I started this project about three months ago and because I have asked the participants to write the story of their experience thus far, I have decided to do the same. Prior to beginning, I wanted to know if energy work could have an impact on mental illness. Deep down I felt of course it could, but deep down I also felt there was no such thing as mental illness. It doesn't mean I don't recognize that many people are not able to live the greatest versions of their lives due to the way that they perceive and act in the world, but the word "illness" always felt inaccurate. I have been very close to people who had the diagnoses of bi-polar, paranoid schizophrenic, manic depressive, and severely depressed and although I didn't always enjoyed their behavior, I could see the heart behind it all. I have never understood that even though they saw a therapist every week and took medication they never seemed to get better. Each episode was worse than the previous one and when they were on their meds or somewhat stable, they were either zombie like or functioning with a cookie cutter like personality. Their authenticity seemed to be missing. Sometimes I wondered if what I felt was their authenticity, was actually their "illness". I began to wonder who is this person really? Do they know who they are?

My work over the past 3 months has begun to answer those questions. At the heart of the work, I realized that with each person, they never took the time to define the way they wanted to function in life. It was never presented to them as a choice that they confidently and securely could make for themselves. I feel this is the case for most people. The traumas, joys, and parenting we experience in our childhood shapes our adulthood with very little of our input. Our lives become surrendered over to the past that we then try to survive moment by moment, year by year. Personal power is no where to be found. I can then see how it is easy to be afraid of everything. It is very easy to be afraid of everything when you aren't taught that particular everything you are experiencing is really an extension of you. In my sessions, I have found myself holding the space for that unfolding of awareness.

Before I became a Holistic Energy Practitioner, I learned about myself through making a commitment to love myself. I learned that self-love isn't about being a great person or even having a great self-esteem. It isn't done so that one may acquire a life partner, be a better family member, or a humanitarian. It is about accepting yourself fully so that you may know who you are. Self-love is about self-realization. It means that as those not-so-cute aspects of who you are surface, you are able to stand and face them instead of running and hiding. It means you experience the wholeness of who you are. You don't look for a savior outside of you because with the love you have cultivated within yourself, you find there is a place and function for all of you. Love becomes the fuel for your growing inner intelligence. The guides, angels, and creatures that show up now are a part of you. The voices you heard are now you speaking to yourself. The visions you see are a glimpse to an aspect of who you are. Loving yourself is a daring act because self- love is both destructive and creative. Love burns, floods, purifies, nourishes, and balances. Love creates a shift. That shift is what I see happening now within this group.

During our sessions, I have taken to letting the energy build up during the sessions and then guiding everyone through a process of integration at the end. I really enjoy this method because I get pretty excited to see what has developed. It is like aspects of them are revealing themselves in technicolor and I am the one to describe all that I see. It's fun. I work with energy altogether differently than I did before. It's more subtle, yet upfront and far more feminine. I find myself dancing, swirling, and being in a greater harmony with the process. Since I shifted my approach, they have given me great feedback and confirmation that magic is indeed happening.

The past three months haven't been daisies and roses for everyone. They have had their regular life challenges and a few sunflowers got trampled on.  So much change has happened for everyone, but I can tell they are moving through these changes differently than they were before. There is less anxiety, less emotional suppression, and more awareness. Everyone has put in the work and it shows. I was talking to The Whiz and I realized that in all of our sessions that the phrase, "mental illness" hasn't come up. Somehow the term has become near irrelevant. I feel this is because of the absence of judgement and my desire to understand more than label and categorize. And I have dug deep in my quest to understand and ultimately know. I find that I'm not afraid to cut to the chase as I see my blunt honesty become even more magnified in these sessions. I guess otherwise, I feel like we would all be wasting our time.

Each week there are awakenings and epiphanies for everyone. I am growing exponentially through this experience as well. I couldn't be more grateful for this opportunity and I am excited to see what the end result will be. Right now feels like that moment in the Wizard of OZ where Dorothy and the crew get all primped and pretty. We made it to Emerald city and the exploration continues.

It's hard to even say that what I am doing is working with people who are mentally ill because I actually feel it is far from the truth. I think that has been the biggest revelation in my work with the 5 people in this special healing circle I have created. To me, they are just people who along the way forgot who they truly are. They represent the story of humanity. They serve as our beacons to find out who we are. What is also interesting is that although they are prefect strangers to each other they have an impact on each other. Isn't that how life is anyway? We are all truly connected and in this little world I have created I see the evidence and proof.

Ginger surprises me each week. As I get to know her, I learn a new tidbit about her past and I continue to be fascinated. She has hung out with medicine men, monks, and she can marry you, deliver a sermon, and bless your babies. I feel like her list of accomplishments continue to grow. She teaches me that if you don't love yourself, all of the achievements in the world don't matter. So of course self-love is what we are working on. She calls depression a monster. I get this image of the monster in the closet or under the bed you often hear children talk about. These fears start young and as you grow, so does the monster. But I can't help but want to tell her to really get to know this monster. What are its likes and dislikes? Does it have a sense of humor? I bet it does. Shrek comes to mind.

Raccoon is coming along even though she tends to creatively evade homework. When I used to teach and had to discipline the children, they would usually apologize to me for their behavior. I wouldn't accept their apology and instead stood them in front of a mirror and told them to apologize to themselves. I now find it funny to watch the teacher come out of me in these sessions. Part of Raccoon's homework is to look in the mirror and say, "I love you.", but sometimes when she apologizes for not doing her homework, I'm tempted to send her to the mirror with that apology. As the saying goes, "What you eat, won't make me shit." The larger lesson of both exercises is about taking personal responsibility for one's life. and actions. At what age this lesson is implemented is unimportant, it just needs to happen. It's the difference between being the victim or the victor, the wounded or the healer. When we talk about what would be considered her "breakdown" I suggest it was her call to be a healer. Her journey through her diagnosis is her call to heal herself so that she may teach others to do the same. It's a gift, not a life sentence. With all that said, her name is Raccoon and I like to think that under the mask of not doing her homework, she is making the transformation she desires. She doesn't fool me. I hear the wisdom that hides beneath it all.

Pearl is unfolding her magic every week and it is so beautiful. I swear I shed at least a tear each week in joy for her. Working with her has been such a treat for me because I see a fearless magical woman emerging right before my eyes. We Skype and each week her smile is brighter and a certain kind of inner joy that has grown within her is palpable. I joke with everyone, but we tend to have the longest laughs. She is more comfortable with the spirits that surround her and I find that I am able to confirm and affirm her experiences. Even I am shocked about how an image that she described the week before all of sudden showed up in the middle of a casual browse on facebook. Each time we work together, I swear a team of spirits show up for our sessions helping me along the way. The energy is very light and fairy like. This is probably why we laugh so easily. To think that we aren't even halfway done makes me excited for the next 4.5 months.

Coco is truly an angel to this healing circle and to my practice in general. When we first started working together, I struggled to use my intellect and experience to help her. Now, I just let spirit flow and it is amazing. I have her to thank for that lesson in surrender. She walks a fine line between a fool and genius and it is amazing to witness when she steps into her genius. This happens EVERY week. The journey there is always unconventional. Our sessions will start off with her stating her limitations like a broken record and like a laser I keep my focus on the magic within her. Sometimes I find myself getting stern with her, asking questions that I know she doesn't have an answer for, or making jokes she doesn't laugh at. Then, I transition into a gentler tone and that is when "Coco the genius" shows up to blow my mind. It is the greatest feeling for me and once she gets going, I just hold the space and play the mild-mannered yet giddy coach on the sidelines. No matter what role she is playing, she is a treasure. The fool is sweet and cracks my heart open wider than I thought it could go and the genius fills me with gratitude for "impossible" dreams and wonder for the unknown. As we move forward, I smile towards the balance, merging, discovery, and expansion that is unfolding within her.

The Wiz is intent on evolving his character. He isn't hiding behind a big voice, smoke, and mirrors passing out platitudes as wisdom. In the midst of what seems airy and forgetful is a person making a clear path for himself. Last week was when I noticed it in him. It wasn't because he quit his job, or what he said his plans were, but because energetically I could feel a determination that wasn't there before. During his session, I said to myself, "This guy is going to get things done." I could see his energy moving forward, navigating, constructing, removing obstacles, and making whatever it is happen. We have been working on defining manhood for himself and I already can see the energy of what he has created impacting him. Emotionally, we have really begun to dig deep and I find that it is allowing him to open up and see himself more clearly. As we move forward, I will continue to hold the space for him to be what he has set out to become. Now let's see if he did his homework this week...

This is my 8th week in this and it has been purely joyful. I laugh at my highly unconventional ways and marvel at the things that come out of my mouth. Yet, so much of what is happening, I have no words for. Each day I am learning something new and I come up with new healing techniques as I work. After each session, I sit in an afterglow of gratitude and amazement.