G’day friends! If you are new here, welcome and welcome back if you have been here before!
If you know me, you would know that lately, I have been going down a bit of a self-discovery journey, trying to go outside of my comfort zone and start to go to different events, classes, and places; basically, just trying to not live like a hermit 24/7!
Living with a disability, I have to think on my toes constantly, and leaving the house isn’t as straightforward as heading out the door. Using Google Earth to check websites and reviews and even call places to see if they are wheelchair friendly. I also have to make sure I have a lift to and from places and even whether I can go somewhere just myself or if I have to have someone with me.
I have always used that as an excuse for staying at home. Staying home is, in many ways, more accessible and comfortable. Lately, however, I have felt the need to explore and start living in a way that balances staying home and going out and about. On the other hand, I have been feeling the need to pause, reflect and not be on the high drive all the time, moving from one appointment to the next or constantly writing to-do lists.
One thing that I have been curious about for a long while is meditation and yoga classes! I just have never been game enough to go to in-person lessons. One reason is that there aren’t any wheelchair-accessible studios in town, and I am trying to figure out how best to participate in classes.
Last weekend, I attended a yoga studio for the first time, but not for a yoga class. I went to a sound healing and reiki class.
Yes, that may sound a bit fru fru, but honestly, it was the most calming, relaxing thing I have ever attended.
Sound healing, defined by Yoga Basics, involves “using specialised sound frequencies to create a therapeutic atmosphere to promote deep rest, nervous system rebalancing and emotional release” It’s worth Googling!
Someone did reiki work while we lay there listening to the gongs and bowls, essentially energy healing. Another came around and did some kinesiology, which works on the meridians that are in your body by touching acupressure points. Think of overall energy and emotional healing.
Again, yes, it sounds so fru fru, but don’t knock it until you try it!
What did I get out of it, you may ask? Strangely enough, after the 2-hour class, I stood up (with the help of my mother, of course), and I have never felt so balanced on my feet. I could keep my balance and still be on my feet longer. My walking felt stronger, and I didn’t feel like I would fall over, even on uneven ground.
My mind was so much more awake but at complete peace. I had no thoughts; I felt so present and calm like I could take so much of the world in.
Going through pet loss and human loss so recently, I was carrying so much emotional trauma and the simple touch of a human’s hands on my head; I felt safe and loved. Anyone who has been through significant loss (especially pet loss) and feeling alone could relate to that.
Once I got in the car, I realised that I had been desperate to feel safe, not think about my disability and work, and to start comprehending all that emotional baggage. I underestimated the power of touch and music. They are mighty things. And attending this class, I could feel and do all of that.
It’s been a week since that experience, and I will be a regular at these sessions without a doubt! Sure, it may not be a physical cure or treatment for my disability, but I found the mental and emotional benefits just as critical at this point in my life.
It felt almost like a reset. I, like most of us, have somewhat neglected my mental, emotional and, yes, physical health as I just dealt with one thing at a time as life got too loud and overwhelming. But I honestly left feeling clear, safe, at peace and ready to start moving forward in whatever way that means. And that begins by listening to my body, my mind and what I need, especially after going through so much pain.
In the last few months, I allowed myself to almost, in a way, check out from feeling, but this sound healing class made me check back in slowly. Even coaches have moments when they aren’t on top of the world. That’s just part of being human, and it’s okay not always to be okay.
The way I choose to manage my disability is a holistic approach. Full of therapists and specialists who deal with all aspects of life, not just the physical nature of my condition. Suppose I am to continue to make my disability work for me. In that case, I must continue to find balance in the chaos, live an authentic life, and look after my emotional, mental, and physical health. Once those pillars are in focus, l find everything else slightly more manageable, and disability life, almost in a way, becomes a dance.
Living Abled to me means taking time out to heal, reflect, work on myself, and acknowledge that while everything isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, life is still worth living. Continue to be curious and do challenging but exciting things because there is more to life than sitting at home in silence.
Till next week.
Rhi.