Annointed in the garden

Have you had a moment?  One of those really big life changing moments?  The kind you can take by the horns, or ignore?  I thiink that's where I am. 

I've been spending these weeks working on establishing new wholesale accounts, carefully ordering new products.  I've got local made diapers, WAHM wool soakers, homeopathics and now, Young Living essendial oils on their way.  It's this business growth that lead me to a Healing Oils of the Bible class today.  It's a class that pops up on the facebook circuit every so often.  I've intended to go at least twice, but this was the first time that I actually managed to make it through the doors.  I traveled there with my sons in tow.  Made it through the first half of the day where I learned some practical applications of biblical oils and the history thereof, while trying to keep the restless 7 year occupied and the loud mouthed 7 month old on the breast as much as possible.  I was loving the class and learning a good bit. inspite of doing the mommy juggle for most of the morning, while getting to smell the oils up close and personal.  Frankincense made its way around the room.  I seized the opportunity to annoint Kristian's head, as any good earth momma would do, then hit the parking lot for a lunch break (frantic driving across Pineville to see Ivy perform with the Louisiana Baptist Children's Honor Choir).  Back to class now with three kids on my hip.  Time to learn about Emotional Release.  Our speaker begins to explain the connection between emotional baggage and physical ailments.  I get this to a degree, but I'm not completely sold.  I do not believe that cancer can be prevented by keeping in emotional balance. Please, YL, prove me wrong.  I do however know that when our chakras are flowing, tensions and toxins are regularly cleansed and released allowing optimal health.  It's time for the baby's afternoon nap, so he begins to fuss.  After several minutes of swift swinging, firm butt patting, and nursing, he is nurse/napping.  Inspite of myself, I begin to dose.  I catch my head from falling three times, shift in my seat and vow to pay close attention.  The material is fascinating.  I can't let the prolactin win this time!  An announcement is made that a volunteer will be chosen for an emotional release exercise.  First number called is two digits ahead of mine.  Not there.  Next number is one digit behind me.  Another missing participant.  Third one's a charm.  My number rolled off the lips of my on stage friend and through the microphone.  I snap prolactin back a few spaces, look down at my sleeping baby, and have a mini panic.  Do I wake the baby?  Participate?  What exactly do they want to do to me on stage in this room full of strangers?  I utter an excuse that my baby is sleeping on me.  I can't possibly participate.  My friend across the aisle offers to hold him.  Dodge foiled.  Up the stage I walk while staring down the massage table.  I give my name and follow instructions to remove my shoes, grant access to my shoulders, and lie down on the table, covering myself with a sheet.  I'm somewhere between estatic that I may experience a profound emotional release and terrified that I may experience a profound emotional release.  I try to keep my mind open to what is in front of me and do what I'm told.  Lights are dimmed.  It begins.  Much of what followed is a blur.  My head, shoulders and neck were annointed by the speaker while my friend oiled and rubbed my feet.  Oils were applied to me in a series that encouraged me to identify something I need to release, and let it go.  It was part guided imagery, part massage therepy,and  part aromatherapy.  It was physical, emotional and spiritul healing all rolled into one.  When I was asked to identify my "issue"  I muttered something generic that I was comfortable sharing with the crowd, but pictured something very specific.  As I opened my mind to the experience, my thoughts flowed from my initial issue to others in my life that have become barriers to joy.  While laying on the table, I was able to identify issues from my deep past, and multileveled present that all shared the same challenges- love, respect and boundaries.  I had a light bulb moment that the release from each of these prisons is within me.  If I'm having the same issue with 12 people, it's my issue; not theirs. I'm not holding the hating, disrespecting, boundary pushers blameless, but I'm owning my part in this.  There is something I'm doing to allow it to happen.  Emotional healing.  Spiritual comfort.  Bam.  Like a light bulb.  But this wasn't just emotional and spiritual.  Something, some things within me began to physically change.  The physical touch, the aroma of the oils, sanctity of the experience let layers of tension release like rolling thunder.  As I was swaying from the initial panic to acceptance, I became aware of the taste on the back of my tongue.  I listened to the speaker guide me in picturing my issue, and tasted rotten, toxic, devilish sludge in my mouth.  It was unlike anything I have ever tasted or smelled.  The taste lingered.  It lightened when I let myself lose focus, and fervently returned each time I was prompted to envision anything negative.  I can't tell you which exact oils were used on me.  I hope to learn them as I compare notes with onlookers.  But, I can tell you that I was guided through a process that began by acknowledging the negative, dealing with it, and letting it go.  As we got to the release phase, the taste changed.  Less devil.  More mint, with a hint of lavender.  Joy.  The session finished.  I rose, and had to find my feet.  I felt foggy and tingly.  Excited, and nervous.  People were going to ask me questions now.  What would I say?  How would I feel?  I carefully walked off stage and managed to answer the first couple questions, but realized that something was physically different.  These strangers saw a physical shift in my appearance.  My head was tingling.  Cognitive thought was illusive.  I had to think about my name.  When approached about midwifery and Birth Rite, the speals I give daily evaded me.  Where had my brain gone?  Did I leave it on the table?  I was trapped between transformation and reality.  I felt drunk and dizzy.  Two full hours passed before I began to feel like myself, a safe to drive me home self. 
I can't give an honest appraisal of the release because it's still happening.  I was advised to leave the oils on me for up to seven days so they can continue their work.  The kids are telling me I look oily and stink.  My husband thinks I smell beautiful.  I wonder if he'll find the smell beautiful 7 soapless days from now? 
Tonight was the beginning of a shift.  I'm anxious to see where it will take me.  I'm less anxious to see the looks I'll get in church tomorrow as my chosen family catches wafts of the beautiful garden that was massaged into my hair.  Maybe I'll invite them to lean in closely for a wift and a glimpse into their own eden. 

Introduction

Hello and welcome to my blog.  For those of you that don't know me, I'm Erica.  I own Eden, A natural living boutique.  I'm also a homeschooling mom of four, wife, midwifery student, doula, and childbirth educator.  Oh yeah, and I run a nonprofit- Birth Rite Louisiana.  So, I'm busy.  And I really don't need to be adding a task to my calendar, but I'm hoping that keeping a blog will help to simplify things for me.  I love to write.  Turning thoughts into words has always come easily to me.  And I'm regularly asked birthy and natural living questions.  Recording my thoughts here might help me to be a better resource for you and the other people who follow me.
It's one of those extra tired nights.  I'm in the middle of another overbooked week.  I added Monday to our Easter vacation.  We're heading out to the woods this weekend as a much needed retreat.  That makes my Tuesday-Thursday overloaded.  And it's been one of those days.  The kind where we didn't manage to open a text book.  And no one got enough housework done.  And the baby took a few years from my life by choking on something.  The ambulance is gone now.  His airway is functional again.  All of the children are sleeping.  I have diapers to dry, a contract to write and a pillow that is calling my name.  So I'll tell you good bye for now.  I hope to share more soon.  Till then,
Erica