MIND-BODY-SPIRIT
Grief: A Personal Process
BY CASEY URBAN
small 2/2 right outside of Manhattan into a modest 3/2 with the big - gest backyard in the neighborhood. When I saw our backyard in per- son for the first time, I cried. I love the way the natural light comes into the kitchen. I love that we have a tree in our backyard - a tree that now holds a hoop for aerial arts. I love the possibility of having songwriter nights and potlucks. I imagine my new living room filled with warmth and laughter. A week after our move, I woke up one morning at 4 am thinking I should start researching Celtic medicine work for help processing my grief. I had already been thinking of taking a deep dive into my Scotch-Irish roots for weeks, so I searched “Celtic” and “mushrooms” on Spotify, and found a podcast featuring Shonagh Home. She had magic in her voice, and I was utterly impressed with the breadth of her knowledge. I had just opened my business — how could I hold space for others when I could barely get out of bed in the morning? I decided to reach out to her for assistance. After meeting with Shonagh and my medicine teacher, Bijou Finney, I decided to take a few months off from earth medicine facilitation. I was worried about how this would affect my business, but ultimately, it was the right thing to do. I knew that to hold space for others, I need- ed time to hold space for myself. I knew I needed to process this grief down to the cellular level, or else I would risk leaning into old drinking patterns I quit three years ago. My earth medicine work is an honor to practice - and it requires A LOT of energy. In order to fully show up for my clients, I need to be well-rested and grounded. Shonagh Home introduced me to the work of Patrick MacManaway, a brilliant Scottish dowser. His teaching of “patience, practice, and
Grief is blood falling out of your body like a faucet. Grief is a hole in the heart. Grief hurts so badly sometimes it’s funny. Grief isn’t longing; grief is knowing. Knowing you’ve got to go through this. The only way out is through. You can’t chase your tail for any longer. No sir. Sit. Grief mixed with shame is a wretched dose of medicine. It forces you to come to terms with your cringe. It begs your joy reserves for just a tiny bit of neutrality to make it through the day. I feel like roots have grown over my feet and I’ve been chained to the earth for a time. “Stay here. Feel this.” a quiet voice whispers. But I want to run. I try to bury my pain in work, food, no food, too much food, weed, conversations, and distractions. The longer we run, the longer it hurts. Making art helps. With love and humor, grief can turn into awe. With palms upturned, reaching toward the sky, I say, “Uncle!” I wrote this for my newsletter a couple of weeks after having one of the most challenging experiences of my life. My family had just moved to Richmond, Virginia, from the NYC area, and I had not expected to process such a deep amount of grief on top of our big move. This out- pouring was just the beginning. As a multidisciplinary artist, earth medicine facilitator, wife, mama, and friend, I dance to the beat of my own drum. I was worried about moving down south, as I thought my kids would get made fun of for having a weirdo artist mom. So far, we’ve been okay. We moved to Richmond to be closer to family and have more space to spread out. We longed to put our feet in the grass every day. We moved from a
Integrative Medicine of Northern Virginia Shep Saltzman Nurse Practitioner • Acupuncturist Herbalist • Homeopath Specialties: Hormone Imbalances
Reflexology and beyond.com HOLISTIC AND THERAPEUTIC REFLEXOLOGY (Not your typical Reflexology)
Certified/Licensed/LLC
Brigitte has developed her unique Clinical Reflexology since 2000 and she works with Medical Doctors and Chiropractors and Acupuncturists. Her clients include healthy people, runners, and clients with Stress, MS, lyme disease, fibromyalgia, plantar fasciitis, diabetic, cancer, anxiety and other issues. She helps to induce labor, she works on patients receiving hospice help and does Senior Care. Brigitte is Certified (230 hours). Her session addresses the whole body with basic health history, basic nutrition counseling, breathing techniques, release of negative thinking and add positive thinking, energy healing, chakras balancing, re-balance the body and Aromatherapy if necessary. Being clairvoyant and able to see people’s in/out Etheric fields add a useful touch to her great session. The “Best in Town” her clients say! She is available for Emotional Dowsing sessions with applied Kinesiology and Healing. She provides an anti-viral and anti-microbial air filter in her room and the office is disinfected. Brigitte Wiss is available by appointments only 571-251-4732. Serving Northern Virginia and available for Home visits and Nursing Homes. (Her office is located in Oakton, VA. Please Text or leave a detailed message on her Cell) www.reflexologyandbeyond.com THINK HEALTH… THINK PREVENTION, YOUR BODY WILL THANK YOU !
Thyroid Conditions: Hypothyoidism and Hashimoto’s Weight Gain – Feeling Cold – Constipated – Infertility – Hair Loss – Dry Skin and Hair – Foggy Thinking – Fatigue – Wake up tired – Enlarged throat – Excess sleep needed Menopause / Post Menopause Anxiety, depression, weight gain, hot flashes, memory loss, painful intercourse, Urinary tract infections, Low Libido, Shrinking Breasts, Vaginal dryness Treatments: Personalized holistic plan, Extensive labs, Chinese herbs, Hormone therapy, homeopathy, lifestyle adjustments, medication if needed.
Integrative Medicine of Northern Virginia 11870 Sunrise Valley Drive, #100 Reston Virginia 20191 www.imednova.com
62—PATHWAYS—Winter 24-25
Made with FlippingBook Digital Proposal Creator