by SharonHartnett | Jun 4, 2015 | Energy Healing
Have you heard of the Barbara Brennan School of Healing?
If not, you have missed out on this generations’s wave of Energy Healing that has been incorporated into so many new healing practices across the globe. The School’s many graduates are working in many countries bringing about positive transformation and healing. This may show up as an individual’s journey, using techniques in the workplace, working with clients in a practice, through teaching others, to writing books and influencing others on a large scale. Whatever the case, this school has changed the face of the world in which we live. This work has opened our minds and hearts to a new vision.
The Barbara Brennan School became most popular in the 1990’s. Pioneered by Dr. Barbara Ann Brennan, the schools foundations were initiated by a group of well trained teachers taught under this gifted healer. She would guide them and share her meditations and guidance to bring more awareness to the Human Energy Field and how to heal. For many years she did School Healings and Channeled “Seeds of Spirit”. Thousands of healers have received instruction and have taken this transformational energy healing work out into the world to do good.
Energy Healing in Columbus Ohio
Healing through the Human Energy Field
Barbara Brennan
Her “Hands of Light” book sold in the millions. Students flocked to her school with different hopes, but with a common intention to heal and bring healing to world.
In the late 1990’s I was one of the many who finally made it to the doorstep of the school up in New York. It was an exciting time because I had finally found a teaching that made sense to me. The four dimensions that are still taught in the book are based on a variety of old teachings and were brought into a cohesive text that is easily teachable for those ready to learn and to grow. Over my first four years there, I read that book and other materials over and over as the skills were taught. My life experiences opened up and my conscious perspective on life shifted dramatically. I learned to perceive the energy field through my vision, sensing and empathy. Sometimes, my experiences of Higher Sense Perception expanded to hearing sounds, music, and guidance. Finally, this reaching beyond with knowing became a natural part of my daily life. One might think that this was a special thing, but I looked around and could see the rest of my peers becoming more present and awake too. It was and adventure to be at the Barbara Brennan school with all my fellow visionaries. We had all come together with a purpose and a plan of some sort to bring meaning into our lives and make an impact on the world.
After four years under my belt, I decided to go back and study two more years in the advance work, and another two years to do Supervision. The energy of the school and the profound changes within the community and how it touched others urged me forward. In my own healing practice, the focus of my work changed depending on where I was focused in the moment. Most recently, my gears have shifted from the energy work to the Awakening Skills mixed with Craniosacral Therapy. Most importantly, all the wonderful tools I learned about characterology, holding a healing response, chelations, hara, and Core Start taught me how to help others to align with fulfilling their optimal health and manifesting true change. I found that one of the best ways to feel good about oneself is to be able to find meaning in relationship. In the healer-client relationship, one always centers first. But thereafter, the focus is on the client and moving out of the way to allow the work to unfold. The mystery of the energy work removes blocks and allows the field to renew and re-energize. Clients often get up at the end of a session and know that something important has happened. It’s a joy to be part of the process of helping others.
Since the turn of the millennium, many schools have popped up that are also quite good at teaching energy dynamics. But there is a special place for me in my heart where I studied and taught on the Faculty at the Barbara Brennan School of Healing. It was there that a community of ongoing people have and are still creating a healing thread that impacts the earth in so many ways. With each person’s individual gift, something incredible and fantastic happens. Even now, as I supervise students, I am aware of the movement the soul that happens there. I am gladdened by the way this is passed forward.
Even though I have studied many courses/trainings since, I still like to recommend the Barbara Brennan School to people who are interested in learning a thorough curriculum of healing and transformation. There is no other place like this that I have ever seen or witnessed.
I have been so blessed for my teachers and friends that I met there too. The Sacred Vessel of the Barbara Brennan School is a place where you will rediscover Who You Are and how to move toward living in your full potential.
If you have any questions about the school or this work, please contact me any time, Sharon Hartnett LMT 740 966-5153
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
by SharonHartnett | Jun 2, 2015 | Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K
Craniosacral Therapy (CST)
I just finished being a teacher assistant again for the Craniosacral Therapy 2 class for Upledger in Columbus Ohio 2015. It is always such a pleasure supporting the Upledger Institute. Through my years helping out with the classes, not only do I have the opportunity to help students better learn their Craniosacral skills more thoroughly, but I also personally learn something new each time myself from the various teachers. Each presentation gives a new perspective and it helps me to understand the work with a new depth and expertise. Keeping updated with changes and skills helps me to deliver better work to my clients.
One of the things that stands out most to me about this work after being immersed in this most recent class is that Dr. John Upledger centered this work on the Inner Physician. By trusting the intelligence of the body, and listening and following with the gentle techniques, huge shifts can and do occur that bring better balance and health to many people who receive CST. An experienced CST therapist can connect with dysfunctional patterns and help to release them as well. The Craniosacral work can help clients to let go of stress and calm the nervous system too.
While this work is based primarily on direct contact with the Cerebrospinal fluid, brain and spine, the rest of the systems also clear and find inner wisdom to self-correct and move toward health. My clients have often found pain relief, more clarity in thinking, deeper connection to Core, and much more.
Craniosacral Therapy
If you are interested in discovering the many benefits of Craniosacral Therapy, check out the Upledger site to learn more: Upledger Institute. Mixing science and holistic methods to bring deeper peace and joy into life.
FAQ Page
Sharon Hartnett CST-D
Worthington, Ohio|Serving the Columbus Area
614 653-8111
To find out more about Craniosacral Therapy, check out my main page.
by SharonHartnett | May 24, 2015 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Structural Integration
Deep Tissue Massage Reaches those places you didn’t even know hurt….
Deep Tissue Massage can release deep tension areas in the body certainly. And many clients who come in for a massage request it. Resolving those deep core issues can unleash the healing potential in your body on many levels.
As a Massage Therapist for over 18 years, I have learned that there are more than a few ways to access the deeper imbalances in the body. And it’s not always the way you think. Initially digging in is not always the best way to address pain in the long-run, in fact; in may be counter-productive. Personally, I have had some big muscles athletes come in and say that they want a lot of elbow work. Sure- I can do that and it does have an appropriate time and place. But if the tissues aren’t ready to receive that type of touch, the body can go into defense and fight the work. With the way that most of us work hard each day and and deal with stress in our personal lives, we deserve to have a session that complements our health goals. The best way to unwind those long-held tension patterns is to:
- Start superficially to release the myofascial dysfunction there, and then layer deeper down.
- Being Mindful will bring more awareness to your own body and how you hold stress and can release it.
- Breathe and notice how your breath stops and/or flows. Where does it go and where does it stop?
- Plan on a few sessions so that your therapist can meet you were you are for uniquely tailored sessions.
- Dialogue with your therapist as to what is helping you to release. you will know what is working.
- Let your therapist know if you are on any pain medicines so he/she doesn’t overwork your muscles.
- Be curious if your Massage Therapist is present with you rather than doing a routine. You’ll be surprised that if you are mindful, you can feel the difference.
- Have clarity about your boundaries. Some work may be uncomfortable, but let your therapist know if it is helping or making things worst. If you want more pressure, ask for it.
- Ask for different types of massage work. There is a huge variety of modalities such as Structural Integration, Craniosacral Therapy, Thai Massage, Aromatherapy, Swedish and more. It will help you know which suits you best. Some can be light touch, but feel rather profound. Others may be physically deep but feel like there is no real contact. A good therapist will find a way to touch you the way your body needs to release tension, and yet make it comfortable enough that it feels good.
- Educate yourself. Therapists vary in their approach and the tools they use. Interview them about their experience.
Deep tissue massage helps to relax muscles, increase oxygen and blood flow to your muscles. It helps the body to remove toxins and metabolic waste from sore and overused muscles allowing quicker recovery. Deep Tissue Massage feels incredible with it is done appropriately. There is nothing that feels better than when pain dissipates and pleasure take over. When our bodies feel healthy and in balance, life takes on a whole new look. Joy and a positive attitude take over in the absence of pain.
If you want to focus on realigning your posture with slower and deeper massage work, you are in for a treat. Feeling good and feeling alive!
Deep tissue massage
Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST, SI
740 966-5153
Lighten Up Therapies
Serving Johnstown and Columbus Ohio areas.
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
by SharonHartnett | May 21, 2015 | Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Healing, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, mind body & spirit, Structural Integration, thought for the day
The most frequently asked question I receive from clients is…
“How often should I come see you for massage therapy treatments?”
To be honest, one of the reasons I became a massage therapist was because many years ago, my best friend Karen practiced on me while she was in massage school for two hours once or twice a week and I got hooked. She had the most warm and embracing hands that melted everything in my body and soul. I unwound and felt so happy and peaceful afterwards. It was like living on cloud 9 with my body feeling very grounded at the same time. She had the touch of an angel, and I felt so embodied and centered after our sessions.
It wasn’t until a couple years later, when I moved from Colorado to Ohio, that I actually took the plunge myself and dove into the Massage school curriculum at a Massage School in Akron, Ohio. Even then, I was quite surprised to find myself there as it was the last thing I expected as a career choice for myself years before. But the touch, and the healing was wonderful, and I knew that I was right where I needed to be more than any doubts that showed up. So- if I am asked how often should a client receive massage, I’d most often recommend as often as possible as long as it feels therapeutic and it is in your budget. Massage Therapy feels great and helps you to let go of stress and tension which is not healthy for you. When you find the right massage therapist for you and form a deep relationship of holding and healing, your essence and light breaks through so you can be your best. That’s how I view it for myself, and the clients that I see.
With that said, once the above is determined, I like to remind clients and potential massage clients that if you are living in chronic pain or feel an acute pain condition that has just come about, that it takes time for the body to heal. The physical world does not mend as quickly as we are able to skip over to a new thought. Biological healing is a process that unfolds with care and connection. And in most cases, pain situations are an accumulation of many factors including: postural imbalances, habitual patterns of movement, stress, emotional issues, sports injuries, birth traumas, challenges taking in a healthy diet, toxins in our environment, along with other dysfunctional interactions we have in life. So with all that goes into creating a painful situation, it is necessary to balance out with receiving quality care, and allowing the body to repair and self-correct after treatments. Don’t put your stock into a one time fix, although many times these types of miracles can occur to resolve pain relief. In most cases, more work is needed to help the body restore itself to its natural healthy state for the long-run. If you want the honest answer to the question “how many massage sessions do I need to come in for”, the answer is that it depends on your commitment to feeling well and doing whatever it takes to accomplish that. And- healing is a unique and different experience for each person and each relationship.
Massage Columbus
In my practice, I have some clients that come a few times a year for a tune-up or for when they are feeling out of whack, and I have clients who come once or twice a week until things turn around. When clients are specifically interested in the Structural Integration for better alignment and pain relief, I follow a ten session recipe as prescribed by Dr. Ida Rolf for optimal postural re-education results. If the client is experiencing a bulging disk or nerve pain, sometimes it’s best to get a chiropractic adjustment, and wait a day or two for your massage and bodywork. Once the bones are stable, the fascia and other soft tissue needs to be released to help the client to stand straighter in better form. Massage is focused on soft-tissue. Craniosacral Therapy is a fantastic modality of work that directly works with the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the brain and spine. It is a tremendous therapy for helping clients with structural issues also, although with a light touch. Wonderful benefits has been experienced with conditions like anxiety, stress, ADHD, fibromyalgia, neck and back pain and headaches and more. Clients who can’t fall asleep at night often fall asleep on the table because they are so relaxed. It may take a few sessions, but slowly the nervous system balances and learned to heal in many cases.
Personally, as I have been working in this field almost 17 years, I have more recently kept most of the focus in my practice on myofascial therapy including Craniosacral Therapy, and Structural Integration (as taught by Dr. Ida Rolf). I also include mindful exploration of the mind, body and spirit connection for those who are interested. I have a background in Brennan Healing Science (graduate at former faculty as the Barbara Brennan School of Healing), Reiki, and I like to include my trauma background and Hakomi practice as well into my work. I find that when people come into the massage office, that they are best served by being held in the sacred space of healing and health. However that stress is showing up, my office is a confidential place where everything can be as it is without new conflict or distraction. Because I personally enjoy working with Somato-Emotional Release and with people hoping to find pain relief from previous trauma, I usually like to see clients once a week on an ongoing basis until they feel good. My preference is to work with people who are commitment to feeling well. They get the best results because they see deeper that a session or two for a quick fix. And my hope is that I am doing the best job to help them so that at some point they can stop, or take long breaks until they could use either some proactive massage therapy or they are feeling uncomfortable again.
It’s important to mention that each massage therapist has his/her own unique style. Each client is organized in his/her own way. While a massage therapist can hold space, we are not licensed as psychotherapists. But many of us have had training in dialogue, wellness, coaching, and spiritual healing. If you are committed to unfolding into your presence and health, consider a long-term relationship with your massage therapist and any other type of therapist you would want on your healing team. There are so many possible stresses in the world, we all can use a helping hand at some time. And we all deserve to be happy and feel our best!
Sometimes, I think we forget to treat ourselves well and we give all the excuses in the world to not give ourselves the quiet and nourishment we need.
Wishing you a sacred and beautiful day.
Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST, SI, Brennan Healing Science Practitioner.
740 966-5153
Lighten Up Therapies
Serving the Columbus, Ohio Area
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
www.upledger.com
For your Massage and Bodywork questions, please feel free to write~
by SharonHartnett | May 1, 2015 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, mind body & spirit
Neck Pain can occur for numerous reasons.
It could be the aftermath effect of an accident, poor postural strain, a pinched nerve or the result of an illness. Whatever the reason for your pain and discomfort, what matters most is finding the best method that will work to help alleviate your symptoms.
There are some basic things that you can do at home:
- Taking a warm epsom bath full of Magnesium Sulfate can help wonders.
- Put two tennis balls in a sock and place them on the back of the neck while lying on the ground. Relax.
- Place your hand on the back of your neck and press where it hurts. Stretch slowly and gently away in the areas that feels good. Overstreching could make it feel worst so listen to your body.
- Ask your sports trainer to give you some strength building exercises. Very important for long-term recovery.
- Breath and gently turn head in easy directions that are unusual. Various planes of motion benefit.
- Use a Stillpoint Inducer from Upledger for a minute or so, thereafter increasing time each day to help diminish pain.
- Buy a neck traction machine and use as needed.
- Eat healthy foods and exercise. Stay away from processed food and perhaps check in with a functional physician or nutritionist to make sure you are using food as medicine. Changing your diet can help fight against arthritis.
Neck Pain Relief
Things that you can do outside of this are:
- Find a good Physical Therapist who does manual work as well as giving you exercises.
- Swedish Massage helps with Circulation and Lymphatic Flow.
- Find a Structural Integration Therapist who works with posture and movement to help you getting better aligned.
- Craniosacral Therapy helps to relieve dysfunction along the spine and cranium, often helping to relieve pain symptoms.
- Chiorpractors vary in their methods as much as Massage Therapists. Ask questions and state what you want. Some can apply abrupt moves and others can manipulate much more gently.
- Myofascial Massage works with the muscles and the fascia primarily. By lengthening the layers releasing trigger points and knots, clients often feel much better.
- Sometime emotional issues needs to be expressed. Speak with a healer or counselor about what is going on in your life and work towards resolution.
Listening to your body and taking a holistic approach to health is your best option. If you are suffering from neck pain, take this opportunity to turn it around. There is no reason why you should neglect your self-care!
Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST, SI, Brennan Healer
740 966-5153
Columbus, Ohio
by SharonHartnett | Apr 27, 2015 | Aromatherapy, Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Healing, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, mind body & spirit, Structural Integration, thought for the day
Feeling stressed out by life?
Everyone feels stressed out at least occasionally. Through all of life’s cycles, growth opportunities pop up presenting us with challenges that push against our boundaries. This can make us feel uncomfortable or stressed out. Fortunately, many of us have had positive influences that have taught us how to navigate through rather difficult times efficiently. But when we don’t know how to cope well any longer, then what? Is it possible to take these stresses and turn them around to make ourselves better?
We have to remember that if we change our perspectives about our difficulties, the rest of the energy supporting the stress will shift too.
Craniosacral Therapy relieves stress.
Remember that:
- Overload is just about how we perceive a certain situation.
- The way our bodies habitually respond to stress can be re-organized into a healthier response.
- We are in charge of how we interact with the world in which we live.
Anything that you believe poses a threat to your way of being can cause stress. So how does your mind, body and spirit let go of any ideas of danger?
- Being mindful of your own experience is a good place to begin. By bringing attention to both your internal and external environment, you will begin to see what ignites stress. Some of the physiological signs might be: slower digestion, heart rate rises, muscles contract, breathing quickens, and it may be difficult to sleep. While you are experiencing the thought and the energy behind the stress, be curious and observant. This is a good way to practice meditation.
- Receiving massage and bodywork has been shown to reduce stress, including modalities such as Craniosacral Therapy, Trigger Point, Structural Integration and the light moving touch of Swedish as well. Feeling deeply into the body re-educates how we think and helps us re-route into a more relaxed and calm state of being.
- Body centered psychotherapies can be very helpful as well. For example, Hakomi is based on peaceful methods of bringing awareness to your experience and trying on different perspectives. This can give you new ways to view life down to the cellular level. This therapy is different than typical talk therapy as the main focus is bringing attention to the body to open the doorway to your consciousness.
- Physical Exercise pumps up your endorphins. Stress melts away. A good workout helps you to feel healthier and feel more alive.
- Deep breathing can help slower the heart rate and decrease your blood pressure. A commitment to yoga practice will certainly give you opportunities to experience stress relief.
- Aromatherapy with oils from Young Living Oils or Doterra can help you to relax in a nice bath or with a foot massage before you go to sleep. The intention of using the oils for health and good self-care can be very helpful if you are feeling anxious or imbalanced.
- Finding a good chiropractor who works with stability as well as flexibility can do wonders in helping you feel better aligned. When the spine is healthy, life looks a lot more positive!
- Byron Katie has come up with 4 questions that will help you change your life. Her worksheets are free online and you can view her on Youtube. Check out www.thework.com.
- Gentle movement exercises like Felderkrais or Continuum will awaken your deeper sense of centeredness.
- Eckhart Tolle is known for bringing out focus “Into the Now”. His teachings can help one to let go of suffering and stress by recognizing our tendencies to live in the past and future rather than being Present.
Remember that If stress is interfering with your life’s purpose and health, it’s time to do something different that will help you resource your internal skills to help you move through life with more ease. There are practices you can do alone, in a class, or with the help of a professional. The more serious the issue with anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD it is best to find the right professional with good experience and references.
Let your stress pass right through by taking good care of you.
Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST, SI
(740) 966-5153
Facilitating with Craniosacral Therapy, Myofascial Release, Structural Integration, Reiki, The Work, Brennan Healing and more. See www.massageincolumbusohio.com for more information.
by SharonHartnett | Apr 16, 2015 | Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Healing, Massage, mind body & spirit
What is Somato-Emotional Release (SER)?
SER begins with an atmosphere of trust, respect, and gentle touch.
Often when I work with clients for a period of time, long-held negative beliefs and residual trauma energy can start to come to surface. This may be a small gentle reminder of an uncomfortable feeling, a tear running down a cheek or a deep anxiety or stress that has energetically been frozen within the cells. We call this an “energy cyst from a Craniosacral Therapy perspective. The energy from the historic trauma isolates itself as a compensation but it not entirely let go.
The Upledger Craniosacral approach to working with Somato-Emotional Release involves a very natural type of presence and touch into the Cranosacral system that supports the process of releasing old trauma’s such as: car accidents, PTSD, warfare, violence, divorce or any type of experience that feels overwhelming. If the cycle of feelings does not complete itself, it remains until given the opportunity to heal. By dialoguing with the Craniosacral System, the true intelligence within will lead the way to self-correct into health and wellbeing. Craniosacral Therapy is a professional therapeutic modality that balances, restore and brings greater awareness to clients.
Craniosacral Columbus
The old painful messages melt away and give way to the Present moment.
By taking the road of self-discovery with CST, new awareness will help you to make better choices in your life with more clarity and heart. Bringing the physical, feelings, beliefs and heart into coherence opens the door to health and wellbeing.
Sharon Hartnett Craniosacral Therapist Columbus
614 653-8111
Serving the Columbus, Ohio Area
For information, go to my main page.
by SharonHartnett | Apr 7, 2015 | Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K
Myofascial Release therapy is focused on the attention given to improving the posture and flexibility in the body.
Who can benefit from this type of work?
Myofascial Massage is very beneficial for chronic pain issues, body imbalances, as well as people suffering from stiffness and lack of range of motion. Working with the fascia can help those with autism, people who have experienced trauma and others living with arthritis. No matter what sport you play or activity in which you engage, athletes who are wanting to improve their performance by finding better length in lines and movement often find enhanced performance. In my practice, I have seen myofascial work truly helps people to feel more energized and in tune with their functionality.
Myofascial Release
How is myofascial massage different than typical swedish massage?
This type of work is definitely different than typical massage. When working with fascia, the massage therapist does not use a lubricant. This is so we can differentiate between the layers of fascia to unravel and and help release restrictions in the tissues and along the spine. The goal is to stretch and loosen the body so that all the organs and other structures can let go in their most optimal and relaxed position. Many times clients say that this work last longer. They feel dramatically different, especially after a 10 series of Structural Integration.
How does Myofascial Work help specifically with Sports Performance?
In regards to Sports Performance, myofascial release can help give athletes that extra edge. Often when people train hard, they can get into repetitive habits. By touching into the various different fascial planes of the fascial web, the body opens to newer movements throughout. There is a functional and structural connection between all of the body’s soft and hard tissues. By addressing the whole body, motion gains better relationship to gravity again and again. Athletes young and old can benefit from myofascial work.
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST, Si
Columbus, Ohio
740 966-5153
by SharonHartnett | Jan 26, 2015 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K
In Daily life, most people stay busy, and it’s easy to become distracted.
One of the best things that I like best about Craniosacral Therapy, is that it creates a sacred space for silence. During a session, clients lay on a table fully clothed, close their eyes, and relax. Stress is let go. In the quiet of the moment, many layers of consciousness have the time and ability to arise and be expressed. For many people, this means that they have a unique opportunity to be mindful, introspective and have an experiential of unfolding. Wonderful healing can take place, along with integration and growth.
I believe that this state of Grace in awakening is always available to us, however; it’s easy to miss due all the things we schedule or how we decide to live. It is in our best interest to balance action with receiving, thereby giving us the chance to live in “Being”.
As a Certified Craniosacral Therapist, my priority is to align with “listening” and help my clients to find their Inner Physician through resonance. What this means is that I focus on the CST rhythm primarily as it allows me to emphasize around the brain and spinal cord and how they relate to the rest of the body. By supporting balance, strength, rate and symmetry, the client optimizes through inner dialogue in the moment. In many instances, one can feel this as the therapeutic pulse picks up and sounds its healing potential. In other cases, tissues release and energy is flows or an electrical buzz travels under the fingers. In addition to the CSR (Craniosacral Rhythm), there are so many other things going on that intuition can lead me towards-the beating of the heart, the way the body moves with each inhale and exhale, the sound that loudens or softens as the body changes, all of these have a voice that the wisdom of the body is ready to reveal. By using the fascia and the bones as my prime manual tools, change is encouraged and a sense of wellbeing is the end result.
Another reason why I recommend Craniosacral Therapy to many people is that it is very gentle. This type of hands on therapy can be used during pregnancy, right after birth to seniors with sensitive skin and/or health issues. We use about a nickels worth of pressure until the tissue takes us deeper. No forcing or tough manipulating. Yet believe it or not- profound change can occur through this quiet listening and supporting through the craniosacral system.
If you are needing some help with energizing, or quieting CST is quite helpful. If you are in pain- helping restrictions or adhesions to dissolve opens the pathways to healthier dialogue. The body is a whole being and awakening it to its possibilities is exciting as it brings one back to center and wellness.
FAQ Page
Sharon Hartnett CST-D
Worthington, Ohio|Serving the Columbus Area
614 653-8111
To find out more about Craniosacral Therapy, check out my main page.
by SharonHartnett | Jan 17, 2015 | Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, thought for the day
In this post, I want to share my personal experience in what has helped me to move forward in life…
Compassionate Witness
When I first began to questions my existence and purpose as a young adult, I headed myself over to a psychotherapist. My life was good, on the outside things were bright, and I knew that my life was blessed. Yet something deeper was calling me and I didn’t know how to connect to my life’s longing. I didn’t know how to sort through confusing thoughts and feelings.
My first step: I found a person who listened and asked me questions. This woman was somebody who really gave me time and consideration. In exchange, I paid, and this was a healthy balance. My sharing was real and expressed, and it felt great to be acknowledged. To have someone help me discover my own path from my own curiosity and wisdom was truly a gift. To be the center of my own Universe and have that be good was healthy for me. This was the first of many experiences for me to be listened to in such a way.
After that, I realized the continued importance of having someone listen who would be objective and not invested in my outcome. Someone who wasn’t a friend or a family member, but a person who could just “Be” with me as I rolled through the ups and downs of life. Eventually, this led me to the Barbara Brennan School of Healing where we learned “listening”, “contact”, “witnessing, experiencing and asking” as foundational skills to be a healer. While I attended the school I did at least the required 18 personal therapy sessions a year, usually more. I found that in the space of the objective listener, that my mind opened and I could see opportunities for change unleash my restrictive conscious patterns. Areas where I felt pain, cleared up, and my heart connected with new friends, community and my relationships expanded. I learned to be with others in 1:1 relationships and also in the midst of a group process, able to hold space for others and I heard and recovered their stories.
With this great expansion of listening, other teachings caught my attention…. Hakomi- which is a Masters Level teaching in Organic Unfolding with most of the students being in the field of Psychotherapy or Integrative healing. In this School, I finally understood that no internal experience was bad or good, but rather a learning opportunity as part of my experience as a human being. The listening techniques used in Hakomi are soft, gentle and support the unfolding of the essence of each session. It was a miracle that I could study these learnings and share them with others. It was a blessing to be able to incorporate these skills into my daily life.
Other techniques or schools that drew me in were the Upledger Institute with Somato-Emotional Release and courses with Pat Ogden to learn about trauma. In both of the fields, the emphasis again was listening and encouraging self-authority and empowerment. I loved learning about listening and just taking the present moment. There is always a teacher is you are wanting to learn and grow.
With all of this and much more study than I mentioned, I learned that when my clients come in, that I could now provide a rich and Sacred Space environment where people could speak, express, dance, hide, or shout without judgment to the best of my ability. It is in this gentle process, that clients lie on the table and can allow their body’s, their energy dynamics and their voice to be heard with compassion in a space of deep listening. With listening, I can take in the stories on a verbal cue. But what most excites me is the journey into silence and connection. When people are available to listen, people can come closer together in the most profound touching of the souls. Two can become One, and One becomes Zero.
When I saw that Carolyn Myss had written the above quote, I thought to myself, “how well said”. We each need somebody to listen to us objectively and to then ask us inquiry that will nurture us as the creative force is born within.
In this day and age, I wonder how it would be to live in a world where people truly listened, where all cultures and religions dropped their divisive beliefs so that we could all take in the beauty of each other and remove all the obstacles that we believe and adhere to that keep us one step farther from God.
The Sacred Witness… What would it be like to sit in silence each day and develop this skill even further?
Sharon Hartnett LMT, SI, CST
(614) 372-6598
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
I thank all my teachers who have ever listened to me with a sympathetic ear, and given me an opportunity to mature and evolve.
