By Michelle McLemore

~First published in Crazy Wisdom Weekly, August 13, 2021.~

You don’t know what you don’t know…until you know.

It shouldn’t be a surprise to consider that what you were taught K-12 is not all encompassing. That what professors tried to bring to your awareness in college, advanced coursework, tech colleges, and on the job trainings are still only a drop in the proverbial ocean of knowledge that exists about a species, its environment, world, universe, dimension, and so on. Still, the expression on someone’s face when they have an epiphany is truly spectacular to witness. There is a combination of childish delight in discovery, amazement of how the next piece fits the puzzle, the wonderment of how the design exists, the surprise of how one’s reality can shift in an instant and yet reflect on what you were so sure of just seconds before and now…knowing you can never go back. For if you do, if you deny the experience, or attempt to bury it, you are doing a disservice to yourself, your future, and all whom you would come in contact with.

I was helping at local vendor’s show when I saw a woman gimping painfully about. Her face grimaced each time she set her right foot down. She explained that a few weeks prior she had gone to bed fine and simply woke up with excruciating pain and a knot in the back of her heel. Apparently, it had not gone away as it had arrived — on its own. I suggested she sit down and let me try a little energy work on it for free. (I really dislike seeing people in major discomfort.) She brushed it off: ” no time” and “if I sit down now, I won’t want to get up and finish what I have to do today.”

How often have we said, or heard, those same rebuffs? When all we expect is continued pain and discomfort, the tv commercials about arthritis pain is what resonates in our mind — or maybe it was physics class? “A body in motion stays in motion.” The reality, however, is that sometimes, a few moments of stillness and intercession can fix the irritating problem that “suddenly” appeared in our lives, and we can be back up and running, sprinting, or sailing as is needed.

I smiled, said, “No problem — it is your pain and your choice.” (Yes, I was a little more cheeky than normal.) I handed her my card and said, if you change your mind, give me a call.

One week later, I received the call–about ten o’clock in the morning.

“Michelle? I really can’t stand it any longer. [No pun intended, I’m sure.] I am the point where I’m now irritating my husband and myself. Will you come over?”

I did my preparatory clearing and grounding work, prayed, and asked for guidance on what oils to take with me. I had her sit on the couch with her right leg extended and we began. Her husband soon wandered by the room entrance–all casual with side glances and small talk. I’m not sure if he was expecting a witch’s hat or wild chanting and swaying, but the vibe was of definite curiosity. I invited him to sit down with us, so he didn’t overheat outside. (Better for both of them to see what I was doing, so they could talk about it later.)

Because she hadn’t slept well from the pain and due to the high level grating her nerves, I did early work balancing and clearing around her head, neck, and shoulders. The effect was almost immediate. I tried not to giggle as her entire face relaxed and her eyes began to get drowsy. I knew from her delayed responses to questions that her mind had also relaxed significantly. I suggested she let her head settle against the back of the couch — that it was entirely okay to rest and even sleep.

Linda had judged her pain at the start at a 7. Within about 30 minutes she was at a 4 and it was still dropping. I finished her leg and ankle work and gave her instructions to stay put and rest for at least 30 minutes. (I was pretty sure she was going to fall asleep and it would be a bit longer than that.) Additionally I asked her to drink some water, and after about 4 hours to do an epsom salt bath just to finish treating anything left over. (Water–and salt water especially–are both wonderful clearing agents at many levels.) I told her I’d call the next day. She smiled, a bit groggily, but much more comfortable and I saw myself out.

I waited until midday to call her. “Hello, Linda. How are you?”

“I feel great!” was the strong response.

I hesitated. “Are you being sarcastic?” The enthusiasm in the voice was much more than I had anticipated.

She laughed. There was no pain. “I feel like a brand new person!” she exclaimed and then as I was expressing my gratefulness for her relief, she interrupted to say, “I owe you an apology.” I was caught off guard. What possibly could this woman, whom I only knew casually from local community meetings, have said or done to need to apologize?

She said, “I really didn’t believe it would work.”

Any confusion and hurried anticipation that had been building in my mind, floated away with my laughter. There was no need for apologies. Even if she had thought or expressed vocally to someone that I must be crazy or a charlatan, those were still simply her guesses about something she had no knowledge. She simply didn’t know any reality except the one she had lived up to that point. And isn’t that both scary and exciting at the same moment? We don’t know what we don’t know.

So perhaps instead of dismissing that which we personally have not witnessed, just perhaps we should listen to others while dismissing the need to evaluate or judge as they share their realities. What a shame it would be to miss out on leveling up when given the opportunity. What a pity to miss experiencing the awe of a deeper level of creation and how we are designed to literally ebb and flow with each other and our environment for all our highest and greatest good.