We talked a lot about energy medicine on the Journey for Deep Healing to Oaxaca. Traditional healers or curanderos practice a kind of energy medicine. Acupuncture is also energy medicine, as is anything that stimulates a person’s capacity to heal. Energy medicine works on emotions as well as on physical illness. Energy medicine is part of the practice of self care.

Negative emotions are a type of dis- ease and indeed can solidify into a physical illness. It is easier to transform a problem before it settles in and takes root as a pattern held in the body.

So we work on transforming our emotions and we work on the big question of our time, how to take care of ourselves so that we experience real wellbeing .

We are never taught how to take care of ourselves on a deep level- beyond eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, paying attention to our diet, and taking appropriate supplements.

Sometimes something is in the way of our doing all that, and to care for ourselves, we have to address our emotions and things that keep us stuck.

Some wonderful wisdom emerged about radical self care-

• Make care of your self a priority. We are better able to serve if we can fill ourselves up. So ask yourself, is this good for me? Will this serve me?

Too often we act out of a sense of obligation or because of an unquestioned obsession, or even because of resentment- “I’ll show them.” If we can truly look into the recesses of our heart and shine a light on our choices, we can refine our behavior and more clearly let things pass that aren’t going to cultivate the qualities we want to manifest.

• Release others to follow their path and learn what they need to know. People will only learn and take in what they are ready to use, and sometimes people need to experience things for themselves before they can truly understand.

One of the hardest things we need to do is to allow others this process, instead of trying to intervene, fix, or help. Sometimes our own good intentions keep the ones we love trapped in their pattern by not letting them find their own way.

• We have to do our best to maintain equanimity, and to remember that there are toxic energies in the world, and we have to protect ourselves. We can find ourselves impacted by others. Instead of staying centered, calm, and with a peaceful mind, we are reactive.

We might feel threatened or afraid, or we can respond to others with judgment and irritation, lacking compassion and forgiveness, or we can become victimized by jealousy and envy. It can be helpful to cut energetic ties with those who really trigger us.

And we have to concentrate on our own care, on doing what we know to do to bring us back to a peaceful centered place, so that we are stronger.

• We need to develop a tool kit when things are going well, so that we have established practices that we can turn to when the going gets rough. These can include mediation, breathing routines, expressive arts, getting help through energy treatments like acupuncture, yoga or other physical and spiritual disciplines, tapping, inspiring readings, and any activities that make you feel good and move energy.

Having these things as a part of your daily or weekly routine means that they will be in place when you especially need them. We also need a supportive community as part of our overall self care.

• It is so important to forgo those things that keep us stuck in negative thinking. “Boot the Bitch.”

So often we speak out loud words that deepen our sense of being a victim and don’t contribute at all to the greater good. We need to pay attention to our language and use words that empower us.

If we can let negative thoughts pass through without giving them so much attention or weight, they won’t have such a hold on us and we can get back to a calm peacefulness sooner.

We don’t have to believe everything we think, and even if we believe something for a while- that we truly are a victim rather than an empowered being of great light- we don’t have to share that belief or ask that it be validated.

Instead we can question all the thoughts and feelings that don’t serve us and find another way to look at things so that we come to the conclusion that we really are ok. We are enough, we do enough, we have enough. This is important self care.

• Make an affirmation, here’s mine: Today I take care of myself. And I am so grateful for the hard times that have taught me so much. I know I won’t get out of this life alive, so I don’t resist the moments of suffering that hold so much juicy aliveness. I just ask that they hollow me out and help me become a larger container for joy.