Today is parent-teacher conferences. As I got dressed, I put on a particular necklace – not a necklace, really, more an amulet, maybe – and I immediately felt a little stronger. Let me tell you a story that I don’t quite believe…
About six years ago, we were visiting my in-laws in Tucson, and my mother-in-law scheduled our whole family for an energy work session with someone she knew. I didn’t really believe in energy work, but I did (and do) really believe in my mother-in-law, and I pretty much always believe in spending time lying down and letting people try to make me feel better, so I said yes.
I’d never tried anything like this before, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt anything. The kids went first, and I was frankly astonished when the therapist (? energy worker? I have no idea) hesitated and then focused on a place on my child’s body that did, indeed, require healing, but that he could not possibly have known about. There was more, but afterwards, when he explained what he had felt and done during the session, he commented about that part of his work. I was intrigued. Nevertheless, when it was my turn for energy work, I wasn’t expecting much. I lay down, assuming I would feel nothing, anticipating thirty minutes of quiet.
Now, the thing is, that I’m not in Arizona anymore and this happened a while ago and I’m still largely a reading/science type of person, so when I talk about this it all feels like a bunch of hooey. If I were reading this, I would probably not believe it, and if you don’t believe this, I’m ok with that, but let me tell you, whatever that man did, I could feel it – and he never even touched me. It was intense. At the end, he told me that he had pulled a sword out of my gut (which, again, is ridiculous) and I shocked myself by looking directly at him and saying, “Give that back. I need it.” Well.
He did not give it back – because even an energy-work-person will not put a metaphorical energy sword back into your belly because that sounds like a terrible idea, even if it had previously been metaphysically there – and I felt oddly bereft for the next day or two. Finally, my mother-in-law (who, as I said, I fully believe in) found me and offered me a necklace-type thing: a green and white spheroid stone set in an odd elaborate metal bezel and fixed to a brown cord. She told me that she had bought it years ago; it had been sold to her as an amulet of protection and she felt that it had called her. Now, she said, she thought it was mine.
I wore it for days and, placebo or not, I felt better. Eventually, I put it away and only pulled it out every now and then. Even today, when I put it on, I feel powerfully protected – and I know for sure that whether that protection comes from the universe, or the stone or the depth of my mother-in-law’s love for me, it doesn’t matter. One way or another, the energy is there.
Persistence and Pedagogy 
Very very interesting. I think we do not fully understand nor appreciate the science behind the physical world (think, our bodies in this instance). And because we don’t fully understand then when something feels right, or good, or bad even, we need to pay attention. I appreciate you sharing this story, I’m sure now I will discover an article or blog post that will add more to my newfound knowledge about energy work/healing.
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The use of this line early in the narrative captured my attention: “Let me tell you a story that I don’t quite believe…” This could be a writing prompt! And then as the story unfolded with your experience juxtaposed with your disbelief in the idea behind the experience, I recognized this story. I remembered you telling it to me and I gasped. Maybe the idea of the energy, the cognitive metaphor of the sword is the myth, the story that we take from the experience. We take the healing story believing the sword that caused the pain is gone and the amulet contains the strength you need for the difficult days.
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Thank you for seeing me so clearly. ❤
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I appreciate the range of thoughts and feelings you express here some in conflict with one another. Mostly I love the line about your belief and trust in your mother in law and thus willingness to go along with it. I hope the necklace continues to offer comfort for years to come.
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She is truly wonderful – thus the power of the necklace.
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Now you’ve got me thinking about the relationship between love and energy….
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Thanks for sharing. I definitely don’t believe in energy work type stuff either, but I loved reading about your experience. (I also would love an amulet of protection during p/t conferences. Those things stress me out.)
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I wore it tonight. I swear it helped!
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You wrote it! And it’s great.
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There’s so much that I appreciate here beginning with the fact that as Lisa notes, you wrote it down. Now, I realize we don’t quite know each other like *that* but can I just say, ” I pretty much always believe in spending time lying down and letting people try to make me feel better, so I said yes.” – that sounds like the most Amanda Potts thing I’ve ever read and I love it! Well done, you, for trusting us with your potentially incredible yet very real, true story.
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This made me laugh. You shine here. Your skepticism. Your surprise. Also, that amulet is a beautiful symbol. It’s always nice to have something that gives you power- real or imagined. I like the thought of that power coming from your mother in laws love.
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Love really is an incredibly powerful force. And yes, I’m a terrible skeptic. Heeheehee
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haahaha – Um, wanna go to a conference and have a sleepover and stay up late giggling? I think we might be *that* kind of friends now. 😉
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Let’s go! We are definitely doing this! Conference part is optional. 🙂
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I believe it, and I also think it’s hooey. I can picture you demanding your sword back. I wouldn’t have wanted to taken from me either. Have you found yourself in need of it since? I was in a yoga class once and the instruction was also a Reiki specialist (?) One of the other people had asked her for a treatment from the group. I was going along as instructed, but also kept peeking to see what was going on. We were not to touch her body, only her energy. I don’t know what that means! But she felt good after and I couldn’t help but wonder if she would have felt great if I had taken it a bit more seriously.
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This would be me 100% – peeking & then wondering if my skepticism was a problem. Sigh.
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Hypnosis and the Greek’s Evil Eye comes to my mind reading this! Our minds and bodies are so much more than we know. Who knows the limits, really? I live by “I’ll believe it when I see it,” so I’m sure if I ever feel an imaginative sword pulled out of me, I might also believe in something new.
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Right? Who knows the limits? It’s funny to me that I still kind of don’t believe, but also I experienced it. So odd.
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Spring break to conferences in no time flat? You need all the protective talismans you can get, probably.
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And on the first day of Ramadan. I cannot with this school.
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Ananda,
I love this story. It’s the essence of faith to trust and believe in the forces of nature and the universe’s power to use what we do t understand to help us despite our doubt and inability to understand. I don’t have a clue how these things work, but like you, I’ll try and hold dear what makes me feel better. That mother-in-law is a keeper.
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This gave me goose bumps. I love that you shared the force of your experience and your skepticism. I love, love that your mother in law is such a powerful positive force and that she heard your call and addressed it so lovingly.
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