Namaste

I returned from my little jaunt to Tucson yesterday evening. (A day early) It was pretty overwhelming and exhausting to take in all the information that was given to us so all of our group skipped out early. The only problem is it leaves me needed just one more credit hour for my licensure. ..

All in all it was a good experience, but between me missing Reed, reports of Reed having a hard time, differing opinions in the instructors philosophies and being surrrounded by a large number of nut cases (These things always seem to draw them....) I was ready to be home. Thanks to my new friend Natalie for the ride home. (The day before I was supposed to leave my truck broke down. So I was dependant on others to get me around while I was there)

I learned a lot of very interesting information concerning food healing and thing of that nature. I also found a great respect and love for the actual practice of Qigong. I know you all have seen it in movies, much like Tai Chi it is this slow controlled movement that becomes almost a dance as you move from one form to another. The instructor went on and on about spirituality and Natalie and I laughed as we listened to him basically teach the plan of happiness, minus the most critical part. The Atonement. It was fascinating. When he started talking about past lives, he lost me. But oh well. The hardest part was trying to find a good balance between my beliefs and his when it came to healing. See the whole point of this conference was to teach us how to harness the Qi (chi, meaning life force or energy) to enhance our massage or other healing. I felt on shaky ground as he proclaimed that through the Qigong we could learn to manipulate the Qi and with the blessing of the "creator" we could produce miracles. I have yet to decide exactly how I feel about this concept. While I believe in miracles, and that we as individuals we can be a major factor in producing miracles in others life, it seemed hard to allow that I could use this Qi to produce miracles by "laying on of hands and Qi power. My first response, was "that is not my responsibility, I do not have that authority (meaning preisthood authority)" but I do also know that miracles happen through faith even when the priesthood is not present. I still struggle to really put into words why I was left uneasy or skeptical. When expaining it to mom her way of trying to mirror what I was trying to say was, "were you just concerned about what source you were tapping into." I think she hit it dead on. Much like people who try to connect with the "dead" or play with metaphysical energies beyond their understanding, was I tapping into something not really understood by anyone, and was I messing with things that are better left alone?
The only answer I could come to some balance in is INTENTION. Intention was a termed we used a lot in massage. Am I claiming the ability to produce miracles, no. Am I wanting to promote relaxation, good energy, health, and stress relief to my clients and myself yes. So in the end, I took away with me a beautiful form of relaxation, exercise, and meditation. New concepts of nutrition and health. And the realization or reaffirmation that there is a lot of truth out there, but you have to filter through a lot of garbage sometimes to get to it.