Many years ago, my friend (and first acupuncturist) Ted introduced me to a friend of his. As part of our introduction, I asked him what he does for a living.
"I'm an energy worker," he replied.
Cool, I thought.
Shortly thereafter, Ted leaned in to me and said, "He works as a flight attendant."
I paused and quickly realized those two occupations are not mutually exclusive. You can be an energy worker in any profession.
My life has been quite a winding road, including stints as a math major, computer programmer, martial arts instructor, world traveler, high school teacher, and an acupuncturist.
When I was making one of my "right" turns (meant in several ways) in my life, a mentor of mine stated that while my life may look like a collage of oddly mis-fitting pieces, at some point, I will be able to see a clear, direct line that runs through them all. He was absolutely right.
I have been a healer and a teacher for my whole life, with varying levels of conscious intention. Regardless of how my life looked, or my age, or the profession stated on my business card, I couldn't NOT be a healer. Quite simply, it is who I am.
Once I consciously recognized this and embraced it fully, I studied and practiced meditation, reiki, Heart-Mind Integration, acupuncture, shamanism, angel readings, Integrated Energy Therapy, and more. Phew! That's a lot to put on a website or a business card!
Recently, something dawned on me. A client of mine is stepping onto her own spiritual journey and expressed some confusion and anxiety at which modality to study, including mediumship, energy work, shamanism, and others.
What came out of my mouth next was both a message to me as well as it was to her.
In many ways, it doesn't matter which modality you explore and practice. It is how you apply the modalities that makes you a unique practitioner. The how is what defines you, not the what. There are countless acupuncturists out in the world, but there's only one who practices how I do.
Acupuncture, reiki, meditation, and the rest simply provide me avenues to do what I really do.
I am a Personal Freedom Advocate.
I help individuals discover and then grow beyond limitations in their lives. Sometimes these limitations are felt as anxiety or physical discomfort. Sometimes limitations are mental or rooted in trauma. Sometimes it's just a general sense of discontent in life or feeling that something is missing.
There are many ways that people find their way to my office. However, whatever route they take, and whether they are aware of it or not, my work is to help them broaden their awareness of themselves and of life. Whatever acupuncture, energy work, or meditation that we do in session is used to aid in the process of deepening their awareness.
In awareness lies freedom.
The more aware we are of things, the more empowered we are to change them. Greater awareness is the first step to greater empowerment.
I am here to show people some doors they had no idea were there. But I cannot open the doors for them.
I am here to advocate for them to open the doors that intrigue them, to discover what other dimensions of themselves that exist beyond those doors. I am a guide on their own journey.
One of the greatest pleasures I get in life is when I learn something new, whether about myself or about life in general. The feeling I get when forming a new connection is both electric and ecstatic.
It is an honor to help others make their own connections, to help them realize there are layers of existence that lie beyond their perception, beyond their beliefs, and beyond their wildest dreams.
My coming out as a Personal Freedom Advocate is a step into my own freedom. I am embracing this authentic title which lies beyond the rigid definition of acupuncturist or mindfulness coach. The initial energy I am putting into this step is the exact energy I am here to help my clients claim for themselves.
Your freedom is awaiting you. How will you embrace it?
