The other day I experienced an unexpected moment of connection. I had been sitting in meditation in front of a picture window overlooking the snow-covered, rolling hills of farmland in rural western Wisconsin. As I opened my eyes and slowly scanned the landscape, I noticed about 20 feet away that a buck was looking in at me, its downy early winter antlers glistening in the early morning sun. We both paused, eyes connected, peacefully gazing at one another. We then broke eye contact as the buck moved to re-join his three nearby companions. I sat reflecting on the beauty of that moment.
Interestingly, even two years ago I wouldn’t have taken the time to sit and gaze after completing my meditation, because I had a full schedule to maintain. Fifteen-minute meditation, check. On to the next scheduled task. My days and evenings were full of tightly scheduled time slots. That was my norm for over 30 years, juggling career and family while climbing the corporate ladder. Even though I had a robust career, within the last couple years I began to wonder if I chose the right career path.
My perspective is that in the most ideal of circumstances, our career should follow our heart. What does that look like? Think Oprah. Thich Nhat Hanh. Jason Silva. Steve Jobs. J.K. Rowling. These individuals have achieved mastery of their crafts and touched millions of lives around the world. They each are tuned in to creative energy generated within the heart.
When fully tuned in to the energy of the heart, we access a continuous cycle of inspiration, creation, connection, reflection. Living in the flow in alignment with our heart has great potential to change lives.
In my case, I wasn’t tuning in to the creative source energy generated within my heart. I came to this realization upon experiencing a health crisis that culminated on December 21, 2012, when the vision in my right eye went black. This was a wake-up call that I would finally notice. I was suddenly plunged into the health-care system and its engines that seek to find and diagnose disease: lab studies, MRIs, CTs, x-rays — but I knew that wasn’t where I would find the answers to the root cause of these symptoms and how to stop this cycle of disease.
I began a journey of discovery. I voraciously consumed all mind/spirit/body content I found from sources that I deemed reliable. I read many books, watched countless YouTube videos, read blogs and clinical journals, you name it. I learned from and sought out well-known teachers and heart-based energy healers, such as Matt Kahn, Wayne Dyer, Pamela Aaralyn, and many others. Even though I had spent my career in the scientific evidence-based field of Western health care, I knew that the answer to my questions would be found in the alternative methodologies that met my own intuitive discernment.
All of the seeking confirmed the internal knowing that I needed to tune into my heart and listen to my inner guidance. I received Reiki, Healing Touch and regression using the Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique (QHHT) pioneered by the late Dolores Cannon. I took my first ever “alone” vacation and spent a contemplative week in beautiful Sedona.
The results? I now enjoy optimal health of mind, body and spirit. I approach my meditation practice with greater discipline, observe a plant-based diet, stopped drinking alcohol, and scrubbed my music library to retain music that is of a positive nature and/or evokes positive feelings. I make it a priority to spend quality time with friends and family — every day. I made friends with like-minded and positive people from whom I feel support. I achieved certifications in Feng Shui, Reiki and Beyond Quantum Healing — and the biggest change is that I left my executive position and now serve others full time as an intuitive energy worker and healer.
I’m living my vision of heart-based living. As I write these final words, my eyes are drawn to the picture window where I observe a red-tailed hawk soaring majestically above the trees. I take in a deep breath of gratitude for this moment of beauty.
