10 Lessons Chronic Illness Taught Me: Part 2
DimensionL Wellbeing provides the philosophy, methodology and container to enable a person to experience what it truly means to feel and stay well: we call it a return to Wholeness. Our approach keeps LOVE in the center. We are here to guide our clients to the highest expression of themselves. The result being greater well-being for the individual and therefore greater well-being for society. Our way provides the opportunity to function in your fullness with more consistency.
At DimensionL Wellbeing we recognize and honor that multidimensional beings must be met with a potential focused, sustainable, multifaceted approach to Vital Wellbeing. We define Wholeness through the lens of 8 dimensions and when applied with LOVE creates a Vibrant Lifestyle.
Through our offerings and care, we help our clients navigate these issues to support them in becoming their own health advocate and turning on their Inner Light. When these dimensions are in resonance, the more LIGHT a person will exude. This is not a quick fix or another marker of achievement, rather it is a way of living and thriving through connection, education and exploration. True health is found in personal coherence - this is when what one says, believes, feels and acts upon are in alignment.
Our mission is to provide impactful and empowering care which awakens people to their divine design and entanglement to the universe; supporting the activation of their full potential. That is why we created the 8 Dimensions of Wellbeing, which transforms lives and reduces or eliminates suffering.
DLW was created not only through education and information, but also through my personal experience of healing and walking a path of wellness. My experience allows me to intimately connect with others’ experiences of suffering. It takes me off a pedestal of information and directly into the crowd of ‘I have been there too’. This is very special to me because I know that no one knows what you need to heal better than you do. This is part 2 of a 2 part blog, which covers 10 lessons I have learned through my experience of illness.
Before diving into what I have learned. I want to share a bit of a disclaimer.
It is my personal belief that almost anything under the sun has a cure. I believe in a benevolent world and that our suffering and pain can also be a salve. So while I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder, I do not claim it. I do believe my body can and will be restored. I understand what it is like to have lived with that label and that is what I am sharing with you today….lessons that came from this experience. I am so grateful to find the silver lining, it has literally been life-saving.
What do you consider your cross to bear? After reading this blog, might you consider looking for the silver lining in your life? I would love to hear about what you find if you decide to take on this challenge.
To live a life fully is to be really brave and yet not take everything so seriously. I hope you enjoy reading more about what I have learned through my trial and path to recovery.
6. Energy is everything.
This seems relatively easy to grasp at a surface level. However, since experiencing physical illness and impairment, this statement has taken on a deeper meaning in my life. I have become so aware of energy around and within me. I made the decision that in order to heal my condition, I have to find a way to bring more energy in than I was putting out. Seems simple, right? Well, let me say again…energy is EVERYTHING. Meaning every word that comes out of my mouth, every conversation I have with another, every thought I think (good or bad), and the list goes on.
Through my studies and personal application, I also realized how important our emotions and feelings are.
Having grown up in a society that values thoughts over feelings, I had been disregarding the wisdom of my emotions. Our feeling body is the part of ourselves that allows us to tune into the energetic world around us. Our world is made of 4% matter to 96% energy….doesn't it seem important that we, as human beings, have access to this part of our existence? It is how we learn to discern; moving beyond outside information which can be manipulated and is limited.
I find that the more I realize (and tune into) the interconnectedness of things, the easier it is to make cooperative choices - free of resistance, which contributes to disease. When we decide to consciously refill our cups before letting it run dry…energies begin to shift. You start to notice which relationships are pulling life out of you, and which ones leave you feeling recharged. You are acutely aware of the tasks in your life that do not bring you joy and again, those tasks that make you feel like you are pulling teeth.
I have come to a personal realization that I just simply do not desire to live a life of practices/experiences/relationships that drain my energy and life force. I have also experienced, in real life, the malleability of energy. Often we continue to experience the same thing over and over again and I can't help but wonder how much this correlates to one's ability to transmute energy, instead of staying in a static place of being. I am committed to the unfolding of my life and whatever change may come with that commitment too. Of course this has called for a lot of rearranging in my personal and professional life, but the energy is good my friends, real good.:)
7. If you desire a particular outcome, you have to pave your own path.
I thank God consistently for my inner voice that led me off of the beaten path and away from ‘traditional medicine’ (aka hijacked by big pharma gangsters). If I had chose this well beaten road, I may not be writing this blog today, as I wholeheartedly believe my quality of life would be drastically diminished.
There was something inside of me, at the young age of 23, that told me the doctor's diagnosis was not the entire truth of my health. I have refused to believe that my health would continue to deteriorate. Or that I was a victim to my condition or dependent on their resources; as only medication was offered. I knew in my being that there were answers and causes for my situation. I knew that with consistent faith and a humble heart, I could find peace and healing. So my real journey began. I have been building my path stone by stone. Sometimes I have to use a machete to cut back all that stands in my way, but here I am, 10 years later and in many ways in better health than I have ever been. Paving your own path is not for the faint of heart, but it is always deeply rewarding. I believe no pain is in vain, beauty is in the struggle as much as it is in the reward.
8. Love & compassion for myself.
Growing up with a narcissistic caregiver, really distorted the way I saw myself for many years. I use to notice every detail about myself that was out of place. I was driven by living and working in a world where visual appeal was everything. As a sensitive child, I was teased and bullied for many years in school. Those are things you assume you grow out of, except many of us do not. We allow that pain to guide our choices in how we dress, speak, socialize, etc. It may take us a long time to acknowledge this pattern of living through our past fears, but for me getting sick blew that all out of the water.
For the past few years I have been confronting my shadow. After I shifted my diet and added in more detoxification, my health improved a lot and then I plateaued. I realized I had to also heal my mind and my emotions too, which is one of the reasons these two aspects became 2 of our 8 dimensions of wellbeing.
Once when I was experiencing a flare-up, laying on the floor in tears and pain, I started praying. This was a typical practice for me, prayer while in pain. I’m so glad this has become an even more regular practice. This particular time, I prayed and asked for help in finding more solutions to healing. I promised that in return I would share the experiences of my healing journey. I promised that I would be completely humble and vulnerable in sharing what has worked (and not worked) in hopes of leading others to less pain and more peace. I promised that I would devote my life to learning more about the causes of pain, and to create solutions and my heart-filled desire to serve.
Little did I know that this promise would equate to me facing my shadow, regularly, so that I could become even more cleansed, vulnerable, and able to see clearly past that which was keeping me stuck. As I watched my shortcomings, like a personal movie play before my eyes, a plethora of emotions would sweep over me. At first, I was mostly disgusted. ‘Look at those memories you tried to hide! Look at that ‘flaw’ you’re exposing…put IT AWAY!!’
As I have learned more about my condition and guiding others to healthier lifestyles, I started viewing those personal movies from a different viewpoint. Now, I have a deep compassion for my trials. ‘WOW Danae! You did THAT and now you’re HERE?! That’s pretty terrific sister, I mean DON’T do that again, but lesson well learned!’ Much different than crucifying myself for each indiscretion. Shadow work has proven to me that even the parts of ourselves that we do not love serve a specific purpose in our growth and personal evolution. I know changing my viewpoint and loving myself deeply has been and will be a special key that unlocks exponential healing over me.
9. Acknowledging strength in vulnerability and humility.
From a young age I understood, on various levels, that I was quite original. I made a decision to fit in, to look and act like most everybody else. To practice what others saw as ‘cool’. Looking back, it really became an obsession. Always having to leave the house with a full face of makeup, outfit on point, and an attitude that came with it. In reality, all I was doing was masking my pain and fear of rejection.
When your body starts responding to you by giving out or getting sick, everything you think you know flies out of the window. Before, I found strength in uniformity and fitting in with the crowd. After falling ill, I knew that crowd would trample me.
Again, in my praying times, I was asking God how to rise above my current situation. I was told, and have been shown, that my path to healing lies in my willingness to share my vulnerability through humility. How can I share with my friends how these situations have improved or manifested in my life? What message has the Lord given me that may help someone else through their hard times? Should I really tell them about my experience with THAT?! The good news is, God also gives me some very hilarious situations to experience, making it much easier to be vulnerable when there is a funny story to go with it. Each time I share something that I was afraid to share, my strength is acknowledged through the feedback I receive, not that it is required. The truth is my friends, deep down we all have similar fears. We all find ways to sabotage our happiness, and we are all looking for ways to live more from our hearts than our ego.
10. I am more than just this body.
Paving my own path has led to many realizations that otherwise may have gone unbeknownst to me. One of which is the presence and cooperative nature of my physical body. For a long time I just assumed my body should work perfectly. When this was tested, I was left feeling completely betrayed. I let the betrayal and negative feelings reside in my being for awhile, until I realized the contribution those feelings had to my overall health, or lack of wellness.
As I began to question my state of health, many layers were peeled back. Underneath it all, I realized the delicate dance of the human spirit and body. While I was denying myself the right to feel my emotions and validate my pain, my cells, nervous system and immune system began to cry out. At the time, I was so numb to the pain that I did not realize my contribution to my illness. Through this heightened awareness, I have made the connection between physical ailments and those of my Soul. The greatest discovery was just that! I am not just my body. I am a soul; a glowing, thriving, manifesting being that had the courage to speak up and remind my body of the intrinsic relationship between the two.
