The Fire Horse and the Long Game

Last week I sat down with Phil Powis and Carolina Wilke of Sacred Business Flow to talk about why I created Wise Body. We talked about moral injury, the problems with the current healthcare system, and how important time and human connection are to good healthcare. You can watch the full conversation here.

It was heartening to have a conversation with people who share my values and are doing a version of what I’m doing in healthcare, but in their own industry. I have been connecting with a lot of people lately who are showing up in their lives and their work in a new way. Taking better care of their mental health, taking better care of their relationships, pursuing their dreams while remaining practical. I really believe this is the path to a better world. Not revolution, but evolution.

In an old interview, spiritual teacher Ram Dass was asked what the hippies got wrong in the sixties, and why they hadn’t created more change. He said—and I’m paraphrasing—that they were focused on revolution when they should have been focused on evolution. Revolution, in my view, has the feeling of a forest fire. It’s a short burst of surface-level destruction with no thought of the future. Evolution, on the other hand, is deep and lasting change.

In my conversation with Phil and Carolina we spoke about my choice to stay in healthcare after getting burned out, rather than walk away. In some ways it’s easier to leave, in career matters and also in life. It sounds more exciting to start a new career, a new relationship, or a new life in a new city, than to tough it out and work through the problems of your current situation. In some cases leaving is the best choice. But often it’s avoidance of problems which are sure to arise again. Often it’s better to stay and evolve.

I’ve been following the “Walk for Peace” that a group of Buddhist monks recently completed. They walked across the United States with a message of peace. At the closing ceremony in Washington, D.C., one of the monks spoke about how their walk won’t bring world peace, but if everyone in the world practices mindfulness every day, then that will bring peace. It’s up to each person, within themselves, and in their own corner of the world, to make things better.

Today is the Lunar New Year and the beginning of the Year of the Fire Horse. I love the Fire Horse as a symbol of evolution. It’s about both independence and rapid change, about each of us changing in such a way that dramatically alters the landscape of the world we live in. Wishing you clarity, courage, and a balance of independence and interconnectedness in the year ahead. We’re each forging our own path but we’re in it together.

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If part of your path this year includes more support with a health issue you’re facing, reach out. I treat a range of different women’s health and reproductive health conditions, including painful periods, PCOS, irregular cycles, menopause and perimenopause. My approach combines clinical expertise with intuitive and spiritual guidance. Working together starts with a free introductory call in which I learn about your needs and share how I might be able to help. If that sounds like something that could be supportive, I’d love to hear from you.

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