Diving Right In
TW: Suicide
Suicide Awareness Month
For my first blog post, I am DIVING RIGHT IN to the nitty gritty of why I do what I do. Or at least, a very large part of what made me who I am today. 15 years ago I learned about the value of human life, the depth of loss, true friendships, connection, and the impact of our words and actions.
15 years ago, 21 of my friends slept on my bedroom floor the night I lost him. Collective grief, support, and connection like I have never experienced. That has left an imprint on my heart just as big as the loss of a great man, my Dad. I will never forget that day, and all of you that sat with me that night. I know he would be proud of all of us.
I have spent my entire adult life exploring the mind body connection, spirituality, and simply the essence of human beings to create some context around this loss. Someone so wholesome, kind, and GOOD taking their own life.
I spent years going to church services 4x per week laying flat on my face at the altar, I went to college and studied theology, then I spent the last 10 years diving into energy medicine, ancient philosophy, anatomy, physiology, and the mind-body complex.
My greatest take away from exploring all of these things is LOVE. Experiencing it in my own heart, and allowing myself to feel allll the good, painful, wonderful things that come with being a human, and cultivating the ability to share it. It’s messy! While you CAN look to outside sources to guide you, the real solution to your problems is in your own heart. That’s where God/Spirit'/Whatever you want to call it, lives.
I don’t have the answers, and I don't know that I was ever looking for answers, maybe just some clarity or context, but something I have definitely learned is that a persons choice to end their time on planet earth is a sacred one known only to them, and to God.
I have also learned that his choice, has gifted thousands of people through MY hands.
It is my deepest privilege to serve and love other people suffering from chronic pain and illness with my massage, and BodyTalk Practice.
He is my why.
The mind-body connection plays a greater role in our mental health than we have been led on to believe. Your mental health is not separate from whats going on in your body. There are answers, there IS hope, and there IS another way. Even in the midst of your suffering.
This is why I value The BodyTalk System, it bridges this gap that conventional methods seem to leave out.
It's not a panacea, but it makes a damn big impact and has gotten me through some very difficult times.
We are all unique individuals with different histories, backgrounds, traumas, emotions and environmental stressors. These things do affect our physical health and the symptoms we experience. If they didn't, we would be robots.
BodyTalk takes that into consideration and looks at the WHOLE person.
Since losing him, I have lost 6 other loved ones to suicide. One of my best friends, an inherited little brother, an ex boyfriend, and three close friends of the family.
We HAVE to speak up about this, and be willing to hold space for the people we love. Being heard in a space of safety is healing for every one of us.
Ultimately, you can’t stop someone from making this choice. But you CAN love them right where theyre at, in the present moment. It will echo in eternity. The rest is out of your hands.
Here's to you, Pop's. Thanks for helping me help other people, I'd prefer if you were here with me, but even in your absence, you have taught me SO MUCH.
