Washing Out My Mouth With Soap

A couple days ago I read a blog post on religions and how they have historically oppressed women. The blog author mentioned that the men in these religions are in control, though need women if they are to survive as an organization. The author, an atheist, suggested that it would be great if someone offered these women a secular alternative to religion that didn't discriminate against them. If women have the most to gain by quitting religion, why don't they? And why is the atheist community predominantly male? 

To which I responded quickly with a comment that, in hindsight, came across as incredibly sexist and unfriendly towards atheists. Essentially, I said women have a tendency to be more spiritually aware than men and maybe that is why there are more male atheists than female atheists. Women might stay with religion because of societal pressures, or maybe they stay because they intuitively feel something that makes them believe in the supernatural. And then there is alternative spirituality, which is heavily skewed towards women. Maybe some of us are already finding a friendlier, non-sexist spiritual path. 

Even as I was commenting, I remember thinking it sounded like a generalisation. Are men really less spiritual? Hmm, maybe, maybe not. Who am I to say? I can't speak for all of the men and women on earth, in the west, east, etc. Igh. I really should have edited the comment but I ignored that thought. I went back to check-in today and when I saw the responses, I realised that it my comment must have sounded especially bad to the male and/or atheist readers. I apologised and I hope they realise I meant it. The irony is that the blogger meant to dial up gender equality and tolerance and I reacted, going the other way...

The Angelina Effect

This week Breast Cancer made the headlines when one of the most beautiful and courageous women on the global stage went public with her decision to have a double mastectomy. Angelina Jolie is well known for her work as an actress, her dedication as a UN Ambassador and for the lovely Jolie-Pitt clan. When I read her piece in the New York Times it was clear that she is a mother of six, first and foremost, and she would really do anything for her family. Nevertheless, her decision to go public will help the women who find themselves in a similar situation, coping with the psychological and emotional aspects. 

After all, she is Angelina Jolie: smart, beautiful, talented, caring and she is married to Brad Pitt (how many of us had Legends of the Fall posters on our walls in the 90's?). Knowing that a mastectomy doesn't make Angelina any less of a woman (or him, any less interested or in love with her) will reassure the thousands of women who find themselves in a similar situation. Whether its because they had elective surgery, as Angelina did, or because they had breast cancer and surgery was part of the treatment plan. Angelina's decision to speak out was incredibly brave and altruistic. I hope it will give strength to others who face the emotional and psychological issues that come with the experience.

The ripple effect doesn't stop there, either. There are also plenty of women whose mothers, aunts and grandmother's had breast cancer in the past. They might worry that it runs in the family and on some level, worrying about something (even if its in the back of your mind) can bring a lot of unnecessary stress and anxiety into your life. Let's not even think about the Law of Attraction. The truth is, only 5-15% of cancers are genetic, the rest are due to a variety of factors, many of which can be controlled or eliminated through diet, exercise and lifestyle habits. 

If family history is a cause for concern, most women will now be aware that DNA testing is available to them. If they decide to take the test, an overwhelming majority may discover that they do not carry the mutated gene as their relative's cancer was likely caused by something else. And if they do test positive for the gene mutation, they will have several options including regular screening as well as elective surgery. At the end of the day, it will depend on their doctor's advice and on the risk level that the individual is willing to live with. Let's not forget that breast cancer survival rates have increased significantly over the past two decades thanks to early detection and breakthrough treatments. 

For more info on statistics visit CancerResearchUK

I am a qualified Energy Healer!

After two years in healing school and a brief writing interlude, I am a qualified energy healer!!! 

This past weekend I completed a demonstration healing in front of a panel of tutors at school. You would think that a ten minute healing would be a piece of cake, especially after two years of lessons, case studies and practice. But as it turns out, I still had to practice to keep my nerves under control. Last September I went in to heal for the panel and underestimated just how nervous and shaky I would be. It didn't go so well. I missed the clues my intuition sent me and for the first time, I failed an exam. Wait, that's not true. As an eight year old Catholic School student, I got a spectacular ZERO when I failed to memorize the Nicene Creed. (See what I mean here) 

Anyhooo, I am not going to rehash my first attempt, though you can read about it in my earlier post called The Hanged Man (or Woman?) ... The experience did teach me a few things. First, that everyone makes mistakes and you just have to keep going. I carried on writing my book on Cancer and Self-Healing, carried on with my Reiki trainings and with my volunteering. Eight months later I am not sure the setback made a difference - at least not the way I thought back then. I am really proud of the book I'm about to launch, and I am also grateful for Reiki, which I had the pleasure of learning while my energy healing work was on hold for a few months. 

I also learned that I need to practice a lot, especially where my nerves are concerned. A couple years ago I watched an interview with Will Smith or Jim Carry (can't remember who) and he talked about the work they put in behind the scenes. As a comedic actor, they need to make sure their timing is spot on, the tone is right, etc. So they run through the lines over and over again until they are happy with the result. It helps them find their groove. In my case, practicing also helps keep the jitters at bay. Note taken. 

This weekend I gave myself Reiki before the exam, focusing on my solar plexus (Butterfly Central) and sent healing to the future so that the reiki would keep me calm during the exam. It worked like a charm! I also asked Archangel Michael for help staying grounded. What else ...?  I got a sense that the path my life has taken wouldn't change if I had to take the exam again this fall (though luckily it didn't come to that). I am relieved its over and happy I passed. =)

Funny thing is its all coming together this month: I'm putting the final touches on my book, finishing healing school and completing my Reiki Master. May 2013 turned out to be a very busy month! 

Next on the list, a nice holiday!