It brought a tear to my eyes
By Dr. Gene Clerkin
As I looked around, it was the realization that people from different generations, genders, races and socioeconomic backgrounds, transcended their differences and became one. Nothing else mattered but experiencing the joy of the moment. We didn't have to find the rhythm. It found us. Expression became stronger than fear and judgment. To feel this was blissful and to observe it brought tears to my eyes. That evening, Dickey Betts and his band brought about something I've experienced on many occasions. Only this time I was consciously inspired to write about it.
When I first meet with a new client I do my best to explain that what I do is called an entrainment, not an adjustment or a manipulation. I explain harmonic entrainment as the phenomenon that occurs when you strike a tuning fork and bring a second tuning fork into proximity. The second tuning fork will match the vibration of the first automatically because it is more energy efficient for nature. Consequently, it can be seen all around us. A common example would be school of fish or a flock of birds. It is why we become tense around someone who is already stressed or calm around a peaceful presence. Through the application of Network Care (in the form of light contacts) we are actually entraining the brain to a lower vibration which promotes a physiological change in the body, a change from stress physiology, or defense, into ease or peace. This is a good thing. So…
A couple of songs into the second set I realized it was happening. As I looked around I noticed the wide variety of people enjoying the show. Since Dickey started playing with the Allman Brothers Band in the sixties, the average age ranged from teens to middle aged. There were an endless variety of listeners, each dancing and moving in their own unique fashion. But that's not what really caught my attention. Although the hundreds of people in the crowd were moving in a manner all their own, each was moving in a synchronous rhythm within the group. Some just swayed slowly while others gyrated with much quicker movements. But it was almost as if there was a net that connected each and every person and all the members of the band. We were collectively entrained to the same vibration or rhythm. If you've ever experienced this you don't have to ask why this was so special. But, have you ever wondered why?
I've talked about the concept of being present. It is the time when time doesn't exist. When there is no concern about the future or worry of the past. It is the moment when you're awestruck by beauty and observation replaces thought and judgment. It is when healing occurs. Some people achieve it through music, some though meditation, some death defying events and some lovemaking. Complete presence is an unfettered connection to your source, your god or your transcendent self, and is experienced as a state of complete bliss. To achieve this as your perpetual state of being would probably be what they call enlightenment.
It seems a difficult thing to describe but it's this experience of entrainment that brings about presence and being present that enables you to fully experience the beauty of this phenomenon. I thought to myself, if we could experience this phenomenon as a race, on a global scale it would be heaven. Our mission at The Center for Holistic Health is to help people get to a place where they can experience this presence more often in their lives. A client said to me recently, "you have a great job". You know what? She was right!
It Hurts So Good...Maybe Not.
By Jennifer Noble, CMT
There seems to be a growing misconception about massage. Not the usual one but one concerning Deep Tissue Massage. Many people are under the impression that Deep Tissue needs to be painful to be effective. Sometimes we do experience slight discomfort in a
massage that may feel good, like scratching an itch, but it's different from being in pain. When too much pressure is applied and we experience pain we usually hold our breath and our body tightens up. As a society we spend way too much time in this stress mode. So, it concerns me when, more and more people are asking for that "REALLY, REALLY DEEP" massage thinking that this is what they need to feel better. Maybe it's time to clear things up.
I'm reminded of a client that said during the initial consultation that I could go as hard as I wanted because she can take a lot of pressure. I explained my position on Deep Tissue and expressed that I could only work as deep as her body would open up. While I was working, she stated "you're not hurting me" and all I could think to say was "Great! I'm glad I'm not hurting you". I have asked myself many times why some people prefer to be abused? Do they think in order for a massage to be good they must suffer? Do they think 'no pain, no
gain'? What I do know is, everyone who receives a massage is hoping to feel better than they do going in, regardless of how they want it to be performed. So why not enjoy it if you can?
So what is Deep Tissue anyway if it's not supposed to hurt me, you ask? Deep tissue specifically, is a massage technique that releases chronic patterns of tension throughout the body. It's called Deep Tissue because it reaches deeper layers of muscle tissue, tendons and fascia. I have yet to find a definition that states it needs to be painful too.
So here is where the misconception lies. You don't need to experience pain to get rid of pain during a massage. In Fact, when we experience pain our body goes into defense, like it does when we brace to protect ourselves from possible injury. Our body is full of stress at this point and we can't relax because the force of the massage is too great. This can, not only
cause injury to the muscle tissue but it forces our body to use so much of its energy on "fighting the attack" and little energy is left to focus on healing and repair. An hour of massage is a great opportunity to give your body, mind and soul the rest it deserves. So, go ahead, schedule your Deep Tissue massages and enjoy!
That'll Solve The Problem
By Dr. Gene Clerkin
Recently my sister sent me a CD from a singer/songwriter named John Lester. One of the songs, "Out of the clear blue sky", intrigued me because the artist makes an analogy between himself and his country. I thought it was fitting because we can also draw the same analogy in relation to health and healing.
Out of the clear blue sky
When I was a young man so many troubles seem to come my way
I didn't see that I sewed the seeds of my anger, it grew a little every day
Always a battle for my ways, always someone else to blame
So many enemies but never did I wonder from whence they came
I never stopped to look inside, to see if I held the reasons why
The world was coming at me from out of the clear blue sky
Here the songwriter explores his personal responsibility for his trouble in life. Interestingly, many people think that when they lose their health it's simply a matter of bad luck or that they are victims of genetics. It's pretty rare for someone to consider their personal responsibility for their illness. While I don't deny genetics play a role, there are other factors that exploit weakness in our bodies. When it comes to health it's not a matter of luck, rather one of cause and effect. In other words, things don't happen without reason. Even if we don't know what the cause or purpose is. We do have the choice either to take a look our responsibility in our own health or give up our power and become a victim with no control of our lives.
Now comes a time when my country's also come of age
Hell hit the homeland, everyone's rightfully filled with rage
The president's pointing his finger and from the pulpit I heard him say
We're one nation under God and by God we're gonna get them back one day
With no admission to reason why, we put all the blame on another side
And said the evil one came at us from out of the clear blue sky
In this song the solution is to place blame and destroy the enemy. In our culture when someone gets cancer the normal procedure is to eradicate it with radiation, drugs or surgery. And although I may or may not choose that route for myself, I can certainly understand the argument for it. I'd like to point out though, that even if we cut out or kill the cancer we haven't necessarily had any net gain in health. In fact, there's a strong chance that our health has actually diminished even if the cancer is controlled. (Medical treatment is the third leading cause of death in this country according to the American Medical Association) And who's to say it won't come back.
They were crazy, they were evil and they were wrong
But the weak take a desperate measure when they're backed into a corner by a fool to strong
My brothers, my sisters, my countrymen and my friends
I think we'd better take a really hard look at ourselves if we want to keep this from happening again
And if we search beyond our pride, perhaps we'll find an answer that has long been denied
And peace will reign upon us from out of the clear blue sky
Health is a state of harmony and when all parts of an entity communicate and work together it ensures that it not only survives, but thrives. If there is disharmony or dysfunction, things just don't work right. In the human body that usually means a cascade of physiological events that lead to the symptoms that we label disease. The same principles would hold true for the environment or for that matter the state of the world. If there is disharmony in the world it leads to a cascade of events which we call war and terrorism. The long term solution would be to take a look at why the situation was created in the first place and work to change that instead of just treating the symptom.