| III/V
A Doctor's Angst
The husband of a good friend came to see if I could offer some healing for what had been for him a distressing year. A world-renowned surgeon, he had not been able to practice for a year. His problems began when he passed out during a surgery. The immediate concern was the possibility of a heart attack. He was hospitalized, but no obvious medical problems could be found. Among his symptoms was a loss of feeling in his dominant hand along with the beginnings of a tremor. After a number of medical workups, there were concerns that some sort of neuro-muscular disease was beginning to show itself.
Eventually, he was diagnosed as having an anxiety disorder which, it was hypothesized, fit the other symptoms. Anti-anxiety medication and cognitive- behavioral therapy were prescribed. While he felt less anxious, the symptoms continued. He was facing the possibility that in his early 50's he was finished as a surgeon. In my interview with him, I found his description of his process to be more like a man at war with himself. Internally, he was battling with voices of self-judgment and self-sabotage.
My own journey brought me face to face with the spirit of his illness. This spirit was angry and out to win. It was clear that it did not want to be appeased by me. My teacher pointed out that this was the source of the surgeon's problems. He was going to have to do his own work to heal his internal conflict.
A Hmong shaman I met in Wisconsin had shared with me a method of working with what he called "demons." In their culture, many conflicts are understood to be the work of these demons. I was told in my journey that the surgeon would gain benefit from working in a similar manner.
With this information, I had the surgeon journey to the spirit of his conflict. He met a voraciously angry monster being. In the journey he received guidance on how to honor this spirit and what it needed. A representation of the spirit was made and this was then enspirited with the essence of the angry spirit. He put this figurine in his yard by a large tree. Here a shrine to the spirit was built, daily food offerings left, and a song sung. This ritual was to be observed from the new moon to the next new moon.
Within a couple of days, all symptoms were completely alleviated. The surgeon returned to the operating room shortly thereafter. Three years later, he remains symptom-free and doing what he loves.
Workplace Difficulties
In a circle I was facilitating years ago, there was a man who asked if l could help with a problem he was having at work. A physicist, he was co-team leader for a major research project with a man who was verbally and physically abusing him. The nature of the project was such that there was no supervisor to mediate these issues. The physicist, who was in his early 60s, did not feel he could quit the project due to his fear that he would not be employable elsewhere, given his age.
The circle did a healing dance on his behalf. Two members volunteered to journey to the spirits of the two men and learn what it was like to be in their shoes. They were then to dance this out. Others were to merge with their spirit helpers and bring healing to the dance. The dancer who danced the abusive co-leader experienced tremendous heart pain as if her heart were broken. This shifted as the dance went on.
The next day the physicist went to work and found a flower on his desk. Later that morning a catered lunch was delivered to him at the work site. The other team leader came up to him and said, "I am really sorry that I have treated you so badly. I've taken all my home distress out on you and I hope you can forgive me." It turned out that his marriage had been dissolving over many months and had finally led to a separation. The flowers and lunch continued to be delivered daily until the end of the project. |