One day this week, I was standing at the bottom of my stairs leading to the second floor, just staring up wondering how I was going to get up there. You see, in my house there is a washroom on the second floor and one in the basement but none on the main floor. Oh, and by the way, I take diuretics so I’m needing to be up and down often. On good days I tell myself that it’s good for me to climb the stairs often but on days when there’s a lot of pain in my hips and joints, not so much. So, what I’ve learned to do is use all of the wonderful tools I have learned in managing my mind, body and the relationship between the two. I am hoping to share what I do to help my body do what I need it to do.
Weeks ago I shared the story of my shine and my shiny people but today I would like to tell you in detail how it works for me and can work for anybody, any age. I call it ‘finding my shine’ but I could easily call it ‘finding my strength’. I practice regularly finding the shine inside me to remind myself that I have shine and I have strength to draw on.
I first started sharing my stories about shine when I was working with groups of women who were survivors of domestic violence. So many of them had had most difficult lives and it was hard to look for goodness and hope for better. We started with a beautiful pink diamond that I brought to show them and assured them that there is a diamond just that beautiful inside each and every one of them. When we’re born, we are all brand new and shiny, everyone exclaims over how wonderful we are. People are always full of excitement at every one of our accomplishments, our first smile, our first word, our first step, every single one of them is praised and applauded. Then as we grow older, our shininess inside us gets covered up by harsh words and actions, pain and suffering and we forget that it’s there. So to create a picture in my mind and to share that picture so that they too could know it, I imagine that beautiful pink diamond shining inside me. And I know it’s there – and I want to share with you as I shared with these women how to find it when you need it. It might be something simple like finding the strength to get up the stairs, it might be getting out of a time of sadness, it might be for a simple head or tummy ache.
Here’s what I do when I need to find my shine. I am going to share with you what I do that wakes up my shine and often brings a smile immediately.
The steps I use:
- Take a deep breath in and out.
- Tap 3 – 5 times in the middle of your chest and imagine that you are uncovering and opening up the shine that’s in there.
- Say (out loud or to yourself) I’m going to be okay OR I can do this OR I’ve got shine.
- Take another deep breath in and out.
- If you don’t feel better, yet do it again, and again, and again.
Now I want to assure you that I have always been a black and white person. I never did and do not believe in ‘airy-fairy’ ‘whoo-whoo’ stuff. That’s not what this is. This is using the wonderful powers of your mind and body to make changes within yourself. It is the single most powerful tool I have learned. The reason you tap in the middle of your chest is that it is the location of the thymus gland. The thymus gland is an important part of your immune system. It helps train the white blood cells that protect your immune system. Tapping your thymus gland stimulates your immune system. Thymus tapping keeps the gland active and boosts your immune system. Gently tapping on the thymus gland creates vibrations that stimulate an increase in the maturation and release of white blood cells. That’s science, not magic. I can’t help thinking that maybe Tarzan knew what he was doing all along when he pounded on his chest, gathering his strength.
Remember, where the mind goes, the body often follows, it’s why we so often feel so crappy when we’re down and sad. Our mind has so much power and we can use this as we uncover that hidden shine and strength. I am not for a minute suggesting that I am replacing medicine and doctors with any of this; I am fully aware of the fact that I need their knowledge, skill and resources to fix me. I am for sure saying, it helps with so many of my symptoms and as I’ve said to so many people, you do it for yourself, it takes no equipment, it’s free, what have you got to lose?
When I do this with children, I share with them my ‘shiny people’. They are small, hand-sewn, shiny people that I give to children and they often hold them when they tap into their shine. I had so much fun making them that our house if almost overrun with shiny people. My family teases me that they are going to take over. As I say, I made them for the kids but I have to admit that when I look at one of them, it brings a smile to my face and a reminder of my inner shine when I need it.
This tapping into my shine and my population of shiny people without question would not be possible without my grandchildren Olivia and Matthew who were so willing to practice tapping into their shine. For the record, we completely improved, no removed, a total fear of dentists for the kids with shine tapping.
Thanks so much for your patience and your assistance!
