by Sue Staropoli, M.A.

Featured Healing Modality: Meditation
Featured practitioner: Nina Livingstone

Path to Healing: Meg’s Story

Chicago writer, storyteller, and Roman Catholic theologian, John Shea says that in our culture we are “experience rich and reflection poor.” Many of us rush through life, multi-tasking; full of activity, outside stimulation and interactions with others, but fail to stop to reflect or to really enjoy our experiences along the way.

Nina Livingstone, secular meditation teacher and counselor, puts it this way: “Aren’t we usually trying to do so many things at once that life has become a rush from doing to doing without any awareness: just checking things off a never-ending list of stuff so that we can move onto the next, ad infinitum… until we collapse from exhaustion?” She asks, “Is this the way you want to live”

Meg* has a story to tell. She is a 48 year-old stay at home mom from the Rochester area with two adolescent children; she is also a client of Nina Livingstone. Meg describes her state of health before coming to Nina for meditation and counseling:

My life was in such chaos at the time, and I was on my way to getting a stomach ulcer. Both of my parents were in a nursing home, dealing with many problems. My marriage was in trouble, along with issues with siblings and other relatives. My emotional pain was at a 10 out of 10, and I wasn’t talking to my mother-in-law, my husband or his cousin.

Meg had been dealing with these issues for about six months before coming to Nina. She had previously tried hypnosis, a variety of energy work, acupuncture and marriage counseling. “They all helped relieve
some of my stress and helped with my confidence,” but her pain and confusion continued. She went to Nina Livingstone to find "understanding and guidance".

With Nina’s help, Meg was encouraged to be in touch with her inner life – where true healing happens, instead of continuing to focus on situations outside herself. Through the practice of meditation, Meg began to slow down and to experience the power of being alive in the present moment – and a new way of being with her life.

Meg explains: When meditating is a practice in my life – when I enter the silence – I am much more balanced. People don’t bother me so much. I am able to live in the moment and not be taken away by my thoughts and feelings.

As Meg began to take responsibility for her own thoughts and emotions, she changed beliefs that were not useful or true. As a result, Meg felt “much lighter both physically and emotionally. Spiritually I felt more connected and satisfied.”

Though her outside situation had not changed (the same difficult family issues and challenges), Meg’s experience of it had radically shifted through her practice of meditation and awareness.

Emotionally I feel much better – I don’t, for the most part, let my thoughts control me anymore. Instead of letting my past experiences weigh me down, I take it all much more lightly. I’m not taking what other people do and say so personally. I realize that other people’s stuff is theirs, not mine. I’m accepting people more for who they are.

Meg describes her life now, after one year of work with Nina in her meditation and self-awareness practice: I am currently taking a Tai Chi class along with meditating as much as possible, which has been very helpful for my body and mind. I am currently speaking with, and even socializing, with my relatives and siblings. I am still dealing with marital issues. Financially I have been making some progress. I am laughing more with my kids and enjoying the time with them. And I’ve come to enjoy silence. I also feel the presence of God, the Divine, or the universal energy within my heart.

Meg summarizes her experience: Through this work, I have realized how important it is to live in the moment, not to be rushing on to the next thing.

What a powerful testimonial to the power of the mind and spirit on our paths to wholeness! Many thanks to Meg and Nina for sharing this inspiring and hopeful story. As Meg suggests, may we all be open to the gift of Awareness Meditation – a path to clarity and inner peace.

*Meg is not her real name.

Reprinted with permission from Nature's Wisdom Magazine.
Volume II/Issue VIII (Late Winter/Early Spring 2004)