When we get sick, we most often focus on what can make us feel better again.
Most of us believe that if we just have the right type of medicine, we will feel so much better. Well, this is only part of our wellness, relying on medicine’s outside of ourselves to heal us. We know that medicine, whether allopathic or more natural, has an important part to play in our lives. For example, a person with Type 1 diabetes needs that life-giving insulin to keep them balanced and well. But with that, they also need to eat with care and make sure they get enough rest and so on.

Our bodies are not only well-tuned machines, but they are also organic and rely on emotions and thoughts for our well-being as well.

When I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, the first thing I needed to do was have a life-giving operation to save myself from becoming paralyzed. The second thing was to give myself time to understand what the hell had happened to me. What made this happen? Why me? Why now? What lifestyle choices contributed to my state of unhealth?

Well, firstly, I have an amazing family and group of friends who rallied around and covered me with love and emotional support. From visiting me in hospital to bringing food every time a vertebra collapsed, and I was incapacitated, to making me fresh green juices and strengthening bone broth. The list goes on and on. All my worries were halved because of this amazing support.

Secondly was looking at how and in what way my emotions may have played a part in my illness. Deb Shapiro wrote a book called “Your Body Speaks Your Mind”. It looks at what emotions are stored in every part of our body. For example, the backbone (Vertebrae) is our body’s support. Our skeleton holds us up. So, questions I have been asking myself and journaling about are questions like: “Where am I not feeling supported?” and “Do I feel unable to support Myself?” Looking in depth at these kinds of questions helped me to relieve some of the stress I was feeling and speak to someone about my feelings. If you haven’t tried this, it is truly a practice that I am so grateful for and would recommend it highly.

Third on my list of emotional healing was to use essential oils to reduce my anger, high anxiety and stress levels. Using a diffuser throughout the house has been a great addition to my healing regimen. Having a wide variety to choose from has also helped me to intuitively work out which oil is best for me on any given day. Some of my favourite oils that have really helped me cope with fear, anxiety and high levels of stress are:

https://essentialherbs.co.za/product-category/oils/essential-oils/

Basil: Helps reduce anxiety, fear and sadness.

Bergamot: Helps reduce anxiety, stress and tension.

Cedarwood: Aids in reducing fear, anger and anxiety.

Clary Sage: Helps reduce stress, anxiety, stress-related headaches, and fear.

Geranium: Helps reduce agitation and anxiety.

Lavender: Helps reduces agitation, anxiety and tension.

Orange and Lemon: Reduces anxiety, stress and tension.

Patchouli: Anxiety, stress and stress-related headaches.

Petitgrain: Reduces tension, anxiety and stress.

Thyme: Helps reduce anxiety, stress, and stress-related headaches.

Ylang Ylang: Helps reduce feelings of anxiety, anger and fear.

My emotional healing continues because new things continuously present themselves and reassure me that I am not alone in this and that healing is a possibility. It gives me hope which I believe is an important ingredient in healing.

We are afraid of our emotions because there is the feeling that we may lose control and spin into madness. But my feelings now are that looking my fears in the eye has been so freeing and life-changing. It helps keep me in the moment, savouring each experience.