Newsletter XXII - Happy Holidays 2009

Dearest Friends and Family:

The big holidays news is that I signed a contract witih O-Books for the publication of my book HEALING POWER BEYOND MEDICINE, which is now in the hands of a copy editor; however, for the most part, 2009 was the “Year of the Family” with the birth of my first two grandchildren, Lindsey’s wedding, and three family moves. Chelsey and I are foregoing our annual Christmas Eve Nutcracker performance by Ballet West. Instead, I just returned from taking my parents to breakfast at Rembrandts Coffee House and Café in Eagle, Idaho. Rembrandts was once the old Boise Baptist church, which was moved to Eagle in the early 1900’s so you can imagine how charming it is as a restored coffee house. I believe that Eagle could boast of being home to the friendliest people in the U.S.; it is wonderful that my parents relocated here from Virginia.

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Cicily Diane was born on February 3 and was in intensive care for a week due to complications from Sarah’s protracted labor and delivery. Sarah underwent gallbladder surgery a couple of months later. Colby was then asked to open the Rich Haines Art Gallery in Jackson, Wyoming so I drove one of the cars (with Lola) for the move and helped them unpack for a few days. I awakened every morning in the upstairs guestroom to a breathtaking view of the Grand Tetons, which Colby and Sarah continue to enjoy in their nature excursions with Cicily, Bella and Lola. Cicily is a happy, sunshine baby who loves climbing, and is on the verge of walking.

Lindsey traveled to Siena, Italy in May for a study abroad. She and Peter Colby then taught art for the summer at a private school in Switzerland, which included visiting some amazing European cities. They returned from Europe in August--in a time crunch--having to find an apartment and plan their wedding, which was held on October 8 in Salt Lake City at Rose Sachs Gardens in Parley’s Canyon. An outdoor setting with autumn leaves and waterfalls was perfect for the two of them. Lindsey will graduate in the spring from the University of Utah with a B.A. in Art History. She continues to work at Montgomery Lee Art Gallery in Park City, Utah. Peter Colby is teaching his third year of art at a private school but is looking forward to beginning his Master’s Degree in Art; therefore, the two of them might not be residing in Utah much longer.

In June we had a scare when Chelsey developed severe preeclampsia and was rushed to Utah Valley hospital in an ambulance from her OB/GYN’s office. Delivery was delayed for two days but Chelsey still had an emergency c-section and Braxton Paul was born at 1 pound 13 ounces. He remained in intensive care for nearly two and a half months and was named “Little Rock Star” because of how he thrived. Like Colby, Brian is a hands-on dad and refers to Braxton as “little man.” It was a day of celebration when Braxton was discharged from the hospital, just in time for Chelsey to be Matron of Honor at Lindsey’s wedding. Understandably, Chelsey is taking time off from her job as a Federal Investigator for Hill Air Force Base.

I am still teaching and enjoying my wonderful students and friends. I am anticipating a return to India and Nepal in the near future; thus, perhaps next year you’ll be receiving a holiday card from me with a picture of the Himalayas!
MUCH Love and Happy Holidays To All of You,
Carol

Newsletter XXI - A Tribute to Fran Brown

Dearest Friends:

Mrs. Hawayo Takata’s 7th Reiki Master, Fran Brown, transitioned on April 12, 2009. She had just celebrated her 85th birthday. I am sorry I didn’t realize this sooner and did so because I was going to make a follow-up phone call to her. She and I had talked about her coming to Salt Lake City to talk with my students about Mrs. Takata as she had known her. Fran wasn’t going to charge a fee, telling me that she was always willing to talk about Reiki when it was requested of her. She only asked that her husband travel with her because of age. Fortunately, because of conversations I had with Fran on the phone, I share some of her comments in my forthcoming book, HEALING POWER BEYOND MEDICINE, which will be published in 2010 by O-Books.

The autobiographical information that Fran shared with the world is as follows:
“The winter of 1973 Hawayo Takata was invited to the San Francisco Bay Area to teach a class in Reiki. I was in that class. She taught Reiki to many people here. In 1977 I took Second Degree Reiki and in the first week of January, 1979 I took my master's training with her as her seventh master and began teaching Reiki anywhere people want to learn Reiki as taught by Hayashi and Takata. These thirty years of teaching have taken me to many parts of the world. In 1997 I was asked to come to Japan and teach Hayashi's system and in 1999 it was my privilege to meet with members of the group founded by Usui as well as students and masters taught by Chujiro Hayashi. We compared teachings and initiations and were delighted to find them to be similar. Hayashi organized the hand placements taught by Usui so that it was easier to teach Reiki. Takata says that he never changed any of the teachings and asked her not to change them either, nor have I.” Fran attuned 22 of her students to Mastership and retrained 15 other students to be Masters, for a total of 37 Masters. Her book LIVING REIKI: TAKATA’S TEACHINGS is on my student recommended reading list.

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Another great one has passed—one who was as devoted to Reiki as Mrs. Takata. Let us celebrate that devotion and her life with such gratitude.

Love-Light,

Carol

http://www.carolwilson.org/

Newsletter XX - Voices of Angels and Archangels

Dear Friends:
Last Sunday another group of wonderful people attended my archangel workshop, and once again, the experiences we shared were intense and healing. My strong wish is that you will be touched in some way by these celestial entities--angels and archangels--whose strong desire is to assist us in our many efforts in the journey we call life. Perhaps you will hear a whisper, sense a nudge, or feel a spark of awareness that removes all rigid frames around our existence--a frame that separates us from others.

I am probably motivated to write this blog entry because one of my students telephoned me recently and informed me that she hasn’t taken my workshop “because archangels and angels are for Christians.” “Archangels and angels are non-denominational”, I replied. “They are as non-denominational as Reiki. They are limitless nonphysical beings. They can help everyone who calls upon them simultaneously. They are here for everyone, and they honor all spiritual paths.” I also remember a blunt comment that a woman made once at a healing circle when another women mentioned her angels. "I don't believe in angels", she said.

The first conscious experience I had with an angel was nearly ten years ago when I was lying on a table at a Tibetan healing center, trading a Reiki session with a Reiki Master friend of mine. The room was filled with Buddha images and Thangka paintings of Buddhas on the walls but yet, about half way through my session, I saw an angel at the end of the table, raised above my feet. I said, “Beth, there’s an angel in here.” She nodded in the affirmative. Two more times I said, “There’s an angel in here.” I was in a state of disbelief that an angel would manifest in such a setting, particularly since, as a Buddhist practitioner, I focus much of my work in the Buddha realms. However, I later drove home, logged onto my email account, and there it was--an email---an email with a time stamp within ten minutes following my experience with this particular angel. Another friend of mine nearly 2,000 miles away had channeled a message from her guardian angel who expressed that he had just attempted to give me some information but I didn’t hear it…I had only visually seen him. (This is yet one more example of how I tend to shut down my clairaudience. I jokingly tell my students, "Because of my clinical training, I simply do not want to hear voices!") I found this email of his message to be even more unbelievable so I drove back to see Beth and asked her, “Did I see an angel?” She replied, “Yes, you saw an angel.” I knew that the manifestation, information and guidance from this guardian angel was a profound act of love because I had not solicited this guidance from him. I also came to realize that angels exist. Soon I was no longer “blown away” by such manifestations. I had crossed a threshold that is there for all of us—a threshold where one is no longer a tourist in the metaphysical world but rather, in the city--a city in which these occurrences are part of one's daily life. No more "WOW." No more "OH MY GOSH." No more disbelief.

In the meantime, I learned of Jonathon Goldman’s experience with Shamael, the angel of sacred sound. Jonathon told of how he was meditating in his crystal grid on his birthday because birthdays are a day of personal power. Shamael appeared to him and asked him to be a conduit for sacred sound. Soon afterwards, I was singing “Om mani peme hung”, the mantra of Avalokiteshvara (the Buddha of Compassion), for a student of mine who had tragically died. I was singing this mantra for her for 49 days while she was in the bardos but at one point in time I stopped singing after I went into the bathroom and closed the door. Suddenly, I heard a choir of angelic voices singing above me, the harmonics beyond anything I could express in words. At first I thought that they were taking over the singing of the mantra because I had stopped but then I realized that they had been singing with me all along. This experience touched me so deeply that it was months before I could talk about it.

I cannot identify the event or moment when I was guided to offer a workshop about angels and archangels but the workshop continues to evolve and develop, based on the experiences of my students and based on direction that I receive. For example, at the first workshop, I spent two hours talking about the angelic realm. One of my students asked if I would provide that information in writing, and he would take the workshop again! However, before I developed my hand-outs, I was drawn to Barnes and Noble as if I were a magnet. There I was in the corner of the bookstore with a book about Archangel Raphael staring me in the face, and without hesitating, I purchased the book while thinking, “So, Raphael feels I have missed something.”

Raphael was making a bold entrance into my life. At my next workshop, one of my students canceled at the last minute, and since we end the workshop by working in pairs giving and receiving a healing session, I filled in for my missing student and became the partner for another student. As a preface, I must say that over the years I have often heard people tell me that my hands are not the only hands felt when I channel Reiki during a healing session. Therefore, I have known for many years that another entity often works with me. However, I had never personally experienced the phenomenon of physically feeling another set of unseen hands on my physical body. Not until now. Janet had been at my heart, her hands off my body, calling forth Archangel Raphael in relation to his role in the Kabbalah Tree of Life. When she moved down to my feet, there were hands that remained on my heart. I opened my eyes and whispered, “Janet, where are you?” She said, “I’m down here by your feet.” Two more times I opened my eyes and rose up to see where she was, and sure enough she was nowhere near my heart. Everyone participating in the workshop saw and heard me. Raphael’s presence was undeniable, and Raphael, whose focus is healing, let me know of his eagerness to assist in the healing work of my students and I. It was as if he was saying, “I want to be included in all of this so please do not forget me.”

Last Sunday a couple of young women were communicating with the many archangels whom we called forth during our workshop. One of them couldn’t talk about it, initially, but the other young woman said she was joking with one of the archangels who reminded her, “This is serious.” Yes, they do take their work seriously. I am amazed at the organized manner in which they operate within Universal Law. No mistakes….no coincidences…..

I could write volumes about the experiences that my students have had during this workshop. For example, Archangel Metatron stroked the forehead of one young woman who was experiencing great trials in her life. The stroking was the manner in which her now deceased mother used to comfort her when she was a child. We actually saw the hair of her bangs moving as tears trickled down her face. Or, Archangel Michael sent a healing bolt of energy so forcefully through an elderly woman’s arthritic knee that she shifted three feet on the table she was laying on (nearly falling off the table). However, what is even more compelling are the stories I hear after the workshop. For those who knew nothing about angels and archangels, suddenly they have a strong connection to these Divine beings, and their presence is felt and appreciated. Dee shared with me how, in a car accident, her car swerved from one side of the road to the other, missing every car on the road. As her car was on the edge of its tires, ready to roll, the car would suddenly right itself, and the scenario repeated itself…nearly rolling on the right and then nearly rolling on the left until the car came to a halt. Witnesses saw this as impossible but Dee knew during the entire experience that her angels were in charge, and she was fully protected.

Angels and Archangels understand the Law of Free Will; thus, they will not interfere with our free will and will not intervene without our permission. We must ask for their assistance, and they respond to our requests, whether our requests are spoken, in writing, or in thought. Interestingly, however, I have noticed that they know when I am going to ask for their assistance before I actually make the request. They are also compassionately loving, and because they are egoless, they can be trusted. Many of you know this, and many of you have your own stories to share, which I would love to hear. My next workshop is Saturday, December 5 (1-5:30pm).
Love-Light,Carol
http://www.carolwilson.org/

Newsletter XIX - The Power of Wishes

Dearest Friends:
Happy 4th of July. After reading this newsletter, please note that the July distant healing requests were posted on July 1, and please add requests by clicking on the comment link.

For years I have talked about the power of intention and how essential it is that we set our intention in order to manifest a desired outcome. Wayne Dyer has written extensively about the Power of Intention. Intention is merely the process of creating, or bringing into existence, that which we desire; thus, when I discuss the many healing modalities that I integrate, I acknowledge that all of those healing modalities were created by someone with the high intention to heal, and there is power when we add intention upon intention upon intention upon our own intention. It sounds simple; yet, for some reason, it is difficult for many to comprehend, much less attain. Unfortunately, I believe that some of this difficulty lies in the fact that the words “intent” and “intention” have been imbued with a negative connotation. How many times have we heard a suspicious person say, “What is your intention?” We have also heard that one cannot be convicted of murder unless motive is established. In this respect, one’s intention is used to determine underlying motivation for cause of action.

We have also heard much discussion about the The Secret although it is no secret that the ancient Universal Law of Attraction is based on the teachings of Abraham. This law basically states, “That which is like unto itself, is drawn.” We attract everything that shows up in our life experience because the Law of Attraction is responding to the thoughts we are offering. Every thought, feeling, word, and action carries a vibration and because it attracts other like vibrations, it is crucial that we are aware of the vibrations that we emit. For example, a woman was trying to decide on a location for the purchase of a home and an important criterion was how long it would take to get to the nearest hospital via an ambulance. I responded, “You don’t want to be sending that wish out to the universe!” I don’t think she realized that she was planting a negative seed thought for a quick ambulance ride to the hospital. This is what many of us do if we are not aware of our thoughts. We sometimes make a wish that we actually do not want to manifest, not realizing the second universal law, The Science of Deliberate Creation. This law states, “That which I give thought to, and that which I believe or expect—is.” Essentially, we get what we are thinking about whether we want it or not. In this respect, we create of own reality, which is more easily understood as the Law of Cause and Effect or the Law of Karma. We plant seeds or impressions (effect), and when conditions arise, they come to fruition (cause). As true as these concepts are and as simple as they sound, most of us are confused or challenged by them.

We grow up making wishes. We place our wish in a wishing jar and toss a coin with a wish into a water fountain full of coins where others have made their wish and tossed their coins. We wish upon a star:

“When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true.”
(Washington & Harline, 1940).

We make a wish before we blow out candles on a birthday cake, and we make routine New Year’s Resolutions, which are wishes that we will accomplish certain goals. These wishes may seem childish but there is prudence in returning to some of the childish ways that we seem to lose in adulthood. For example, it was been reported by Albert Klein that children laugh 400 times a day whereas adults laugh 15 times a day. Yet, healthy people laugh 100 to 400 times a day.

Some may consider making wishes as not only childish but superstitious; however, from a Buddhist perspective, “Wishes based on wisdom and made without selfish motives are by no means superstitious acts. Such wishes may be made before a Buddha image or any other object which represents noble ideals and virtues, such as a Bodhi tree (a symbol of enlightenment), a shrine, or a pagoda. Such wishes are not mere wishful thinking or idle prayers, but positive resolutions for wholesome actions. They are necessary for the accomplishment of certain desired goals; thus, a person may make a wish before a Buddha image saying, "May I have the strength to help others in need. May I have the opportunity to do more good every day." Or an aspirant to enlightenment may make determined wishes before a Buddha to attain Buddhahood in some future life in order to benefit all sentient beings. Certainly, there is a great difference between such wishes and someone wishing for a beautiful new car or wishing to become a millionaire. My teacher, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Trinley Thaye Dorje, once stated that wishing for candy is not meaningful as compared to wishing that all sentient beings will accumulate merit and never be met by obstacles. He explained that wishes have no form and because they are an act of the mind, wishes can dissolve a bad mental state and shape the mind in a pure way. “The more we wish good things continually, the more free will be the state of our mind—more perfected, more free. When we wish deep from the bottom of our heart, it shapes the perspective of mind.”

I make strong wishes every day of my life. I wish for you, and for those I do not know. I wish that you will not be met with obstacles in these challenging and perilous times; however, when obstacles do present, I wish that they will be transformed into great wisdom. More importantly, I wish that our inherent happiness will not be obscured by the confusion and illusion of the conditioned world. Whether we recognize it or not—the sun is always, always shining.
Love-Light,
Carol
http://www.carolwilson.org/

Copyright © 2009, Carol A. Wilson

Newsletter XVIII - The Meaning of Mindfulness

Dearest Friends:
We have heard the phrase a million times, “Be mindful. Be present. Be in the NOW.” However, what does it mean? More importantly, how is it possible to achieve mindfulness in a world in which clocks are ticking as we run, multi-task, and swing to past and future thinking as if we're an untamed monkey in the trees?

Frankly, I never understood the concept of mindfulness until I was forced to experience it about 20 years ago while on a snowy ski slope in Park City, Utah. I was in a group skiing class with three other men and two women. The wind was scattering powder-like snow, similar to my scattered thoughts that were being tossed around regarding the events of yesterday and what I needed to accomplish tomorrow; thus, I didn’t really comprehend the instructions that my ski instructor was directing at me. I couldn’t seem to concentrate on what he was saying when he corrected the way in which I was swinging my arms and body from side to side when I skied. Finally, in exasperation and with a raised voice, he blurted, “Just do this ONE THING. Imagine that your belly button is a flashlight shining the way straight down the hill. Think of NOTHING ELSE.” I was embarrassed but motivated to accomplish whatever it was he expected me to do---but focus on ONE THING? I wanted to ask, “Are you kidding?”

I seemed to instinctively inhale and exhale a few deep breaths that grounded me to the earth beneath my feet, and then I rehearsed the words aloud before I proceeded down the hill, “Belly button—flashlight—belly button—flashlight.“ My thoughts of yesterday’s events and tomorrow’s tasks and worries dissipated as if they were zapped away by a bolt of lightning. Determined, I pushed off down the hill, focused only on my belly button that was a flashlight while repeating “belly button—flashlight—belly button—flashlight.” I was able to visualize the flashlight shining its beam ahead of me—leading me straight down the hill and not from side to side. As a result, my arms and body were no longer turning and swinging. Soon, this exercise was not external to me but rather, one with me. There was no distinction between me as the subject, object and action. I was acutely aware, conscious and awake, and the experience was so fully lived, exhilarating and penetrating that I seemed to feel it vibrating in every cell of my body. I also realized, much to my chagrin, that I had compromised most of my life experiences by thoughts that distracted me from experiencing the moment.

We only have this wondrous moment that is here and NOW. The past is gone. The future may not come. To miss the moment of NOW is to miss out on the experience of living. For example, how often have we eaten a meal and not experienced it because we were distracted by our past and future thinking about other things? How often have we walked or traveled and not seen the beauty around us because we were past and future thinking? How many accidents or other tragic events occur because of this obsessive past and future thinking? How often are we simply not mindful about what is in front of our face?

Mindfulness takes practice; fortunately, we can immediately begin to practice mindfulness without formal training, which is of benefit to everyone, regardless of race, class, gender, age, and spiritual or religious affiliation. Our children, in particular, need to learn mindfulness before they develop a scattered and undisciplined mind. We should also honor their mindfulness, rather than constantly distract them. We all benefit by the practice of being conscious and awake in our daily lives, and thus, it is prudent to practice mindfulness. One of the first things we need to learn to do is to move calmly and slowly, never in a hurry to achieve an outcome. For many of us, this is an arduous task, and we need to re-learn our fast paced behavior as if having to get out our bike with the training wheels.

For example, I was considered to be, at one time, a speed walker. My son, Colby, who was an ODP (Olympic Development Player), grabbed me by the back of my shirt more times than I can count en route to a soccer game in an attempt to slow me down. He simply couldn’t keep up with me! Because I was outcome oriented, focused on “arrival” at the soccer field in as little time as possible, I missed the step by step process of the journey. I was nearly deaf, dumb and blind to each moment and to the world around me. What if my thought, instead, would have been, “I am on the path to the soccer field?” Think of all the beauty I would have experienced with my son along the way!

Mindfulness is present moment by moment awareness and noticing change in one’s inner self. It is nonconceptual, unbiased observation without judgment or criticism. It is mirror-thought and reflects exactly what is happening now. In order to be mindful, we need to forget about future outcome and focus on the moment. We choose to BE instead of DO. In other words, we do not hurry and wash a cup so we can drink a cup of tea. We wash the cup to wash the cup. We experience what it is like to wash a cup and become one with the experience. We see every detail of the cup and how we care for it by washing. If our mind starts to wander to past and future thinking, we simply bring ourselves back to washing the cup by saying, “I am washing the cup now.” We do not hurry and take a 5 minute shower so we can get dressed to dash out the door and go to work. We take a shower to take a shower. We experience what it is like to take a shower and become one with the experience. We experience the wonder of it, and if we have hot water, we savor it even more. If our mind wanders to past and future thinking, we bring ourselves back to taking a shower by saying, “I am taking a shower now.” (I once needed to take a shower and wash my hair in an outdoor shower in the Himalayas in 0 degree weather. Since that time, I have absolutely savored hot water.) We take a bath to take a bath. If our mind wanders to past and future thinking, we simply return to our bath by saying, “I am taking a bath now.” By practicing mindfulness in this way, the feeling that a task is a bother or a nuisance will disappear.

It is wonderful to believe that the moment is our friend, no matter what the circumstance. The here and NOW moment is all we will ever have, because it truly is all that we have. Every experience we had in the past was experienced in the NOW. Everything we experience in the future will be in the NOW; thus, it behooves us to make NOW the primary focus and joy of our life. After all, nothing could be more perfect than right now---this very moment.

Love-light,
Carol
http://www.carolwilson.org/

Copyright © 2009, Carol A. Wilson.

Reiki in the News/Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology (ACEP)

Dearest Friends:
We are seeing much needed healthcare reform in progress not only when we turn on the television. I have a couple of updates as they relate to Reiki, and yes, you can be an active participate.

1. I was invited to become an ACEP (Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology) CE provider, listed on their website at http://www.energypsych.org/ I discovered this organization through Dr. George Pratt, Chair of the Psychology Dept. at Scripps Medical Center in La Jolla, CA. George was among several healthcare professionals who enrolled in my Reiki classes last year in San Diego, which resulted in Reiki Master Teacher (RMT) in January 2009. It is always thrilling for me to train healthcare professionals who have a deep appreciation for Reiki, and we will certainly see this appreciation continue to grow. For those of you who are mental health professionals, ACEP might be of great interest to you so please check it out.

2. Pamela Miles informed me last week:

"Last week was HUGE for integrative health care, with two groundbreaking events in Washington, DC. The Summit on Integrative Medicine and Public Health was cohosted by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the Bravewell Collaborative. While that was happening, physicians Andrew Weil, Mehmet Oz, Dean Ornish, and Mark Hyman testified before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. The meeting was led by long time integrative health care advocates Senators Tom Harkin (IA) and Barbara Mikulski (MD). You can watch some of the summit by clicking here or access the presentation slides here. The Senate committee meeting can be viewed here.

There is much to celebrate in these meetings, a level of savvy and wisdom regarding health care that is unprecedented. Reiki was specifically mentioned twice. One of the summit's planners, Elizabeth Goldblatt, PhD, listed yoga teachers and Reiki teachers among the health care professionals who are involved in wellness and self-care. And Mehmet Oz, dubbed the "surgeon general of the airwaves" by Sen. Mikulski, mentioned Reiki in the O.R. when testifying to the Senate committee.

Let's take this powerful opportunity to co-create integrative health care. Contact your senators and representatives. Ask them to truly reform our system to promote health and wellness, rather than only managing disease. Sen. Harkin specifically requested that the American public do this. Our legislators need to know that we want to create a culture of wellness."

I have always loved the words of Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

Aren't these changes absolutely wonderful?
Love-Light,
Carol
http://www.carolwilson.org/

Losar - 2/25/2009 - Year of the Earth Ox - Prayers

Dear Friends:
The New Year for Tibetans has begun, and for the next month all postive and negative actions are multiplied 100,000 times; however, because the situation in Tibet has worsened, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has asked that the usual Losar celebrations be curtailed. Please see a letter that he sent out in regard to this at http://www.dalailama.com/news.348.htm

In response, Ven. Thubton Chodron has sent out a request for prayers until March 10 in 7 languages; thus, I will post the English version. Please join if you can, and send Reiki, also. The situation in Tibet is collective karma, and impacts all of us. The prayers:
1) NETWORK OF PRAYERS FOR TIBET. If you are a practicing Tibetan Buddhist of any tradition, or a supporter of the Tibetan cause, or in general anyone who appreciates the values of love and compassion in this world, please read this and pass it to your friends and contacts as soon as possible.We are a group of international students of Tibetan Buddhism from different countries all over the world concerned about the future and the preservation of Tibetan Buddhism, Tibet, and the Tibetan culture.We have been inspired to take action after reading His Holiness the Dalai Lama's New Year message to the Tibetan people on 24/2/09 (see http://www.dalailama.com/news.348.htm )As you are probably aware, the situation in Tibet has worsened dramatically during the last year. According to different sources, Tibet has been closed to tourists, there have been attempts to isolate the Tibetan population by means of cutting internet access and mobile phones, and thereby preventing communication and independent reports about the actual situation there. Tibetans inside and outside Tibet had wished not to observe Losar this year with the usual celebrations, because of the terrible difficulties and sufferings experienced in Tibet over the past year; however the Chinese government has been trying to force the people in Tibet to celebrate Losar against their will. This could lead to demonstrations, and a chance for an unprecedented, unimaginable clampdown. His Holiness has advised people not to react to such provocation, to abide in patience in every situation, and to use this period of time to engage in prayers and positive actions.From our side, we would like to emphasize the need to acknowledge that this culture based on love and compassion could disappear from the world. Due to the interconnectedness of everything that happens on this planet, we think that this situation is not just a matter of the Tibetan people and politics, but a matter of the collective karma of everyone, and thus a matter of universal responsibility. In this regard we want to establish a network of people around the world who will share in this responsibility through meditation and prayer. During the next 15 days, starting from LOSAR, February 25th until March 10th, PLEASE HELP US TO CREATE THIS NETWORK OF LOVE AND COMPASSION for Tibet, by joining us in the practice of TONG-LEN (see below), or any practice you think will generate an atmosphere of love and compassion in our world. Besides any normal practice you may do, or any other peaceful activities, we ask you to join us two times a day, morning and evening, for five minutes or longer, whenever it is convenient for you, and to dedicate that the suffering of the Tibetans will come to an end, and that the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and culture will be preserved. Please also dedicate with prayers for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and of all the lineage holders of the different Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Please also recite the following prayer for the success of His Holiness’ wishes, which was composed by Himself at the request of the late H.H. Dilgo Kyentse Rinpoche:Saviour of the snow land teachings and transmigratory beings,Who makes extremely clear the path that is the unification of emptiness and compassion,To the Lotus Holder Tenzin Gyatso, I beseech:May all your holy wishes be spontaneously fulfilled.PASS THIS TO OTHERS WHO YOU THINK WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THIS NETWORK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO WE CAN CREATE A POWERFUL COLLECTIVE ENERGY THAT COULD BRING ACTUAL CHANGES TO THE SITUATION. THANK YOU.
THE PRACTICE OF TONG-LEN (Taking and Giving)
This is a method for cultivating love and compassion by taking on the suffering of others and giving them the positive energy and happiness that they need. It is a mental exercise that trains the mind and heart in these qualities.There are various ways to do Tong-len; here is a simple version of the practice:First, imagine at your heart a dark ball, which represents your negative energy: attitudes such as anger, attachment, ignorance, and selfishness, as well as sickness and other problems. Then think of people and beings who are suffering; you can think specifically of the Tibetan people, as well as people and beings in other places who are oppressed, hungry, sick, frightened, and so forth. Generate a feeling of compassion: “how wonderful it would be if they could be free from their sufferings and the causes of suffering.” Then imagine drawing all the sufferings out of these beings in the form of a dark stream of light or smoke, coming out of their right nostrils and entering into your left nostril. It goes straight down into the dark ball at your heart, completely destroying it. Imagine that you have completely freed all those beings from their suffering, and the dark ball of your selfishness and negative energy, which was at your heart, has been completely destroyed. Next, imagine giving away your happiness, possessions, merit, and positive energy to those beings. Visualize these positive things in the form of a stream of white light, which goes out from your right nostril and enters through their left nostrils, filling them with happiness. Let your mind rest for a few moments in a state of peace and joy that you have been able to relieve others of their suffering, and give them happiness. Then dedicate the merit you have created that all beings may attain enlightenment as quickly as possible.
Love-Light,
Carol
http://www.carolwilson.org/

Newsletter XVII - How Faith Can Heal

Dearest Friends:
Last week I received an email from Nicole Friedman, PhD, giving me a heads up about a mind & body special issue of TIME magazine: “How Faith Can Heal” by Jeffrey Kluger; thus, I immediately dashed over to Barnes and Noble to purchase a copy. It was gloomy and raining outside but I found myself not avoiding the puddles on the upper Gateway mall plaza. Instead, I was hitting them with my UGGs and making big splashes---childlike, perhaps, but I do recall what Albert Siebert, Ph.D. defined as the “The Survivor Personality”:

1. Aimless playfulness for its own sake, like that of a happy child.
2. The ability to become so deeply absorbed in an activity that you lose track of time, external events, and all your worries, often whistling, humming, or talking to yourself absent mindedly.
3. A childlike, innocent curiosity.
4. An observant, non-judgmental style.
5. A willingness to look foolish, make mistakes, and laugh at yourself.
6. Open-minded acceptance of criticism about yourself.
7. An active imagination, daydreams, mental play, and conversations with yourself.

Perhaps we can benefit with more childlike behavior during these challenging times. I often say that never before have we not sung as we do not sing. Never before have we not chanted as we do not chant. Never before have we not laughed as we do not laugh.

I couldn't wait to dive into my newly purchased TIME magazine and agreed with Kluger’s premise (although understated), “Science and religion argue all the time, but they increasingly agree on one thing: a little spirituality may be very good for your health.” This is one of the reasons why I have focused on spirituality as it relates to health and healing rather than religion. Religion can too often focus on the differences in belief among people of various religions, and most of us are cognizant of conflict and wars fought as a result of those differences. I prefer to transcend those dualistic concepts and embrace our commonality, not our differences. Among other things, we are of the same essence, with the same unlimited potential, and our bond is that we wish to be happy. We all want to avoid suffering. Even an insect will run from suffering.

It is interesting, as Kluger notes, that our parietal lobe is active in matters of spirituality (located at the top of the head, aft of the frontal lobe, fore of the occipital lobe, north of the temporal lobe). The parietal lobe is a mass of tissue, centrally located, that processes sensory input. We put this center to work when we pray, chant, meditate, or travel on pilgrimage in search of a miracle. According to brain scan research conducted by David Newberg, MD, who has focused on the neurobiology of different religious and spiritual practices, when people engage in deep prayer or meditation, the frontal lobes take the lead because they govern focus and concentration; however, the parietal lobe powers down, which allows us to experience the sense of losing our earthly attachment. Previous research has demonstrated that changes in the brain become permanent with long-term meditators, appearing to have thicker frontal lobes than nonmeditators. According to Newberg, people who describe themselves as highly spiritual tend to exhibit an asymmetry in the thalamus—a feature that other people can develop after just eight weeks of training in meditation skills.

What positive outcome are we seeking more than any other outcome when we pray, chant or meditate? HEALTH. Kluger states, “So we convince ourselves that while our medicine is strong and our doctors are wise, our prayers may help us too.” In fact, prayer is considered a Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) as defined by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In a survey analysis conducted a few years ago, the use of CAM’s in the United States showed a prevalence rate of 62%; however, in a more recent analysis, prayer was eliminated as a dependent variable, and the CAM prevalence rate was reduced to 36%. Hang in there, everyone, as we continue to do a two-step dance with scientists who are in a quandary as to what to do with integrating spirituality with conventional medicine! I elaborate upon this in my book Healing Beyond Medicine in Challenging Times. I have to believe that progress is being made; however, we need to continue to be pioneers in a movement that will improve the healthcare crisis that exists today. Kluger says, “Speak up! More than 85% of cancer patients would not be offended if their doctors asked them about their spiritual needs---but doctor’s don’t ask.” Furthermore, “94% of patients said it was perfectly all right for doctors to ask them about their religious beliefs. Plenty of doctors have no quarrel with this---though they are less sure how to raise the topic. Still, they agree that if health-care providers suggest complementary care like acupuncture to some patients, why not faith and prayer to others?”

I have read three pages of the TIME special issue article, “The Biology of Belief”, and now I see a three page advertisement for AMBIEN®! After two more pages of reading I see an advertisement for AMGEN Wyeth followed by a three page article on “Faith and Healing: A Forum”, followed by a two page advertisement on VIAGARA®! This special mind and body issue ends with a two page advertisement by Merck for SINGULAIR®. Therefore, this special 15 page issue on faith and healing is saturated with 8 full pages of advertishing from pharmaceutical companies. Hmmmmm---Are pharmaceutical companies funding TIME magazine? The more powerful I see these companies become, the scarier it gets. They are even educating our physicians. Or shall we, perhaps, call it mis-educating? More two-steps; fortunately, we recognize the dance and continue to be relentlessly optimistic in matters of integrating spirituality into health and healing and what we know to be effective. Speak up, yes, and at the same time continue to do what we can do something about—ourselves--which will automatically impact others in a positive way. Our spiritual essence is waiting to be discovered and reclaimed, and we have the tools to assist us--tools that are inherently spiritual in nature: prayer, meditation, sound healing, Reiki, Karuna Reiki, aromatherapy, yoga….the list goes on.

AND---don’t forget to laugh and make big splashes when you hit those puddles.

Love-Light,
Carol
http://www.carolwilson.org/
Copyright ©2009, Carol A. Wilson

Thank You

Dearest Friends:

Happy Valentine's Day. My son just completed his first photo shoot of Cicily Diane, born on February 4 at 6 pounds 12 ounces. Cicily sends gratitude for your thoughts, prayers, wishes, and Reiki during her extended hospital stay in NICU. (I found the headband at Magical Child in Encinitas, CA.)

Love-Light,

Carol

Reiki in the News

Dearest Friends:

This is a story of a 7 year old boy with neuroblastoma. He underwent chemotherapy for seven months for 11 cancerous tumors and was sent home to die. His father and grandparents opted not to try an experimental drug, Tapotecan, that could damage his kidneys and heart, meaning he would have only a 50 per cent chance of surviving the treatment. Instead, they choose alternative treatments, including Reiki! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1136870/The-boy-11-tumours-sent-home-die--survives-grandparents-alternative-therapy-treatments.html?ITO=1490
As you read the reaction of modern medicine to his "healing", those reactions are against our healing rules. If we listen to that kind of pessimism, we allow modern medicine to force "their" predictable outcomes onto people.
Love-Light,
Carol