My Healing Journey

The 30th of July, marks the day I shaved my head and my healing journey.  It has been 2 years of intentional healing and working with my self.  You can read more about my Journey with autoimmune desease here.  

That day I was scare but relief, I was letting go control. I kept the piece of hair they cut.  I arrived home, I looked at the mirror, and I learned to love myself a little stronger.  I will share some images of the process.  This images are raw, and a little triggering (trichophobia warning).  But still I want to share them. Because I’m so proud of all the hard work I have been doing. My body attacks me, and I learned to listen to it, care for it, nourish it. As with my hair, I let go of anything else that no longer serves me, including fears.

I’m here, I’m alive, I will continue this healing Journey. I believe in the power we have inside of us to self heal, to find help (medical and physiological), to manifest…We are powerful beings. I still have flare ups, and alopecia, I still have days that I can’t stand up from the bed, but also, there are many days where I create art, I go in nature to my Forest Therapy, I do my intentional rituals, I take my Plant Medicine, I dance, I laugh, I dream, I live!!!

This piece of art is called “Remendada”, is the Spanish word for “patched up”.  I felt broken, many many times, mind and body…and finally, in my 40’s, Im patching up myself, one thread at a time.  The piece was made by transferring a self portrait in a eco printed fabric I did 2 years ago, a long braid of hair they cut that day, is also present…. This is an tribute to my Journey of 2 years, healing my body, my mind and my soul.

I am enough!

I’m thankful to my husband, my daughter, my son. I’m thankful to my family, blood related and not blood related, like my beautiful friends. I’m thankful for my mentors and teachers and strangers that I have met in this path. All of them are very important in this healing Journey.

If you are in a similar Journey, it doesn’t necessary needs to be illness related, but in the Journey of patching yourself up, I want to say: You are Not Alone.  Please contact me, I can be your Journey Allied.

Resources:

For more information on autoimmune:

https://autoimmune.org

The Healing power of art:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/rethinking-mental-health/202104/how-art-heals-5-ways-art-makes-everything-better

https://www.moma.org/magazine/articles/629

Photography as a Healing tool:

Self-Portraits as Therapy: The Healing Potential of Photographing Yourself | PetaPixel

https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/self-portrait-as-form-of-therapy-121313

Ecotherapy:

https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/nature-therapy-ecotherapy

Forest Therapy:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-forest-therapy-enhance-health-and-well-being-2020052919948

Ritual as Healing tool:

https://clearmindtreatment.com/using-ritual-to-heal-in-your-recovery/

6 Components to Our Whole Self

Have you heard about the 6 Components to Our Whole Self? Is also called the Six Dimensions of Wellness. They varied depending on the source, but basically these are the six components that I gravitate to:

1.Mental: thoughts, intellect, gaining of knowledge

2.Emotional: feelings that come in and out all day long like waves, and the deeper emotional current that is your more constant state.

3.Spiritual: intuition, inner guidance, your expression and experience of God, Higher Power, Source, etc.

4.Physical: your actual body that you can see and touch and all the inner systems and organs of your body such as, nervous system, heart, lungs, etc.

5.Energetic: the part of ourselves that we “sense” with, also called an aura, in yoga referred to as the Chakra system.

6.Self-Expression: our voice, what is ours to say and share, how we share our gifts with others, our unique talents, and passions.

I’m working very hard in improving my relationship with my whole self, from attending my health issues with the doctor to reconnecting with my spirituality. This last topic, although very personal, is very important for me. My definition of spirituality is very different from a spirituality that comes from dogma, doctrine, or religion. I have my own definition and how I handle it for my own good. I go to the beach, I go near a tree, walk barefoot in the sand, take a sun or moon bath, hold rocks or seashells in my hand… all these things I do, reconnects me with my spiritual self, and it brings me new energy and calmness.

Life itself is a work of art, from the way we make our tea to how we fold our blankets. Self Expression is activated in every action, so be mindful of what you do, so it has a positive impact on your life.

Meditate, do breathwork, take therapy, exercise, eat healthily, connect with nature, create something from your heart, all of these will bring balance to your whole self, don’t let one behind, is all about trying to find a balance between all these things. Is not an easy task, at least for me, but I’m trying, and that’s what matters.

Hope you are doing good through these times. As always, I send you a hug.