Falling Down

                                                                

Last year I told you of a story that happened many years ago when I had an accident while getting my oil changed at a new service station. I unwittingly fell down a 15 foot hole and lived to tell about it. I had what I consider to be a spiritual event as I was falling down that hole, that changed the way I thought forever. You can read about it here: http://www.youwillheal.blogspot.com/2009/10/decision-of-your-life.html

But there was a second part of that story I never told you, and that is what happened after I left the station that day and drove off in my car. This part of the story tells of the single biggest miracle I had ever witnessed in my life, until that day.

I drove off in a daze, partly because I had a concussion, and partly because I was confused. “Wow, what  just happened to me God? And why?” were questions taxing my brain. So then I asked God, “So, where do I go now?” and God answered me, “Drive to that children’s hospital that you’ve wanted to volunteer at for the last several months.”

A nurse friend of mine had been encouraging me to put my healing abilities to the test at a local facility where she was working. I hadn’t yet found the courage to actually show up at that point, and here was God telling me, right after falling down a 15ft hole, that I should choose now, as the perfect time to go.  I heard my directive clearly, but I had serious resistance. Before I could put up much of a fight though, God said that if I drove there now, there would be people there who could attend to my injuries, so I listened and headed to this hospital.

Now I should mention, this was not an ordinary acute care hospital with an emergency room. It was a long-term care facility for children with serious medical issues, primarily without insurance of any kind, with no families to speak of, or had been abandoned years before by their families, and who were destined to live their days out with no real quality of life. Not particularly a happy place to visit.

On this particular Saturday, I drove there, parked my car out in front, carefully slid out the driver’s seat, and proceeded to the entrance doors hunched over like a table and covered in blood. Once inside, I was greeted by a nurse who took one look at me and said, “Oh my God, what happened to you? Don’t move! I’ll be right back.” She hurried back within minutes with a gurney and at least 4 other nurses in tow.

Since this was not an acute care hospital, they had no emergency room in which to treat me. Apparently, they were not accustomed to people wandering in off the streets with injuries either, so they wheeled me in front of the nearest nurse’s station and started taking my vitals and tending to my wounds. One woman asked me my name and what I was doing there. I hesitated to tell her that I was there because God told me to come! I was genuinely concerned they might wheel me next to the psychiatric ward. I just avoided answering the question. In truth, I had no idea why I was there. I was just following directions.

So here’s where it gets good. There was a moment when all the nurses working on me, left me alone telling me they would be right back. There I was laying on this gurney staring up at the ceiling tiles and fluorescent lights when suddenly God says to me, “Okay, now get up and walk down the hall until you get to the last door on your right.” So I did. I shuffled down the hall, entered the room to find three little girls in three adjacent beds. I wandered over to the third bed furthest away from the door and closest to the window facing the courtyard.

There was a small red headed young girl about 5 years old laying in the bed staring with fixed eyes out the window. I stood by her bed and at first said nothing. Then I was moved to speak. First, I said to her that I was really upset. That I had wanted to come there to pray with them but now I was there in pain. I told her how I had just 30 minutes earlier, fallen down a hole and had hurt myself badly and was frankly really angry about it now. Just then, the little girl turns her head toward me, smiles and puts out her hand for me to hold. I held her hand for a moment thinking this had to be the sweetest little girl to do such a thing.

Then all of a sudden I hear loud urgent voices coming in our direction, “Where is she? Where did she go?” One of the nurses enters the room, sees me, and says accusingly, “What are you doing in here?” She grabs my arm and drags me back to the awaiting gurney at the nurse’s station. I laid back down and said to the nurse, “That little girl was so sweet to me. She looked at me so caringly and held my hand, what a sweetie.” She says to me dismissively, “What? That did not happen.” I said, “What do you mean it didn’t happen? Yes, it did.” 

Then the head nurse who had been standing behind the nurse’s station and listening quietly says, “I’ll be right back” and disappears. She returned a few moments later visibly shaken. She asks me almost suspiciously, “Excuse me, what did you say to her?” So I say, “I don’t know, I just told her that I was upset, that I had fallen down a hole and I was mad about it.” At that moment, the nurse softened her defenses and almost in disbelief says, “Oh my God. That child has been in a catatonic state for nearly 3 years now. She hasn’t moved a muscle or responded to anything in all that time. I just checked in on her. She's responding.” She paused for a moment as if she was putting the pieces of a puzzle together in her head. “She was brought in here as a toddler. Her mother threw her down a set of stairs. She’s been completely non-responsive ever since, until just now”.

Her name was Heather. That’s all I know. She was 5 at the time. I heard later that she was released from that facility not long after to go live with a relative. She would be 20 years old now.

God most certainly works in mysterious ways, and I don’t claim to always understand those ways. My best estimation of what happened was that Heather had been thrown down a set of stairs by the person who was the closest to her, her mother. She was pre-language at the time and had no way to process mentally or emotionally such a betrayal. She retreated back into herself; the only place she felt safe. Somehow when I came along, and told her that I had fallen down too and was really angry about it, it unlocked her from her self-imposed isolation and helped her identify with her own pain.

I continued to visit this facility every Saturday over the next month. This was the first of several miracles that took place there over a short period of time. Interestingly, my injuries only lasted long enough to serve for this event.  I had absolutely no visible bruises or marks on my body the very next day.

I’m still not sure why this happened to me, except I can tell you that falling down that hole that day most definitely changed my life and firmly put me on the path to being a healer. I am constantly reminded though that God can only work through an open heart and an open mind, and that all things are possible in God. Your only qualification to facilitate a miracle either for yourself or another is to be open and willing, and get all sense of limitations out of the way. No other qualifications, skills, experience, or credentials are needed. We all have the equal ability to be used by God in such ways. Today could be your day!

To The Truth That Sets Us All Free,

Donna Gershman ALSP

PS. You can heal, and you don't have to do it alone! If you or someone you know needs support in healing any issue, whether it be physical, emotional, mental or spiritual, please feel free to email me at youwillheal@aol.com, or contact my office at (818)904-6840 for a free telephone consultation.

Free 20 Minute Spiritual Tune-UP with Donna!

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"I had my 20 minute Tune-Up with Donna Gershman. Wow, she knew in a few minutes the core of my troubles, and now I feel free of it. She showed me how to think in a different way about my health issues. To think what God would think. Thank you Donna. I have learned the lesson!" E.B. The Netherlands

What Is New Thought? - The first 15 minutes

This is a short piece from a documentary by Jon Miller called, "What is New Thought?" that describes perfectly the roots of the work that Donna does in the field of New Thought.

The Spiritual Truth about Ugly Fighting - Part 1 (Practicing the Art of Being Wrong)

Twenty-five years ago, a friend of mine sat me down on a curb and said the ugliest thing she could ever possibly say to me. At least, that’s how I felt about it at the time. It was heinous really, horribly painful and yes…. I took it deeply personally.  I couldn’t believe anyone who claimed to love me, would ever say something like that…especially to my face! I mean, couldn’t she have the common decency to keep her feelings to herself? Better yet, why wasn’t she like the other people in my life who just distanced themselves from me quietly,  and then disappeared out of my life forever leaving me to wonder why? I was used to that. What I wasn’t used to was having someone tell me to my face how they felt…to tell me their truth, no matter how ugly it sounded, no matter how I would feel or react. When I think about it now, it was a pure act of bravery on her part.

That day, that conversation changed me. It hurt so badly I could hardly breathe, but in the midst of my pain I heard something. I heard that there was a gift in this for me….and if I could hear what she was saying just beyond the blame and judgment, (my own and hers) I would find it.

Then, the gift was made apparent: She was telling me the truth….Yikes.

I am no shrinking flower. You should know that about me. I don’t take things lying down normally. If I feel scorned you will know about it, especially back in those days. So, this is what she was up against. She had to look me in the eye, knowing this conversation was probably not going to go well, and tell me anyway.  

To this day, I will always appreciate the fact that instead of giving up on me, she fought for me. She gave me the benefit of the doubt, believed I was worth it, and risked everything to tell me her truth in the face of serious backlash.

I learned that day that sometimes you have to be willing to be wrong to be ultimately happy. I could have defended my position, made her wrong, fought back just to be “right” and to feel better temporarily, but something inside me decided to yield instead, to take in what she said however clumsily articulated, and to hear the truth of it.

After many years of practicing, I am now proud to tell you I am mastering the art of being wrong! And I am a much better person for it.

To The Truth That Sets Us All Free,

Donna Gershman ALSP

PS. You can heal, and you don't have to do it alone! If you or someone you know needs support in healing any issue, whether it be physical, emotional, mental or spiritual, please feel free to email me at youwillheal@aol.com, or contact my office at (818)904-6840 for a free telephone consultation.

Greater Things Than These

                                                               
This is a hard blog to write. I’ve been sitting on this one for a while. I just have to be honest about it, I’ve been a little afraid to write it. You see, in telling this particular story, it means I have to come clean on a few things; things I’ve been afraid to tell the world. It’s never my intention to offend anyone, but I’m afraid this blog may do just that. I have come to the conclusion, however, that I must tell my truth regardless of how others may view it. So here it goes, come what may.

On June 20th of this year, I experienced an undeniable miracle. Now, many of you know that in my line of work as a healer, I often experience miracles, and I haven’t been shy about sharing those with you. But this one is different. This one has had a profound effect on me and has changed me forever.

So here’s where I have to come clean. One hour before this miracle took place, I had a conversation with Jesus. (To my Jewish family and friends, you may want to sit down for the rest of this). Here’s the back story:

I consider Jesus to be my teacher; my main inspiration as a healer.

However, for most of my life I didn’t even believe Jesus was real. He was like a fictional character that someone came up with to help teach parables through.  In my mind, he never existed. In growing up Jewish, there seemed to be so much taboo around the name Jesus that it seemed  safer just to stay away from the subject altogether.  As I got older, I found I would cringe every time I heard the word “Jesus”. It just made me uncomfortable. When I was at Agape, which is a trans-denominational Spiritual Center, every time I would hear them refer to Jesus the Christ, I felt like there was a conspiracy to turn me Christian, and I would freak a little.

But one day, about 15 years ago, all that changed. I had my first encounter with Jesus.

He literally just showed up. One day, I was alone in my friend’s living room waiting for her so we could go to lunch. Suddenly, something came over me…..out of nowhere. It was a tidal wave of Love that was so big, it consumed me. There was simply no room for anything else to exist…and the love was personal, it was for ME. It had a name tag attached to it too…I knew exactly whose love it was. There was no thinking necessary. It was clear. It was Jesus.

Jesus simply said to me, “I know you don’t believe in me, and that’s ok. I just wanted you to know that I love you.” And that was it. The love permeated me for several minutes and then it was gone…but it’s something I will never ever forget. What struck me was that he asked me for nothing. He didn’t say I had to believe in him. He didn’t ask me to change my life, nothing. He just wanted me to know that he loved me; his love was truly unconditional.

After that, there was no debating that he was real for me. I went on an immediate exploration to find anything that Jesus had actually said while he was here. I wasn’t interested in other people’s interpretations of what he said. I wanted to hear exactly what his words were. There were two things that I found that he said that really impacted me. First he said “It is done unto you as you believe” which seemed to me, the greatest secret to how things work, why things happen, and how to change them.

Secondly, and this is what inspired me to be a healer, he said “Greater things than these ye shall do”. He was referring to the many miracles that he performed while here.  This leads me to the miracle I experienced on June 20^th. I bet you thought I would never get around to telling you.

So, that morning I was reflecting on my clients and how far I felt they had all come. This was an interesting revelation of sorts for me. I almost never take a retrospective look like this. I’m usually just focused on what’s in front of me.  At the same time, I felt a momentary frustration and decided to talk to Jesus, who I lovingly refer to now as my Brother.  I said to Jesus, “Well, I’m grateful all my clients are doing well, but Jesus you said, ’Greater things than these shall I do’, like greater than raise the dead and heal the blind! This is what you said, and that’s what I want. I want to maintain that kind of Consciousness, so that healings take place instantly. After all Jesus, you never said ‘pick up your bed and walk’… AND come back in two weeks so I can make sure you’re still alive. Your healings took place instantly. There was no waiting involved. This is what I want.”  My words to Jesus that morning are now haunting me.

One hour later, I was walking my little 7 lb. dog Max on our cul-de-sac, where I walk him several times a day. Just at that moment, one of my neighbors accidentally left their front door open and their 50 lb. Boxer charged out of their house and attacked Max before we could see it coming. It happened so fast, there was no time to react. I couldn’t get to my dog fast enough. The boxer had Max in his jaws and I saw him crunch down on his head. My dog went limp and it was all over. My mind could not fully comprehend what was happening. I knew my dog was dead, but a bigger part of me was not having it.

I heard the words loudly in my head that I tell my clients every day. “God is FOR you! There is nothing against you! There is no death in God!” Suddenly, everything came to a standstill. It was like I stepped out of time completely. What was seemingly impossible became possible. The next thing I knew, I had my hands in the jaw of the Boxer and I pried her mouth open. My dog’s body fell into my arms. In a flash, I remember seeing the boxer’s face looking at me, as if she had no idea what had just happened.

I ran back to my house with my dog in my arms. There were no signs of life. One part of me had no idea what to do. Our veterinarian was not close by. I had no idea where there was an emergency hospital to take him. If I had been judging by the appearances, I would have just brought him inside my house, laid him down somewhere and cried. But there was this other part of me that was more in charge. It was telling me what to do. It said, “Get in the car” so I did. I backed out of my driveway with Max still on my lap. I knew I could not take my hands off of him. Just then, my neighbor Joe saw me. He later told me he saw blood all over my face and that’s why he stopped me. He asked what happened and if I wanted him to drive. He took my place behind the wheel as I held Max in the passenger’s seat. I still had no idea where to go, but Spirit kept talking to me, all the while Joe kept asking me, “which way?” I would chime in “take a left, take a right”…like I knew where we were going. In the meantime, I was praying like a fiend over Max who had not moved in several minutes. His eyes had become cloudy and he was clearly not in his body. My mind would not let me accept what seemed obvious. I just kept praying over him and saying things like, “get back in your body! You’re not going today!” along with everything I knew about God. “God is right where you are, Max. God is in every cell of your body. God is your life….” And so on. In between declarations, I would look up and say to Joe, “get in the left lane, pass that car, take a left here”, not knowing where we were headed until we got there. Just as we pulled into an emergency animal hospital, Max came back into his body and began to breathe again. He had been gone for several minutes, the entire time it took for us to find this place that God directed me to.

Without going into every detail, I can tell you that every moment was orchestrated from “on high”, as we say at Agape. God was in charge. I felt it. I felt inwardly connected, guided, directed, and informed in every moment. I might not have known what was coming, but I knew that all was well. There were times, in fact that I noticed I was being “more dramatic” than my inner directives were calling for. I guess I thought drama seemed appropriate given the outer circumstances. But somewhere inside of me, despite the obvious challenges of what I was moving through, despite the workings of my “need to know and understand everything” mind, despite my tendency to entertain doubt at times, there was a strong and palpable TRUTH inviting me to know it.

Today, Max is fully recovered… with the exception of losing his sight in his left eye. The irony of that has not escaped me.

Every day I remind him that he has no limitations in God and that God is seeing clearly through him…. My guess is though, that it is not Max that needs reminding at all. This part of the lesson plan, “to heal the blind” I am still working on.

I feel as though I have been initiated into another level as a healer. It is humbling.

I know that the power that came through me that day that declared the experience I was choosing to have, and denied any other, and the conviction of my mind and words, ultimately created the outcome that I experienced. Somehow, I leaned into all I knew about God, and was able to take an experience that was scary, horrifying and negative and stand in a place of “knowing the good” and insist on it. I will be forever grateful for the inner guidance (God’s clear direction) that supported me in being able to do that.

“It is done unto you as you believe” and “greater things than these ye shall do” are words that invite us to challenge ourselves to become more than we ever imagined possible. Jesus wasn’t just speaking to the healers when he spoke these words. He was speaking to all of us, beckoning us to go beyond our fear based linear minds, to know how powerful we truly are, and to use our minds to create the “Good” we seek to experience, as well as truly deserve.

As dramatic as this may sound, it is important to understand that YOU are MORE powerful than any challenging human experience you may be having. If the experience has you in a whirlwind, then the tail is wagging the dog, so to speak. You have given your power away to the circumstance. However, if in a moment of real clarity, you decide to allow a different experience more to your liking, then, and only then, will you be standing in your true power in God. In the midst of any challenging situation, there is a good that is waiting for you to claim. You have the power to do that.

To the Truth that sets us All Free,

Donna Gershman ALSP

PS. You can heal, and you don't have to do it alone! If you or someone you know needs support in healing any issue, whether it be physical, emotional, mental or spiritual, please feel free to email me at youwillheal@aol.com, or contact my office at (818)904-6840 for a free telephone consultation.

When I was 11

When I was 11 years old, I had a dream that changed my life. I heard a voice say to me, “I am going to tell you the secret to all life, and when you wake up in the morning, you will not remember what it is, and you will spend many years searching for it”

Then I remember the voice telling me what the secret was and my response to it being “Oh my God, I knew it, I knew it!!!!!” It was so simple…the kind of thing that’s right in front of your face, but you just don’t see it.

The next morning I woke up and couldn’t remember what it was, just that it was simple. The voice was right. I searched and searched for many years, and then one day, I remembered. It just sort of dawned on me as if it had been there all along; hidden in plain view. The answer was LOVE.

Several years later when I was 24, I went backpacking in Europe. One night, while at a youth Hostel in Switzerland, I was talking with a friend when the evening bell rang signaling it was time for lights out.  We weren’t the slightest bit tired so we decided to move our conversation into the ladies room, the only place available to talk. I remember our conversation getting deeper and deeper until finally she told me a story about a dream she had had when she was 11. A voice spoke to her and said “I am going to tell you the secret to all life, and when you wake up in the morning, you will not remember what it is and you will spend many years searching for it”. I bet you can guess the rest. She had had the same exact experience as me, word for word. 

I then told her of my story. We were so astonished; we sat there in silence for the rest of the night.

I never knew what to make of it all, really. Why was I given the secret? Why was she given it? How many others were?  Over the years though, I feel I may have missed the greater point, LOVE.

I ask myself now, “What did I learn from all that? How did it change my life, or has it?” I wonder if I have made real use of the information given to me. The only conclusion that I can draw, is that every issue that has ever plagued me could have been resolved a lot easier if I had really taken heed of the lesson; that Love is the secret to all life; so simple and yet so allusive.

I believe the #1 cause of most issues we deal with on a daily basis could be traced back to our inability to truly appreciate ourselves on every level of our being; to accept ourselves completely without judgment and to genuinely love ourselves as we are, right now….not after we figure it all out or become our ultimate vision of ourselves. If the answer to all life is Love, then most of our human problems are due to the lack of it! Not from the outer world, but from own our inner one.

Ironically, if you ask someone if they love themselves, they will probably say “yes”. Then ask them if they are happy with who they are, with the way their lives look, with the choices they have made. Ask them how much time they take for themselves, or whether they are eating healthy foods, taking care of their bodies, and spending ample time to rest and rejuvenate. Are they expressing their feelings in a healing way? Are they following their passion? Do they trust themselves? The answers to these questions are illuminating as to whether someone actually loves themselves or if they just “think” they do.

If I’m honest with myself, I’m sure I love my dog, better than me. I can’t look at him without smiling. I love being with him, never get bored with him or even mad at him. If he ever does something I don’t like, I forgive him easily. I always see the best in him, and would go to the ends of the earth for him. I love him unconditionally, and yet I’m still trying to figure out how to love ME that well.

Just for a moment, bring to mind someone you really love. It could be a family member, a spouse, a friend, a teacher, a beloved pet, anyone at all. Now, feel the feelings of love you have for them. Feel how strong they are. Feel the gratitude you have for knowing them, for being in their lives. Feel how good it feels, just to Love. That energy you are feeling is healing. It can heal anything within you and it can heal others. Now ask yourself, “Is this the energy you feel toward yourself?” Do you feel this same kind of love, gratitude, and appreciation for yourself? Do you feel the same desire to be there for yourself no matter what, and to support yourself the same way you would for someone you love?

The secret to all life is Love, and yet at best, most of us are practicing “conditional loving”. Sometimes, we find reasons why it’s ok to love ourselves, and other times we find reasons why it’s not, and we do the same with other people. They have to earn our Love. We have to decide we like them first, trust them and understand them, before we feel it’s safe to love them. We love them "conditionally".

With ourselves, we have to be perfect, make perfect choices, look perfect, have our life look perfect, get treated perfectly by everyone else, etc…and then we’ll love ourselves "conditionally", until something falls out of place and we withhold our love again.

Take that Love energy that you feel for others, and direct some towards yourself right now, unconditionally, and you will begin to heal yourself, your life and be able to truly love those around you. 

Imagine a world, where we all loved ourselves and each other, without reason and just because.

I believe this is the First and Final Frontier for us all; what we have been charged with, and what we are here to learn.

The answer to all life, is LOVE, and the Love within you, is enough to change the world.

To The Truth That Sets Us All Free,

Donna Gershman, ALSP

PS. You can heal, and you don't have to do it alone! If you or someone you know needs support in healing any issue, whether it be physical, emotional, mental or spiritual, please feel free to email me at youwillheal@aol.com, or contact my office at (818)904-6840 for a free telephone consultation.

Why Are You Here?

Have you ever really wondered why you're here on planet Earth?  What is your purpose for being here?  Was it just a random act that led you to be here right now at this time on the planet?  Other than the obvious explanation that your parents created you, why else are you here?  What are you here to do? What are you here to learn?  What are you here to bring?  These are some deep questions, right? And yet, without the answers, you could spend a lot of time spinning your wheels, and a lot of time unsatisfied.

It's important to know why you're here.  It's important to know what your gifts are. And most importantly, it's important that you're in alignment with your purpose, that you’re living your purpose. How do you know when you’re in alignment with your purpose, and how do you know when you're not?

It's simple. Are you fulfilled or aren’t you? Are you living a life that reflects all of the goodness that you are? Have you exceeded your wildest expectations of yourself? Are you a shining example of wholeness on planet Earth? Do you genuinely feel good about your life? Do you genuinely feel good about you? Are you fulfilled?

Or……

Are you going to a J-O-B every day, coming home, exhausted, just to pay the bills, and do it all over again tomorrow? Are you in a relationship that is painful, but have resigned yourself to being in it because the alternatives seem overwhelming? Does your body seem to be breaking down a little bit more and more all the time? Are you sick, in physical pain, emotional pain, unhappy, unsatisfied, and feel stuck? Have you given up on your dreams or worse yet, never attempted to pursue them? Do you feel blasé at best, or lack enthusiasm for your future? If so, then chances are you’ve strayed from your lesson plan a bit…and it may be time for an intervention.

In the end, the only thing that matters is how YOU feel about YOU. That’s it.

Did you accomplish what you were here to do? Did you become the person you were always meant to be? Did you love you?

When you are in alignment with your life's purpose, when you know who you are and what you're here to do, and when you take steps towards that vision, your life begins to fall into place, in a way that is most satisfying to you.  You start to live your dreams.

Unfortunately, until you are willing to move towards your vision, you will continue to spin your wheels, and feel unsatisfied with yourself and your life.  The key to being in alignment with your purpose is pure, unadulterated willingness. You have to really want it. You have to be willing to risk for it.  You have to be willing to do things differently.  You have to be willing to change. You can't fake willingness, when you do, it's simply “resistance” dressed up in disguise.

Today, search your soul.  What would you need to do differently to be in alignment with your deepest heart's desires? What would you need to let go of?  What would you need to embrace about yourself?  Even if you're not willing right now to make the changes, find the willingness to be willing. That's a good start, and really all you need, to take tiny steps forward towards being in alignment.  After all, that's what you're here to do, live your purpose and be fulfilled. The story ends well, that starts with willingness.

To The Truth That Sets Us All Free,

Donna Gershman, ALSP

PS. You can heal and you don’t have to do it alone! If you or someone you know needs support in healing an issue whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual, please feel free to email me at youwillheal@aol.com or contact my office at (818)904-6840 for a free telephone consultation. 

Sometimes, It Doesn't Have to Make Sense!

I can be stubborn. (Stop laughing!) And, I'm not afraid to admit it. Sometimes it works for me, and unfortunately, sometimes it gets in my way. On one occasion this past fall, it almost led me to make a really poor decision. The worst part is, I would never have known what a poor decision it was, or what I would have missed out on, had I made it.


So, here's the problem: My head. 
I think too much. I analyze. I try and figure everything out. I line up all my ducks. I make my pluses and minuses list. I go back and forth, back and forth, back and forth until I'm exhausted, and sometimes I even avoid making a decision and let the chips fall where they may, and consider that my decision. You see, things have to make sense to me. If they don't make sense, if I don't see how everything is going to work, I get "Yes" phobic.


In September, when I least expected it, certainly wasn't looking for it, and didn't want it, a dog came into my life....and let me just say for the record, I was NOT ready!!!! I did NOT want to be tied down!!! I did NOT want to lose my freedom!!! I did NOT want to take care of anyone else!!! I did NOT want to clean up poopie messes, go to the vet, find people to babysit, feel guilty when I have to leave him alone for the day, overnight with someone, or God forbid have to get coverage for an entire week if I travel.


I did NOT want to face decisions regarding vaccination, heart worm or worry about deer ticks. Did I mention that I was NOT ready??? Oh yeah, while we're on the subject, I did NOT want to love something so much again, like my last dog Scruffy and have to watch him get old, sick and die. No, I did NOT want to re-live the pain of letting go of something I loved, all too soon.


So, there I was....with all my reasons why I wasn't ready...which no one blamed me for...after all, all my reasons were reasonable; they made perfect sense. So then, why on God's green earth did I say yes???? Why did I agree to go see that little ball of fluff in the first place? And why oh why, did I agree to take him home and care for him til death do us part?


It's simple...my heart screwed up my plan. I picked him up, he melted in my arms, the rest is history. He was mine.


Seven months later, I can't imagine my life without Max. When I think back to how sure I was about NOT being ready, all I can do is laugh and Thank God I let my heart open again, just in the nick of time.


Love is a risk, isn't it? But let's face it, the payoff is big! So can be the payoff for saying "Yes", when all your "reasons" point to NO. Sometimes, it doesn't have to make sense.


The truth is, the greatest things that have ever happened to me, happened only after I got out of my own way, when I said YES, even though I was scared to, and when I trusted in something bigger than all my reasons.


I have learned that every decision we make is made from either Faith or from Fear, and that it's okay to be afraid, as long as I do it anyway.....

I wish you the many blessings that come, with decisions made from Faith!


To The Truth That Sets Us All Free,


Donna Gershman ALSP


PS. You can heal, and you don't have to do it alone! If you or someone you know needs support in healing an issue, whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual, please feel free to email me at youwillheal@aol.com or contact my office at (818)904-6840 for a free telephone consultation.

Getting Out of Here Alive

Lately, I seem to be preoccupied with the subject of death.

(....What did she just say???? Did she just say the "D" word?)
Okay, hear me out...

Look, I realize that death is not everyone's favorite subject....and it's certainly not mine, but it's on my mind a lot these days. Maybe it's because I lost a friend recently, or because this past year I had a close call myself, or maybe because I am dangerously approaching the big 5-0. I'm not sure, but the thing that I am realizing more than anything, is that I have spent most of my life dodging the subject. I don't want to think about it, face it, and least of all, embrace it. That would be like a direct invitation to the grim reaper, himself. I will have no part of it! I will get out of here alive, if it's the last thing I do!!! In fact, I have decided to skirt death altogether. Who's with me?

The truth is though, I'm just plain tired of running from it, avoiding it at all cost, resisting it, worrying, obsessing, freaking, negotiating, bargaining, bartering, being a good little girl, and all the other things I do to fend it off. Let's face it, it takes a lot of energy, energy I could be using for something more inspired.

Maybe it's just time to stop running....to accept it, to look death straight into it's little beedie eyes and say,
"I surrender, take me already!" It would probably be a welcomed relief from all these "death deferring" antics of mine. Who knows, maybe then I can really begin to live.

I don't know about you, but a lot of what has scared me about death is not knowing what's going to happen.
Wait....isn't that the SAME EXACT reason I have for every fear of mine?

This has me thinking: Maybe I do know how it's all going to end. Maybe I can deal with the idea of death, the same way I deal with everything else in my Life.

When a situation presents itself to me, first, I ACCEPT what IS.

Then I TRUST what IS.....

(in other words, I trust that what IS, is not happening for no reason at all, and is not meant to be a punishment, but rather happening by Divine Purpose.)

Next, I EMBRACE the idea that what IS, is actually good, and is for me.

(so, I don't  need to resist what IS, because that just leads to more pain).

Finally, I OPEN to seeing the gift in what IS.

This formula has helped me through many events in my life, that at first seemed like insurmountable challenges, with the result being Grace and Ease versus suffering and struggle.

Of course, death seems like a pretty sizable challenge. Not your everyday variety of letting go, is it?
But, I'm pretty sure that's why it comes last.....

To The Truth That Sets Us All Free,

Donna Gershman ALSP

PS. You can heal, and you don't need to do it alone! If you or someone you know needs support in healing a physical, emotional or spiritual issue, please feel free to email me at youwillheal@aol.com or contact my office at (818)904-6840.

Grace Lives Here

In my home in California, I have a painting with three words on it; "Grace lives here". It's one of my favorite pieces of art. It was painted by a dear friend of mine and fellow practitioner, Stephanie Dawn.

When I first started my practice, I hung it in my office where I saw clients, so that I would always be reminded that "I, of my own self do nothing", and that I could lean into the quality of Grace for anything I might need.

The Dictionary defines Grace as;

The freely given, unmerited favor and love of God, and/or the Spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.

Although the word is often associated with Christian faiths, I believe that Grace is a Spiritual Quality inherent to us all that is available to us 24/7.

It's often implied that Grace is a quality that comes and goes, sometimes with us and other times not. For instance, it's operating when we are in God's "good" Grace and not operating when we "fall" out of Grace. I would venture to say that if you believe in a punishing/rewarding God, one that shows favor to you sometimes, and withdraws it other times, then you would also experience Grace that way.

We might even think of Grace as a single, isolated event that occurs. For instance, when we experience something falling into place easily, we might associate it with Grace. On the other hand, when we aren't experiencing Grace, it is when things feel difficult and challenging or even a struggle. You might wonder, where's the Grace then? Where's God then?

What if we take God out of the equation completely? Is Grace available to those who do not believe in God? Or is that an exclusive experience reserved only for those who believe?

I think of Grace as the Divine perfection and order of the Universe, always happening whether we're aware of it or not. For me personally, the goal is to become more aware of it...to see its mark on all things and all experiences. Imagine looking for the Grace and expecting it? Imagine knowing that Grace is happening right now...

How would you then perceive whatever is occurring?

If you can accept the quality of Grace in your life as a constant, then you can experience it that way, in every moment.

How is Grace operating in your life right now?

When things appear challenging, are you willing to turn your attention to the Grace that is available? If you can welcome Grace into your moment by moment awareness, then you too will know that "Grace Lives Here."

The other day, in the midst of a particular challenge, a long florescent light bulb fell out of my closet and hit me squarely in the head. "Where's the Grace now, right?"

I stopped for a moment and realized that the "light" was literally hitting me over the head, trying to get my attention. It was time to turn towards it!!!

Even in your darkest hour, Grace is always happening. Don't let a single moment go by without noticing it, and being Grateful for its constant support in your life.

To The Truth That Sets Us All Free,

Donna Gershman ALSP

PS. You can heal, and you don't need to do it alone!  If you or someone you know needs support in healing any physical, emotional or spiritual issue, please feel free to email me at youwillheal@aol.com or contact my office at (818)904-6840.

We Will Remember, Susan.

You may have noticed that many of my blogs are written on airplanes. This one is no exception. This time I am on my way to Los Angeles to attend the memorial service of my friend, Susan J. Paul. Today, I am moved to tell you about her.

I met Susan about 7 years ago when she came to sing at my Spiritual Center for the first time. She floored us with an original song of hers entitled, “My Soul Sings Out”. The congregation went nuts for her, giving her a rousing ovation that seemed to last forever. It wasn’t hard to see she was special.

Susan passed away July 19th at the age of 48. In the years that I knew her, she taught me many things. She embodied the Spirit of creativity like no one I had ever known. She oozed creativity. Not only did she think outside the box, she had no box at all. To be in her company was to be in the company of greatness. I don’t say this lightly.

And yet, in all honesty, at times I found myself in judgment of her life. I wanted her to sing more, get “out there” more, share her gifts with the world more. In my mind, she wasn’t always “doing” enough! It was selfish of me, really. I wanted the world to know her, and to be blessed by her gifts, especially her music.

Since her passing, there has been an outpouring of love from people all over, expressing their deep appreciation for how she touched their lives. Several have spoken of her big smile, the twinkle in her eyes, the many happy memories they shared, and the joy they felt when they were with her. Interestingly, no one has spoken of bullet points on her resume. They speak of who she was and how she made them feel.

Susan was in deed a sweet soul. She never had an unkind word for anyone, and even in the midst of her own challenges, she always took an interest in others, often lending an ear and offering kind and encouraging words.

I now know, if Susan had never written or sung a single song, if she had never painted any of her amazing works of art, she would still have lead a completely successful life because she was truly the embodiment of Love.

To her family and friends following her progress on her “Caring Bridge” page, Susan’s final message was simply, “Love”. That’s what she stood for, that’s who she was, and that’s what she gave so freely.

What she accomplished in her life or what she didn’t somehow has less significance to me now. What really mattered all along was the love she brought and left behind for us.

I could never forget my friend Susan J. Paul. Her love is engraved in my heart forever.

For the rest of us still here, I wish us all the realization that what we do on this earth, or what we don’t do, matters much less than who we are, and how we touch the lives of those around us.

I’m convinced that the most successful we will ever be in this life, is when our hearts are open wide and we allow ourselves to be the generous givers and receivers of love, we were always meant to be.

Susan has taught me since her passing, to let my heart and the love I share be my single greatest legacy on planet earth. Without that, what I do and what I accomplish matters not. Mother Teresa once said, "If it's not done with great love, it doesn't count".

I wish you all an open heart with which to Love and Be Loved. This is all you will ever need to truly be successful in this life.

To The Truth That Sets Us All Free,

Donna Gershman ALSP

PS. I have included a link to a YouTube video tribute to Susan. If you are interested in her music, you may find it on iTunes or through http://www.rembarecords.com/

PSS. You can heal, and you don't need to do it alone! If you or someone you know needs support in healing a disease, illness, chronic condition, injury or pain, please feel free to email me at youwillheal@aol.com or contact my office at (818)904-6840

Just like Zach

Recently, I was sitting on an airplane next to a very intelligent 10 year old boy named Zachary.

Everyone in his family calls him Zach, but I’m not sure he’s totally sold on that name. He is reading Harry Potter and explaining to me all kinds of things from gravity to his favorite poultry; it’s dark turkey, he only likes the dark meats. He also has a loose canine that’s causing him some trouble, canine as in a tooth, not a loose dog, (I foolishly made that mistake), but he only has trouble with it when he eats crunchy things like hamburger flavored Pringles, like right now. Come to find out, Zach has earned 258 AR points in school. AR stands for accelerated reader points, for reading books voluntarily.

He has read the entire Eragon series, and has told me they have a 4th book in the works called, Shur’tugal. I have learned more on my short flight from Norfolk Virginia to Dallas, than I have learned in months, even with an active use of google.

I just told him I was a healer, and he made it a point to tell me that advil is NOT for chicken pox, and that the most sensitive part of the human body is the fingertip, which I did not know.

I am struck by how much he knows already at age 10, and how interested he is in everything. He is genuinely passionate about life. Did you know that there are a million black and brown bears just in Amerty Alaska, alone? I am suddenly inspired to know everything too, just like Zach. I am suddenly inspired to earn hundreds of AR points, just because. I am suddenly encouraged by the world’s future. I know it’s in good hands.

How do you stay inspired? I believe that staying interested in life is the great “youth-er”.
It’s difficult to become old, crotchety and obsolete when you stay interested in life.

Zach just mentioned that his pastor told him that if you can channel the power of God, you can cure any disease or illness. He said that’s probably why I do what I do, because I can.

There is a bible passage that says “you must enter the kingdom of heaven like little children”. I believe this means that to experience the Consciousness of “Wholeness”, we must first become open, innocent and curious; just like Zach.

To the Truth That Sets Us All Free,

Donna Gershman ALSP

PS. You can heal, and you don't need to do it alone! If you or someone you know needs support in healing a disease, illness, chronic condition, injury or pain, please feel free to email me at youwillheal@aol.com or contact my office at (818)904-6840

Turbulence

A couple of years ago, after a month of traveling, I boarded a red-eye flight from California to return home to Massachusetts. Although I had a connecting flight, I imagined being able to sleep most of the way. My first flight to Dallas was uneventful, just like you hope for. The connecting flight from Dallas however, was not.

About an hour into the 3 ½ hour flight, in seemingly perfect weather, my plane started to shake and be tossed uncontrollably in the jet stream. I’ve certainly experienced turbulence before while flying, but nothing like this. The pilot attempted several quick maneuvers to avoid it, but to no avail. We were told not to leave our seats under any circumstances, and to keep our seatbelts fastened. The flight attendants remained in their seats, as well. For the next two hours, we had virtually no relief from the constant thrashing about of the plane. Other than the loud racket of carry-on luggage banging in the overhead storage compartments, you could hear a pin drop from the passengers on board.

I prayed for a full two hours non-stop. I prayed for the plane. I prayed to live. I prayed for the pilot, the passengers, and the skies to quiet. I prayed for peace, calm, knowingness. I prayed for faith. I prayed for everything I could think of, in every way I could pray.

Several times, I had morbid thoughts of the plane being torn apart, or plummeting through the sky and crashing, and I would quickly erase the thoughts and start over, praying for peace. I prayed every imaginable form of prayer from the begging and beseeching prayer, to the bargaining prayer, to my most commonly used affirmative prayer and finally to the “this is not happening to me” denial prayer.

It must sound funny, but denial prayers are powerful. Saying “No, I will not accept this experience for myself”, or “No, I will not go down this road in my Consciousness”, has saved me on many occasions. I often say, that our beliefs are what form our experience. Therefore, where we dwell in our thoughts, and subsequent feelings is critical.

I found myself literally battling my own thoughts, swinging between the morbid ones, to the positive thoughts, and to everything in between. “Make a decision”, I remember thinking. “Choose a side already!” But my fear would not subside.

I battled until I became completely exhausted and surrendered. Then something gave way in me, and for a single moment, I felt absolutely no fear.

I had touched something very deep inside, a place that was beyond the physical, and that was completely un-harmable. I knew this place. It was oddly familiar to me, and in it I knew I would be alright, no matter what happened, even if I was to die on that plane.

A peace that goes beyond all human understanding came over me. I glimpsed my eternal connection to all Life. I was Free.

The plane continued to be tossed violently, but I no longer was. My experience from that moment forward changed. I’m not going to say that I enjoyed it, but I will say it no longer had any power over me.

Just minutes before we landed, we got our only other communication from the pilot. He said that it was the worse turbulence that he and his co-pilot had experienced in 15 years, the worst in their career flying. Mine too.

When the plane finally landed, and I made it into the terminal, I cried tears of gratitude for my life, for the power to see beyond all human experiences, and for touching the place within me that is always rock solid, anchored, fully awake, un-shakable, un-botherable, un-harmable and which stretches far beyond my physical life on planet earth. This is the same place that connects us all.

Just days after my return home, the Haiti earthquake struck. Like many, I had been watching the stories coming out of the rescue effort. I couldn’t help but notice a common denominator in several of the stories about survivors that were pulled from the rubble days and even weeks afterwards. When interviewed, each one said they were not afraid. They knew they would be found alive. One woman was even singing while they were pulling her out. Her song was “Do not be afraid of death”.

If and when Turbulence occurs in your life, whether it’s an illness or something else, just know, there is a place within you right now that is more real than anything else. It can never leave you or forsake you. It will love you, comfort you, guide you, and see you through, come what may. I believe this to be the place, that when touched, brings about a complete healing. Give it your full attention and the turbulence before you, will become powerless.

To the Truth that Sets Us All Free,

Donna Gershman ALSP

PS. You can heal, and you don't need to do it alone! If you or someone you know needs support in healing a disease, illness, chronic condition, injury or pain, please feel free to email me at youwillheal@aol.com or contact my office at (818)904-6840.

Becoming You

This past July, I moved back east after living full time in Los Angeles for the last 23 years. I grew up in Connecticut, so living on the east coast was not unfamiliar to me, but it had been a long time and it would most certainly be a big change from LA.

The night I arrived, my girlfriend picked me up at the airport and drove me out to my new home in Western Massachusetts, located on a beautiful lake in the country. It was midnight when we arrived. There were no street lights and it was pitch black out. I could see almost nothing. I got out of the car with my suitcases in hand and stood on the gravel covered ground beneath me. I will never forget that moment.

Although it was too dark to see around me, I could see thousands of stars in the sky above. I could smell the clean crisp night air. I could feel the healing waters of the lake just feet away, and I could hear the absolute silence. In that moment, I realized how far removed I had become from my own true “nature”, without even knowing it.

I dropped my suitcases to the ground and cried like a baby…..

I was home now, and somehow my body knew it. Within a few short weeks, I felt better than I had felt in a very long time. I felt more myself.

I read a quote recently from novelist and Nobel Laureate, Elie Wiesel. He said, “When you die and go to heaven, our maker is not going to ask, ‘Why didn’t you discover the cure for such and such? The only question we will be asked in that precious moment is, ‘Why didn’t you become you?’”

What does it mean to become more you?

Our natural state of being is Joy, Unconditional Love, Peace, Harmony, and Wellness. This is who we are and what we are. We can not be separated from these qualities, but we can be distracted from them, as in my case, or even worse we can deny their existence altogether. But no one can steal them from us and no situation has any power over them. Every quality we could ever need to be whole is already contained within us.

Imagine a closet inside of you, with all these qualities hanging on hangers, monogrammed with your name on them, wrapped in beautiful paper and bows, and in unlimited supply. These are gifts that have been given to you from the very beginning, only you might not have known it. What would keep you from accepting them now?

All of us inherited this same closet inside of us, filled to the brim with all that we need including courage, strength, wisdom, clarity, faith, trust, creativity, prosperity, guidance, support, love, peace, joy, etc…. If we don’t acknowledge them, they will remain in our closet collecting dust, and we will remain in denial of our gifts, still pretending we don't have them. This is a recipe for feeling less than.

What would it take for you to become more you???

In part, it would take you acknowledging what’s inside your closet, accepting the gifts as yours, and then allowing yourself to wear the gifts you’ve been given…in essence, to show them to the world. They are your true authentic nature.

To become more YOU, it would also take letting go of the stories and beliefs that somehow you are broken and or missing something you need. You have Everything. You ARE everything. You are One with the One. There is nothing more powerful than that.

You are the beneficiary of your own filled-full and overflowing closet of gifts. The more you are willing to accept these gifts as yours, the more you will experience them firsthand in your life, and the more YOU, you will become.

In fact, spiritual law says you must receive the gifts within you first, in order to receive outside of you (in your life). In other words, you can’t keep denying who you are and expect to experience fulfillment in your life.

So here’s the formula:
Experiencing your filled-full closet = your fulfillment.
(Try saying that three times fast!)

The root of all illness, by the way begins in the denial of your true authentic self (rejecting your closet). Today, you can choose to open up your closet of gifts and try one quality on for size.

If it’s wellness, then claim wellness as your birthright. Know it is who and what you are, and nothing, no one or no situation can ever change that. Accept the quality of wellness as yours now, despite whatever may be going on in your life, or whatever diagnosis you may have been given. Again, these qualities are not conditional on your experiences.

To change your experience, you must change how you see YOU. As compelling as an illness may seem, the reality of who YOU are, far out weighs any condition you may have. It may sound crazy but it’s the Truth, and it’s the place in consciousness you must go and dwell in, in order to heal.

Claim it, Re-claim it, Exclaim it, whatever you need to do until you know beyond any doubt that Wellness is the reality of who you really are. In that consciousness, dis-ease won’t have a leg to stand on.

Today, you can come out of the closet and become more YOU than ever before, by accepting the gifts that are your own true Divine Nature.

To The Truth That Sets Us All Free,

Donna Gershman ALSP

PS. You can heal, and you don't need to do it alone! If you or someone you know needs support in healing a disease, illness, chronic condition, injury or pain, please feel free to email me at youwillheal@aol.com or contact me directly at (818)904-6840.

The Absolute Bottom Line to Healing

Can you think of anyone in your life, who has been completely, unconditionally loving with you? Most people are lucky if they can think of even one person. I guarantee you this, if there has been one, you will likely never forget this person and how they made you feel.

I remember a pivotal story that Michael Beckwith, the Founder of The Agape International Spiritual Center told me and a fellow Practitioner Colleagues many years ago. He told us of a Prison Warden in California who consistently had the lowest rate of recidivism of all Prison systems in the state. Recidivism is a relapse into crime. His prisoners were least likely to return to crime, once they were released back into society. He apparently held this record for many years before someone finally asked him what he attributed his success to.

He basically said that he believed in the inherent good of all people, no matter their behavior.

When he would meet an inmate for the first time, despite whatever crime they had been convicted of, he would commit to identifying at least one positive trait about them. For some, it was very difficult, and he would have to look very hard to find something redeeming in them.

Once he identified the trait, no matter how obscure, he would then call the prisoner by that trait, rather than their name. For instance, in the case of an inmate who was good with numbers, every time he would see him he would say, “Hey, Mr. Math.”

Over time, what he began to notice was that the particular trait would become magnified in their behavior. Eventually, it started to effect their overall behavior, they would become more confident in themselves, and reveal more positive qualities.

It may seem obvious, but people do better when they feel better about themselves. Not when they're constantly reminded of what’s “wrong” with them.

So, are you wondering what all this has to do with healing your body? Everything.

That one person in your life, who loved you unconditionally, modeled to you how it feels to be truly loved just as you are, from the bottom of your tiny toes to the top of your funny little head. They loved you without judgment.

How many of us can honestly say, that we do this for ourselves on a consistent basis? Do you feel unconditionally loved by YOU? Are you kind, understanding, compassionate, forgiving, patient, and generous with yourself? Do you focus on the good in you? My guess is, “not so much.”

The absolute bottom line to health and wholeness lies in our ability to love and embrace ourselves “whole-heartedly”, without exception. In fact, I believe that this is our one true lesson plan on planet earth.

This may sound airy-fairy to some, or too esoteric, but the human body responds to feelings of well-being, and vice versa. Just for a moment, try telling yourself over and over again that you are “Perfect Just As You Are”, and then feel how your body reacts. Does it get stronger or weaker?

Now tell yourself, that "You're Not Good Enough” over and over again, and then see how your body feels. The body will undoubtedly weaken with the negative thought.

Now imagine what having negative self beliefs over your lifetime will do, and how it will affect how your body feels, and of course how you live your life.

When it comes down to it, you are solely responsible for how you feel about you. Not your parents, not your spouse, not your grandparents, your kids, your first grade teacher,  your Aunt Mabel or your first boyfriend or girlfriend.

If they were not able to love you unconditionally, it was because they were not able to love themselves unconditionally. How 'bout you? Are you willing to do this for you?

It’s true that we are our own worst enemies. We know that. So, why do we expect everyone else to treat us better or love us better, than we are willing to for ourselves?


Today, you can begin to get yourself out of the “prison” of your own making, by letting go of judgment for yourself. Start by telling yourself that today is a new day, the past is the past, and it’s okay to love yourself right now, just as you are.

Be willing to forgive yourself for not always being your best, or for carrying thoughts about yourself that were ultimately self destructive.


The fact is, the minute you decide you are worthy of loving yourself, will be the same minute you will align yourself with Universal Love, the greatest healing power available. You will have just opened up the gateway for your healing, (the same gateway that you erroneously closed, by withholding love from yourself through negative self judgment).

The practice of self forgiveness is an essential part to healing any physical condition. Thankfully, you don't have to know how to do it, your simple willingness to, is all you need. 

Be like the prison warden, and focus on what’s “right” about you. No matter what crime you think you committed, today you can break out of your self imposed prison, by releasing self judgement. Free yourself, once and for all, to live a life of health and well being.

To The Truth That Sets Us All Free,

Donna Gershman ALSP

PS. You can heal, and you don't need to do it alone! If you or someone you know needs support in healing a disease, illness, chronic condition, injury or pain, please feel free to email me at youwillheal@aol.com or contact me directly at (818)904-6840. 

The Decision of Your Life

In speaking with a friend today, I was reminded of a story. Many years ago, as I was studying to be a Practitioner/Healer, I had an accident. I was getting an oil change at a service station that had just opened near my home. When the mechanic called me over to show me my air filter, I wandered unwittingly behind the back of my car and proceeded to fall 15 feet into the underground mechanics pit.

As I was falling into this dark hole, I heard myself say, “Oh my God, I’m falling, Oh my God, I’m falling” and on the third time, “Oh my God, I’m falling”, I realized that I had no idea how far I was falling or if I would live. Then I heard myself say, “Ok, is this a big deal, or not a big deal?” The next thing really surprised me. I heard a completely different voice and it said “ You decide!”

So, I did.

I said to myself (while still in mid-air), “Ok, not a big deal! Not a big deal!” Then I hit the bottom.

I landed on my back and hit my head on cement. I might have been out for a minute. I’m not sure. All I remember is hearing screaming around me. When I finally opened my eyes, there was a man leaning over me wailing. He was clearly panic stricken. So, I said, “Are you alright?” He went white.

I proceeded to get up, wipe myself off and climb an extended ladder that had been thrown down in the hole. When I got to the top, a crowd had gathered. They stared at me like they were seeing a ghost. I asked, “Do you have a ladies room?” A man just pointed with his mouth open.

I went into the ladies room wondering what the fuss was all about. Why were people staring at me? Hadn’t they ever seen a person fall before? Before I left the ladies room, I took a quick peek in the mirror to check my makeup. There was blood coming from my head, arm and leg and I was standing at a 90 degree angle, bent over like a table.

I didn’t think much of it at the time, except that it explained the stares I had gotten.

I went out to the register, paid for my oil change, had a few brief words with the owner of the garage reassuring him that I would not be suing him, but that he needed to make sure that this never happened to anyone again, and then got into my car to leave.

The day after the accident, I had no visible scratches, cuts or bruises, my back was straight and I was walking perfectly. I was not sore at all, nor did I have any lasting injuries. I was fine. Perfect, in fact. No one would have ever known I had fallen down a 15 foot hole and lived to tell about it. It was a miracle. A miracle, based upon my own decision, for this event not to be a “big” negative, drawn out, dramatic, feel sorry for me, deal.

I decided I had nothing to gain by being injured and in pain, even if no one would blame me if I was. I mean after all, I fell a long way down. I could have milked it for everything it was worth.

More importantly for me though, I learned the power of decision. I learned that I could decide the outcome of my circumstances. I had choice on how to experience it.

Everyday, we are given the same opportunity, to decide. Do I believe that I need to get a cold because my child brought one home? Do I believe that I am susceptible to germs and therefore powerless from getting sick. Do I believe what the doctors are telling me more than my own internal guidance? Do I believe my illness is more powerful than me? Do I believe the prognosis is what determines the outcome? Will I give my power to fear? Do I believe I can heal? Do I believe I will heal? The answer to all of these questions is:

YOU DECIDE.

You’re that powerful. Use your power to express the highest in you. Use your power to thrive in the world. Use your power to feel good about you.

It’s up to you, and no one can decide for you.

Today, you can take the first step, by making a very big decision. Decide that you are WORTH being healthy, and that you DESERVE to feel good, no matter what.

You are a unique individual. There is no one else like you and you have gifts even you don’t know you have. You are here for a reason and a purpose. You are important and essential to the world (whether you know it right now or not). No matter how you may feel about you, you are way better than you think you are.

I believe in you. Do you believe in you?

YOU DECIDE.

To the Truth That Sets Us All Free,

Donna Gershman ALSP

PS. You can heal, and you don't have to do it alone! If you or someone you know needs support in healing a disease, illness, chronic condition, injury or pain, please feel free to email me at youwillheal@aol.com or contact me directly at (818)904-6840 

The Purpose of Illness

Many years ago, I worked with a woman who had cancer throughout her entire body and was preparing to die. She told me how she had been fighting the disease for years, had done every treatment, and now she was at the end. I listened to her story carefully and when she was done, I asked her one simple question. I asked if she could think of any small way that the cancer had changed her life in a good way. She looked at me in disbelief but then in earnestness, took several moments to think about it.

Finally, she responded, “Well, I’m on disability.” I marveled at her honesty, and proceeded to tell her that in actuality, she did not have a health issue at all, she had a prosperity issue.

We then prayed together, and in the prayer I never mentioned her body or the cancer at all. I simply prayed for her to know more prosperity in her life. She returned two weeks later to tell me that she was cancer free, and that her Doctors did not know why. But, she did.

She’s alive today, not because of me, but because she was willing to be radically honest with herself. The Truth will indeed set you free.

Illness always serves a purpose. Sometimes, it’s a wake up call; a sign that it’s time to pay attention to ourselves on another level, one we have most likely been avoiding.

Illness can serve us in many ways. It can be as simple as helping us to get out of work. Sometimes, we just need time off, but for whatever reason, we can’t seem to give ourselves permission to take it, so we get sick and then are forced to. This is much more socially acceptable in our minds than asking for a mental health day, or telling the boss that we’re tired and need to rest.

Other times, like with my client, illness can be meeting a deep unconscious need. When you really think about it, being sick gets us off the hook from a lot of things, like responsibility, expectations, or having to step into our greatness. It also gets us things like attention, love, compassion, understanding, forgiveness, patience, support, money, companionship, and caretaking, to name a few.

There are actually a zillion ways an illness can serve us, but no one ever wants to admit it, because it seems wrong to want these things, in the first place. The truth is, we have every right to want these things and to have them. But, we justify why we can’t just ask for what we want, “I can’t take time off right now, I’m too busy at work. I’ll look selfish, or like I’m not a team player.”

In the case of my client, she was more afraid of being homeless than of being sick. She was tired of taking care of herself and struggling. Disability paid for her to live without having to work anymore. I know it seems radical, but these are deep unconscious needs we are talking about. No one would make the decision consciously to get sick with cancer just to get out of having to work. It’s what our sub-conscious does, to meet an unmet need.

If you are willing to be honest enough with yourself and identify what need in you is being met by the illness, then you will have the opportunity to meet that need in another way. If you can say for instance, “I feel very alone and need my family around me”. Then you can ask for that and know you deserve to have it, without creating an illness to meet that need.

Obviously, to prevent illness, we must be awake to our needs, be willing to give ourselves what we need, when we need it, and know that we are deserving of that.

Illness is not a random act. It holds a purpose. Find that purpose, meet it head on, and you will be on your way to health once again.

To the Truth That Sets Us All Free,

Donna Gershman ALSP

PS. Don't Suffer: If you or someone you know needs support in healing a disease, illness, chronic condition or pain, please feel free to email me at youwillheal@aol.com or contact me directly at (818)904-6840.