“I am working with Blair. I just want to sing her praises to you. She has made an incredible difference in my life in managing the pain. I have stage IV cancer. I just can’t say enough nice things about her. I relate to her, she relates to me. She is pleasant, she is kind, she is loving. And we are doing all this over the phone. So miracles always happen. I like it so much I am going to extend it for whatever time Blair says I can.”
– LifeSpark remote healing client

LifeSpark is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting people through their cancer treatments with 8-week Healing Touch and Reiki sessions. I’ve been volunteering with LifeSpark for the past 4+ years. Just before my recent roadtrip, I was matched with someone and I felt excited and called to work with this person. Even with the timing, I knew I could make it work.

For my second session out of the eight sessions, I wonder do I tell my match that I am on the road? That I am living out of the back of my car for the next six weeks? After all we are remote and she doesn’t need to know—-or, would she benefit from me telling her?

No, I think. No need to share with her that I am headed out to California for healing time by the ocean. But… on my way out, I realize I am not sure what time it is and if I have crossed a time zone… I lose reception for a moment so I am a few minutes late to our scheduled call. Uggh. Not very professional I’ll admit.

Oh I am so sorry, I begin. No worries she says. I started without you. Great I say. She asks, am I ok? I pause and reply yes. Where are you? she says. I don’t need her worrying about me. Well, I reply, do you really want to know? Yes, she says. So I tell her that I just went through Petrified National Park. And, there was a big silence. Hmm. I think. What now? Then I say, OK, how would you like to spend the rest of our time together and she says to me….

I want you to describe where you are—and the smells. It has been along time since I have felt comfortable leaving my home. Can you please be my ears and eyes? I began to describe the landscape and the feelings that came up for me driving through reservation land and having just come through this magnificent treasure called Petrified National Park. I am sure that due to my willingness to be vulnerable and honest, it gave my client permission to feel safe and be vulnerable too. And, yes there were some memories that bubbled up for her around travel, courage and safety.

Oh she sighs and says that is wonderful. Thank you so much for taking me with you. I needed that.

So, the next week comes and she asks, where are you now? And I tell her that I am now overlooking the ocean and the dolphins are going by and I can smell the seaweed and feel the salt water spray on my skin.

I guess I must have known that sharing the love and connection with the natural world would be soothing and healing. It becomes part of our weekly check ins.

Our sessions continued to get deeper and deeper. Nature inspiring and supporting how best I can offer reflections of our time together if asked. Her daily and weekly gratitude for the positive people in her life and her acceptance of her situation became so great— something solid she could access. I celebrated her raw honest strength. I received her tough days as much as her good ones. She routinely shared that being able to go to places in our time together was such a gift. I am profoundly honored to be witness to this clients journey.

To share in someones deeply intimate and personal life goes beyond words. I am so honored. Humbled. There is a shared sense of appreciation and awe for life (and death). A trust. A faith in something larger than ourselves. A recognition.

Love and light to all who give their skills and time, and for all those who are open to receiving loving touch. It makes this work/my life so rewarding to be connected to one another in this sacred way.

Please learn more if you or someone you know would benefit from the LifeSpark Cancer Resources program.

“Mother Earth, From you and to you all life flows
Nourishing us with all that you are.
We are all family
We are all children
Of the Great Goddess
Of the Earth
Mother as you thrive, so shall we.”
—Ara