A Chiropractors Guide to the Universe, 9

Lesson 9: "The Art of Holding Space"

Fundamental Edict:

"Everyone needs chiropractic care. Not everyone needs YOUR chiropractic care."

Recap:

Lesson 8: "It's all about connection."

Spiritual Learning Time

Personal growth can be challenging.

You have to look inside yourself and face things that you have spent a long time trying not to face. However, once you start on the path of personal growth, you start to learn that you don't need those protective defenses anymore. That the world is not the enemy and that approval from most people doesn't matter.

And then at some point, you come to a place where you learn about energy.

When I was still in chiropractic university getting my doctorate, I had a friend who introduced me to energetic healing. I didn't believe it- to put it mildly.

For those who don't know me, I am a huge skeptic. I grew up with a scientific background and anything that even smelled like quackery, I was totally against it.

So the idea of "energy" healing was ridiculous.

Let me get this straight- you use "energy" that you cannot see, feel, measure, or interpret and sort of wave your hands over someone and they are supposed to get some improvement?

Hell, it wasn't even placebo effect.

It was pure nonsense.

But, I am also very curious by nature... so I listened... and played along.

What was the harm?

.....

Something shifts

One day, I am with my buddy and we are "working" on balancing energy.

This means I am supposed to collect energy from above (the heavens) and below (the Earth) and balance those two energies in the middle (somewhere around my belly button).

Stupid.

I don't even feel anything really.

I'm just standing there imagining what he told me to imagine. Seriously, Im just playing along.

And then something changed.

As instructed, I was imagining a stream-like flow of energy. However, I was having a tough time imagining the lower one so was totally fixed on imagining "earth" energy.

At that moment, he says to me, "You are drawing in too much Earth energy, you have to balance it out."

How the heck did he know I was doing that?

I didn't tell him that, I was just imagining it in my head.

When I asked him, he told me he could feel it.

He could feel the difference in the types of energy. Through me! WHAT?!

That's crazy right?!

It didn't have me convinced but it did open the door to more experimenting and more curiosity and openness.

.....

Protection

Apparently, in the world of energy healing you have to be mindful of "protecting" yourself from people that will drain your energy. They are sometimes referred to as "energy vampires."

LOL. No, I'm serious.

These people are the ones you meet in a party and they just seem to suck the life out of you. Sound familiar?

I had that experience before but never attributed it to being something metaphysical.

I just thought these people were a drag to be around because they were negative or complained alot, you know?

Anyway, there are many ways to protect yourself from people sucking energy from you or you giving up too much energy to others.

There are numerous amulets, crystals, and gadgetry to do this.

Or you can do simple things like making sure you tongue is on the roof of your mouth when you are with these people.

I am a skeptic.

So I did NONE of them.

But I couldn't deny that sometimes when I would experiment with this energy stuff, I would come away exhausted. Like need to take a nap, wiped out.

.....

Holding Space

Lesson 9- "The Art of Holding Space."

Yes, I was still willing to experiment with people even though I was a skeptic and didn't really know what I was doing.

It was fun.

There was no harm and maybe I could learn something.

At the very least, I had followed lesson 7 and "expanded my box."

One day we took a field trip and did some energy work at another friends place. It was a really cool space with a lot of eclectic design elements; the space just felt chill.

We spent most of the day there and afterward, I actually felt energized after rather than exhausted. I just thought it was a good day until he asked me about it.

"Don't you feel energized after being in that space?"

Yes, I did.

But what did he mean about "being in that space?"

Turns out you can create and hold a space to be energetically what you want.

If you want to create and hold a space of healing, you can do that-- wealth, peace, calm, whatever you want.

Crazy.

My mind again was blown.

Decades later, I still am not sure about how to prove all this energy stuff. But now, I don't feel the need to. It is just a part of who I am even if I don't have any scientific proof of its existence or my ability to manipulate it.

The other thing that I learned is that if you hold the "right" space, you do not have to worry about protection.

.....

Vulnerability

Then it hit me.

The space I wanted to create and hold was a hug. Not just some sideways half hug but one that had your arms as wide open as possible.

Why?

Because for me, it was all about allowing yourself to be vulnerable. Opening up like that is not comfortable.

What's even more uncomfortable is opening wide and allowing the other person to respond any way they want.

Some people will meet you with an equally big hug, others will turn and walk away. But no matter what, you have to hold that space; resisting the urge to close yourself off.

.....

Creating space 101

1. Decide what energy you want to create

2. Collect design elements, colors, furniture, etc. that represent that energy to you

3. Sit in the space and get a feel for where things should go

4. Place elements. Get a feel. Adjust as necessary. Repeat.

5. Once you feel like you got it, take a candle, sage, wood and "smudge" or clear the space by burning and using the smoke. You'll get it.

Holding space- when you enter into your space, remind yourself what the intention of that space is- healing, calm, peace, etc.

A little secret- after a time, you will no longer have to work on holding the space. The space holds it on its own.

To be continued...