which one of these energies are peaking for you right now?

It's a good thing to know.

We held a single intention during our time together:  that this deeper understanding of the natural power and skill built into our rhythmic nature would lead us to self knowledge that would awaken our greater potential and ability to thrive.  We were seeking liberation from a definition of the feminine cycle that, for millennia, shadowed our power in phrases like "the curse" and "post menstrual syndrome".

We were seeking transformation within our recognition of ourselves.

For me that transformation began during our retreat, and exploded during my 5 1/2 hour drive back to Ashland. An ancient knowing of the strengths and power inherent to my nature burst forth and threw off a host of counterfeit ideas and beliefs that I had clung to in their place.

Is transformation really happening?  For me it is.  I have found the greatest meaning of a very simple phrase:  What you seek is what you tend to find.

Notes:
Suzanne Mathis McQueen, facebook.com/4seasons4weeks, website 4s4w.com

A Gentle Art of Transformation

A Gentle Art of Transformation:  Being with ‘What Is’
May 23, 2014

Amari Gold

This morning’s episode of ‘what is’ showed up in the form of fear.  It had a particular tenor that was faintly familiar to me.  I say ‘faintly’ because, although I have experienced this feeling millions of times throughout my life, it has always been the kind of thing that screams “your life is in danger”!!  My habitual response has been to immediately turn and run for my life, bypassing any opportunity to actually learn something.

This time, recognizing my desire to be neutral to this experience of fear in my body/mind, I committed to allow myself to be present without modifying, justifying or judging whatever needed or wanted to express. 

I first noticed a discernible pulse/vibration in my belly/solar plexus that sounds a little like the buzzing of bees. This vibration, representing extreme fear lodged in my belly, is likely to have a profound influence on my gastro-intestinal dysfunction.  Is it because I translated the sound/vibration to mean danger?  Does something like the sound of bees put my life in danger?

Maybe 10,000 years ago it did.  Maybe the sting from the wasp when I was 5 years old contributed to its meaning.  Or maybe it was the yellow jacket that I stepped on while it was simultaneously licking the honey off of a piece of broken glass.

With further exploration I heard a more precise definition of its purpose: to inform me of the possibility that my choices today could be construed as unfavorable to the minds of the folks whose home and pets I am caring for.

This inner dialogue contributing to my well-being from the depths of my unconscious mind has likely taken form from a combination of many memories of fearful experiences in this and other lifetimes.

Through this exploration of what was happening in current time, I was able to recognize the true jailer.  The risk of rejection, of being thought to be wrong, incapable, or unworthy, the potential for conflict coupled with my inability/unwillingness to stand up for myself, along with my conditioning to think myself always in danger of making poor or wrong choices, is a reference point based in the past having nothing whatsoever to do with what is actually happening in the present moment.  It also represents the epitome of my personal resistance to accepting responsibility for allowing or co-creating a different outcome than the one predicted by a fabricated colony of killer bees.

My understanding of this gentle art of being present to what is truly happening in current time is where our freedom resides. There is nothing further to do.  The union of our consciousness with the moment at hand opens a unique opportunity for a process of transformation to unfold in its own time, whatever that may be.  Until that act of coexistence occurs, the unconscious fearful dialogue or emotion dwells within our personal stockpile of experiences that we have claimed ownership of.  It is universal law that what we take hold of as our own cannot be taken away without our consent, or very good karma.

Hmmmm.  I wonder what other gems I may be hoarding away in my stockpile of resistance?

PostScript:  There was a mountain lion on the property this morning that helped to fuel my sense of fear.  When looking up his totem I found this:

Mountain Lion Spirit Medicine brings the gifts of  Guardian, Bravery, Personal Power, and the energies of Intention, Boundaries, Freedom.

Blessed be.

Sacred Living - Consciousness, Authenticity, Unworthiness, and the Divine

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I've taken to sneaking out early in the mornings before the rain begins to walk in Lithia Park amidst the Ashland Creek, squirrels, ducks, birds and trees.  For me, being in nature allows greater clarity.  I find it easiest to recognize deep truths within myself when I am in this place.

I began my morning walk contemplating how I relate to my Divine.  The term "my Divine" was introduced to me through Oneness University and the Deeksha Oneness Blessing.  It's meaning has to do with the way in which each of us defines our own divine aspects and the divine aspects of life and the universe.  Some may regard this higher power as God, or Light, or Universal Intelligence.  Some may talk to Angels or Faeries, Buddha or Jesus, Creator, Saints or Ascended Masters.  Some may regard Nature itself as the entire expression of Divinity.  Others may have a beloved family member no longer embodied here on earth with whom they share their most intimate thoughts and to whom they most readily turn for help.

According to the Avatars, devoted Monks and sages at Oneness University, to whom or what we relate doesn't matter so much.  Each of us has full authority to define our higher power in an image and likeness that suits us.  It's the "if" and "how" we relate that can make a profound difference in the quality of our life experiences.  We've been advised that the best way to cultivate a strong, loving and powerful relationship with our Inner Divine is to use the very best relationship of our life as a model, be it mother or father, sister or brother, husband, wife, minister, mentor or friend.

Personally, I would suggest improving upon even our best relationships by adding qualities that may be missing.  How would you describe the very best relationship you could ever have with someone?  Would it be loving? Joyful? Playful? Productive? Respectful? Truthful? Empowering? Trustworthy? Dependable?  What if you could throw in 'capable of providing everything you could ever ask for’?

Through the years that I've been contemplating these questions I've come to the conclusion that my Divine Indweller has many different faces, but the benevolent characteristics and capabilities that I've assigned to each of them are very much alike.  The issue confronting me was not the nature of my Divine, but the nature and quality of the way in which I engage with it.

This is where my contemplation about unworthiness enters the picture.  And authenticity.  I can't expect my very best relationship to reflect qualities that I myself do not demonstrate or honor.  And considering that Divine Consciousness has no self-concept and is bound by the Universal Law of free will, any response it generates to me is likely to be of the same manner in which I engage with it.

Divine.  Omnipotence.  Unconditional Love.  Supreme Consciousness.  Mother Father God. The Source of All That Is!  Have I felt worthy enough in my requests and expectation of results, or trusting enough of the profound power that is available to me?  Have I really been transparent and truthful in my relationship with my Divine?

I have learned that my personal authenticity is key to my ability to be integral in any shared relationship.  This awareness was not necessarily something that was instilled in me during my upbringing.  However, I do believe that each of us has the responsibility to cultivate inner integrity which means to be truthful with one’s self first and foremost.  Only then will we be able to share in the grace of authentic relationship with others, even the Divine Intelligence of life itself.

Speaking to and with God is certainly not a new concept or idea, but if you are anything like me you might appreciate updating or even upgrading your understanding of how to best commune with this higher source of wisdom and knowledge. Even miracles are possible when we learn to engage through our authentic self.  It is entirely up to each individual to determine what that truly means and how to go about it.  For me it has become a daily contemplation.  I am learning to be a witness to myself, my behaviors, and the stories I tell myself and others.  It is the willingness to be honest with one’s self that is the means by which we become conscious of our behaviors and the untruths that we harbor within us. Conscious awareness is all that is necessary for change to happen.

Sri Bhagavan, the Avatar and founder of Oneness University, has this to say about the presence of God and access to the benevolent nature of the Universe: “In Oneness there is no creator 'God', the creator and creation are one in Oneness. But there is also universal consciousness, which is not the creator. This universal consciousness has no qualities or form, nor any name. But it embodies all qualities. Like a tree is embedded in the seed, all qualities are embedded in this universal consciousness. You cannot relate to it in its entirety. You could draw out certain qualities from this universal consciousness. What you draw out is your personal God and it depends on you. You cannot be a pity person and create a big God. It’s not possible. 

“If you have grown, you then could draw out many qualities from this universal consciousness. What you draw out becomes your personal God, and you make use of your personal God for your benefits, it could be worldly benefits or spiritual benefits. Just like you make use of solar energy you could make use of your personal God for your own benefit. As you keep doing this, you grow and as you grow your God grows.  And the bond between you and your God keeps increasing.”

I find this understanding to be profoundly uplifting.  Through these words I have come to realize my part of the co-creative process of personal healing and growth with the help of beneficial influences from the vastness of the Cosmos.  Oneness even offers a teaching about designing our own God to help us learn to relate in the best way that suits our personal preferences.  Seeing myself from this perspective has enabled me to recognize my worthiness to receive profound guidance and enormous help from such a vast repository of supernatural power. 

I am also of the opinion that, as a whole, humanity can use all the help we can get!