Ever since I was a child I have believed that there is an answer to every question and a solution to every problem. My natural optimism led me beyond the borders of conventional wisdom that all too often seemed predicated on a pessimistic and fear-based approach to life, to study metaphysics and to dedicate myself to the spiritual path.
The core of my spiritual belief system (and that of The Spiritual Chicks) is the One Life Principle, which states that there is a single underlying power in the universe, but the expression of this power takes many forms. If there is only One Life, then I am it—and so is everyone else. So despite how it may appear, I am not separate from anyone or anything, including God or divinity. And if I am not separate from God or divinity, then I must have access to all the knowledge and wisdom experienced and gained by it, which would mean that if I seek, I will, without a doubt, find. My discovery of this ancient idea changed my life dramatically. The problems that once plagued me transformed themselves into adventures of discovery and my life became both more meaningful and more fun.
In addition to being a Spiritual Chick, I am a Spiritual Life Coach. When I have a client who has a problem, I make major use the One Life Principle try to help them find a solution.
Recently, the son of one of my clients was diagnosed with sensory integration dysfunction. This very wonderful little boy was working with an Occupational Therapist, but my client was not seeing the kind of improvement in her son that she wanted to see. My client and I were both convinced that there must be something else out there that would be a more complete solution.
At the same time, the son of a dear friend was diagnosed with ADHD and nothing the mother tried seemed to be helping. In addition, the boy’s self-esteem was suffering because he was beginning to have trouble keeping up with his school work. I love this child and have known him since he was born. He is smart, sensitive and very caring, not to mention an awesome pianist. I was convinced there must be a gentle way of helping him to be able to focus and become more whole.
Soon after these two events, an email appeared in the Spiritual Chicks inbox asking for help promoting a new book by Anat Baniel. Karen and I had no idea who Anat Baniel was and we had just helped promote another book by an author we love, so we weren’t that interested in doing it again so soon. We were going to reply negatively, when I decided, on what seemed like a whim, to check out Anat Baniel’s website.
I quickly learned that Anat’s method was derived from the Feldenkrais method, “a learning system that uses movement and awareness of self to bring about remarkable changes in the human mind and body” (http://www.anatbanielmethod.com/).
I spent over two hours on Anat’s website watching videos of this fascinating woman work with children far worse off than my client’s and my friend’s sons. The progress these kids made after working with Anat, some of whom had cerebral palsy and universal brain damage, blew me away. I called my client and my friend immediately. Within a week, each of these boys began working with an Anat Baniel practioner and they are each showing remarkable results.
Through another synchronicity that I won’t go into here, I went to see Rebecca Gardiner, a gifted and loving Anat Baniel practitioner here in New York City (http://www.learningfrommovement.com/). This method is not just for kids or for seriously injured people. According to Rebecca’s site, both Feldenkrais and the Anat Baniel Methods “use movement and touch to create the specific conditions required by the brain to re-program itself and provide solutions to pain and injury bringing about health and healing, well-being and self expression.” After an hour working with Rebecca, I not only felt a lot better, I understood on a deep level that just as the One Life Principle had guided me to this remarkable work, the Hermetic Law of Correspondence, which states “As above, so below; as below, so above,” was the core spiritual message of this work.
Just as the body learns from the brain, the brain can learn from the body. When we begin to allow our bodies and brains to engage in dialogue, we become more whole. When we engage in dialogue with the One Life, we learn that nothing is hidden from us because we are already whole. It only took a few wonderful synchronicities to lead me to Anat Baniel’s remarkable work and back to the One Life. Life is good.
I believe that the Anat Baniel method is truly remarkable.
Her book, Move Into Life, The Nine Essentials for Lifelong Vitality, comes out today, April 28. Check it out www.anatbanielmethod.com/book.
And for our readers, and those of Anat Baniel, here is our free podcast:
The Spiritual Chicks Talk Change
Seven Steps to a Deeper Understanding of Life's Ups and Downs.
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