Hello, and welcome to the second edition of the newsletter. Sorry this one is a couple of days late. I think it'll be worth the wait, though!

***** News Flash! *****

Newsletters are (more-or-less) clicking along, the first of the videos are out, and I'm going to be re-working the pages of the site to be a little more readable and useable as I'm adding new pages.

***** This edition's topic: Be a Better Healer - Be Happy *****

If you're a healer and you don't make sure that you feel good, you're doing it wrong. A bit blunt there, so let me expand it out a little bit. If you're reading this, odds are you're a healer, or are interested in healing.

You probably know of at least one person who loves to give and loves to help people but in doing so nearly wind up killing themselves. As pure as their motives are, they aren't getting it and their irresponsibility is cheating the world of their contributions.

Irresponsibility? Actually, yes. Not that I can point fingers; I've been there myself, as I'll describe later. You have to be a little selfish in order to be able to give.

Let's take a financial example. Don't worry, we won't be venturing near Wall Street. Imagine you have a savings account in an ideal world and you're getting 5% in interest. As long as you don't touch the original money in there, you can take out the earned interest for as long as you like. Once you touch the original money, however, you aren't making as much money on the interest, and it will take longer to get back to where you were: 5% of $100 is $5, but 5% of $90 is only $4.50. So you have less to work with from that point on until you let the interest replenish the original money.

Let's look at this another way: Athletes don't typically eat a lot of junk food. In order to keep their bodies at peak performance, they are careful about what they take in. The higher they go, the more careful they are. I remember an anti-drugs ad featuring an Olympic skier who was saying that considering he doesn't even eat candy, there's no way he'd do drugs. Same principle: If you don't keep yourself in a good spiritual and emotional place, you're not going to be at your best. In order to serve others effectively, you have to be able to actually do so.

Healers all have an innate, powerful need to help and heal others. This is great. We know what we're here for and we know (in general at least) where we're going. In the circles I travel we call that the Navigator. But think of George Bailey for a moment: So much changed because he wasn't there to improve the world. Now, depleting yourself to the point of uselessness isn't the same as never being born, but imagine if you burn yourself out. A little later, someone comes by who genuinely needs the counsel or touch of a healer. You wouldn't be there for them. Your body may be there, but you'd be so run down, that you can't act radiate divine love as we are meant to do.

Here's my own story as to how that works.

I have a relative who shall remain nameless. We shall call this relative Joe, although it could just as easily be Mary or Bob. I have been acting as an emotional and energetic crutch for Joe for years. Joe has always had a vague spiritual awareness, so I kept trying to give him a "jump-start", sharing and discussing spiritual matters as I kept helping him keep his emotional life in one piece. Problem was, it never took. Each time I would come away drained, and Joe would be ok until next time.

Obviously, this isn't a workable situation. Although I had the ability to keep myself together and keep Joe in one piece, it was taking everything I had to do so. As I started really digging into my spiritual journey more, it became progressively harder because much of what I would build up would be washed away the next time I had to deal with Joe. Each time, I would be knocked down and have to build myself back up. My wife came to seriously dislike Joe, as she could tell what repeated exposure did to me at the time.

Realizing I'm no good to anyone if this continues, I made the then-difficult decision to severely limit interaction with Joe. This was the right decision to make. I have been able to keep myself in a good mental/emotional state and thus have been able to make much more progress in my spiritual path, and have also become a much stronger healer. I sometimes wonder how many opportunities to help I missed out on when I was spinning my wheels with Joe, but instead I focus on how I can serve best now.

And as for Joe? He was understandably upset for some time, but today he's in the same holding pattern he was in the years I spent trying to dig him out of his patterns.

The point is this: You owe it to yourself and the Universe to not only take care of yourself, but to be happy as well. Your mission as a healer cannot be fulfilled unless you make sure to take care of yourself. Once you are in a position where you can help, your efforts will be that much more effective.

***** Q&A Section *****

No questions just yet, so send some in!

***** Other Errata *****

I know I mentioned it last time, but I wanted to provide it again given the related topic.

Allow me to leave you with this poem. I only found it a year ago, but it's rapidly become one of my favorites.

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Desiderata by Max Ehrmann Copyright 1952.