It’s funny to me how I think I have evolved so much as I travel this path of life. And then, a new opportunity opens my eyes to the potential to grow even more. One such opportunity was presented to me last week in the form of a gift certificate to a cranial sacral therapist, Sandy Williams in Rockford, Illinois. Feeling overwhelmed by the distressing health news coming my way lately, I called and made an appointment.

I did not understand cranial sacral therapy or what it meant. It was a true leap of faith. So glad I leapt! Sandy was warm and welcoming and so was the space she practiced in. I was asked to lay on the table, fully clothed. She asked me to focus on the part of my body that was in pain, which for me was my neck and left shoulder. Laying her hands above and underneath my chest, Sandy gently began to ask me what I noticed and if anything came up for me. Tears fell freely as I began to explore my relationship with my body. In my book, I’d Rather Love Life than Hate Cancer, I wrote about my evolving relationship with my body and ways I was trying to listen and nurture it more. This dialogue with my body in cranial sacral therapy opened doors to doing that on a level I had never experienced before.

A couple of months ago, I wrote a blog post about my aging appearance and how it reflected the stories of my life. I also wrote I was committed to attending to my inner life more than my physical being. The news about my failing heart and the cranial sacral session has created a shift in my thought process. It feels more meaningful to commit to a more connected, vital relationship between me and my body. To trust it more. To honor it more. To be more present in it.

As with everything in my life, I will not do it perfectly. But my intention, and my attention matter. So, my dear readers, how can you be more present and more attentive to the relationship between you and your body?

And should you, in the words of Oprah, think “this is woo-woo”, I will let you know my neck and shoulder feel better. Coincidence? I think not.