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Persistent Health Issues:
Have you ever had a persistent health issue? What if we could use the three keys* to living with Ease and Grace to move that health issue to a better place? Of course, anything I say here is not meant as medical advice; your medical actions are between you and your doctors. With that said, let’s explore this topic! Perhaps we can soften (or even eliminate) the impact of persistent health issues through spiritual principles.
Defining Health:
First, let’s define health. My favorite definition is ‘well-being in all areas of our lives.’ This includes mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being, not just the absence of dis-ease. I like extending this definition to include our relationships and our environment.
The wonderful thing about our health is that our body is always with us! This can also be a challenge. LOL
Let us then remember, as the author CS Lewis once said, “You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.”
Thoughts Are Things?!
Many transformational leaders have used the phrase “thoughts are things.” In my mind, this means that whatever we think about will come about. When we place enough attention on a thought, the thought becomes our reality. Our attention focuses the thought, good or bad, and that is how thoughts become things. The reality manifests if we aren’t resisting the thought.
Energy goes where attention flows. Words in mind produce after their own kind. There are many ways to say the same thing.
It is also important to take any action we are guided to take. Grace is always here to guide us.
The Key to Visioning:
As I mentioned in my summary of the three keys (see summary below*) Visioning is about setting a Vision for the long-term or an intention for the short-term. The best approach to Visioning is to focus on what you want rather than what you don’t want. How can we apply all this understanding to our own health and well-being?
I recently noticed that I was placing my attention on my health issues rather than on my overall well-being. Choosing between these two different perspectives was transformational; and I get to choose to do this daily! Also, I AM grateful for my friends who are willing to point out when I am focusing on what I don’t want.
Vibration Builds Bone!
“We are bumping this Vibrational trainer up to fifty hertz. That is the frequency that builds bone.” Julia declared as she entered my home.
Julia has been my personal fitness trainer for over ten years, and we use the Vibration trainer frequently in my workouts. This was the first time she had been so adamant about the frequency we were using.
I understand now that thirty-five hertz is more for relaxing muscles after a workout (even though it does help your bones). For years, we had been using the Vibration trainer at thirty-five hertz rather than fifty hertz; until this moment I didn’t realize that we weren’t fully focused on my main reason for getting the machine—building strong bones.
Refocusing Attention:
As I reflected later, I realized this discovery came shortly after I had decided to refocus my attention from my health issue of bone loss to having strong bones! Each morning I now enthusiastically affirm (to the tune of Freré Jacques) while doing my morning Qigong:
I have strong bones. ♫ ♫
I have strong bones.
Yes, I do.
Yes, I do.
Beautiful and healthy.
Beautiful and healthy.
Yes, they are.
Yes, they are.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Thank you, God.
Thank you, God.
Affirmations Work:
In the beginning, I felt silly doing this; my daughter rolls her eyes when I get going. LOL I have found though, and you will see from my data (below), that affirmations really work, especially when you sing them!
Here is some back story…
Osteoporosis Family History:
About fifteen years ago, I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in my left hip and osteopenia (low bone density) in my right hip and spine. This is not surprising as I have a small frame and family history. My mother had osteoporosis and experienced a variety of serious health challenges, as a result.
For example, during the last five years of her life, Mom spent much of her time in bed and needed a walker or wheelchair when she was up and about. I honor my mother’s experience as essential to her, since that was what occurred for her. I AM grateful to know that I can choose differently, regardless of family history and diagnosis. I envision a different outcome for myself—strong, healthy bones, and joints, for the rest of my life.
Building Bone Density:
Over the years, since my original diagnosis of osteoporosis, I have put regular attention on building my bone density. I do this through walking, hiking, lifting weights, and making sure I get the right nutrients for my bones to grow. At first, my bone density continued to dip.
I was grateful to learn that the line between osteopenia and osteoporosis is simply a line on a chart created by a drug company to sell more drugs to women who are losing bone. Even still, in my mind, robust health includes strong bones and flexible joints.
Bone Density Scans:
A bone density scan (DEXA or DXA) is a good tool. However, the margin of error is 1-2% and a good amount of bone growth to attain in a year or two is 1-2%. How do you know if you are really making progress?!
CTX – A Supporting Bone Density Test:
My doctor recommended using the blood marker CTX in between bone density scans. CTX is a blood test that measures bone loss and can be done more frequently than the bone density scan. Even though my insurance doesn’t pay for this test, I decided to see what it could tell me. Six months ago, I took the test and found that my CTX value was very high—367 pg/mL. My doctor said that I was losing a lot of bone.
“Oh my!” I thought. “With all I have been doing to build my bones, I am still losing a lot of bone!” OMG
Misaligned Thoughts:
Did you catch that this thought is misaligned with my Vision for strong, healthy bones?! Fortunately, I did catch my unaligned thought this time and consciously realigned my thinking using my favorite transition phrase. “I will entertain no other thought than… I have strong, healthy, beautiful bones!” ♫ ♫ Every time concern about my bones came up in my mind, I repeated my Vision (or sang my song!) and gradually I began to have fewer misaligned thoughts.
Accepting God’s Grace:
With my attention fully on my Vision, I was also allowing the Universe, God, Infinite Intelligence, Gravity, Grace, Inner Wisdom, Spirit—whatever you choose to call that Power and Presence for Good Greater than Us—to guide my way forward.
Full Circle:
That brings us full circle to Julia entering my home for my workout time; she was a conduit through which information I needed was presented. When my thoughts were on what I didn’t want, I was not open to this vital information. Now I AM open to good things flowing my way and choose to remain so in all areas of my life!
I have worked with Julia, as my trainer and guide, for many years; I AM amazed that she came forward with the information and action ideas I needed, within weeks of me shifting my thoughts and Vibrational stance!
Dynamic Bone Growth:
Five months later, after using the Vibration trainer twenty to thirty minutes per week, I had another CTX blood test. My CTX result had dropped to a lower value, demonstrating much less bone loss—194 pg/mL. My doctor indicated a CTX value around 250 is good; mine was even lower! We are always in the natural process of losing and gaining bone; gaining more than we lose is key to staying healthy, and it all begins in the mind!
Action Steps to Activate Healing:
Consider these action steps to activate your healing response with Ease and Grace.
- Create a Vision: Create a Vision for where you want your health to be. Consider this approach:
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- Craft a general positive Health Vision statement.
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- Add Vision statements on specific aspects of your health.
If you find yourself in resistance, shift your focus to the general Vision statement. It will be easier to raise your Vibration around a general statement. See step two for more details.
Alternating your attention between your general Vision statement and your specific ones may jar some of your resistance loose.
- Release misaligned thoughts and feelings: As thoughts contrary to your Vision arise (and they will, especially in the beginning) be gentle and kind to yourself! Simply shift your awareness back to your Vision. I sometimes declare “I will entertain no other thought than…”
Negative emotions may also arise; allow them to be okay in the moment. By accepting what arises, it is much easier to release them or allow them to dissipate.
If a deep emotional response arises, YEAH. It is coming up to be cleared. Be sure to take time to feel these feelings. Get professional help if you need to; it is important, for all areas of your life, to clear old emotions in any single area.
You don’t have to be perfect! Some experts say that you only need 51% of your thoughts to be focused on what you want, for it to manifest. The more the better, for sure.
Get into the feeling state of your desired Vision for your health as often and clearly as you can—as if your desired outcome is here now.
- Celebrate the small steps: Celebrating the small steps helps keep your Vibration high which supports the whole process. Possible small steps include:
- Focusing fully on your Health Vision;
- Noticing misalignment and refocusing on your Vision;
- Getting into a positive feeling state about your Vision;
- Being open to new insights that flow into your life;
- Having gratitude for your current experience, good or ‘bad’;
- Being in a happy state of mind;
- Fill in the blank… _______________________________.
- Let Grace guide your steps: Just as my focus on having heathy bones led me to important information and intuition that I acted upon, so too you will be guided appropriately. Follow the impulses you get as you express your Vision and clear any contrary thoughts and emotions that arise.
I’d love to hear what Visions / Intentions you have created for your health and healing. Do you have any resistance to these Visions? What have you done to soften this resistance? What could you do to soften any remaining resistance? Please share in the comments section below.
XOXOXOXOXO
I invite you to continue exploring The Art of Ease and Grace with me in future blogs.
- If you would like to get an email notification when future blogs are posted, please click HERE to join my mailing list. At this time, my audio blogs are available by email OR by scrolling to the top of this web page.
~ Carol McNulty-Huffman,
Best-Selling Author & Inspirational Speaker
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A Peek at My Next Blog Post:
Topic: Vibration
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Vibration is our topic next month. The draft title of the post is: The Art of Ease and Grace in Action for Finances.
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Vibration is powerful in so many ways. I look forward to seeing how my words flow around this topic and title in the next few weeks. 😊
Summary of the Three Keys:
- The three keys to living with Ease and Grace are Vision, Vibration and Grace. Vision is about setting a Vision for the long-term or an intention for the short-term. Vibration is about stepping into the Vibration of that Vision, so that it can easily manifest. Grace is a wind that is always blowing — a power flowing through our experience more and more as we open to receive it.
- The fact is these keys are already at work in our lives, whether we are aware of it or not! Noticing these keys allows us to access them more consciously and use them to create a life of greater Ease, Grace, and flow.
- To learn more about Vision Click HERE
- To learn more about Vibration Click HERE
- To learn more about Grace Click HERE
- To learn about the Birth of this Blog, and releasing regret, click HERE
We are continuing our conversation about The Art of Ease and Grace, between blog posts, in my private Facebook group (Art of Ease and Grace). Click HERE to request entry. You can also email me at carol@theartofeaseandgrace.com or send a message through Messenger to make that happen.
If you would like to get an email notification when future blogs are posted, please click HERE to join my mailing list.