08/08/2024
How Dr. Bernie Siegel's Work Influenced My Healing Practice:
I first met Bernie at the Renaissance Hotel in Austin, Texas, during a four-day event organized by the Omega Institute. The event was packed with amazing speakers in holistic medicine, wellness, spirituality, and meditation. After attending a lecture by Deepak Chopra, I found myself sitting alone on the veranda, trying to process everything I’d heard. That’s when Bernie joined me.
As he introduced himself, I thought, “Isn’t this incredible?” Here I was with the author of Peace, Love, and Healing and Love, Medicine, and Miracles. But we didn’t talk about his books or his career. Instead, we connected as two people sharing life stories. We spent a couple of hours talking about life, his adorable grandson, and my goals for the event and my emerging career as a healer. I was struck by how relatable, candid, thoughtful, and funny he was. That time with him was a precious moment I’ll always cherish.
The next day, Bernie’s lecture started with a memorable question: “Who here came to learn how to get rid of pain forever?” Everyone raised their hands because that was the talk's title. He humorously suggested we’d need to go to the cemetery because that’s the only place where people are free from pain. It caught us off guard and made us laugh, but it also made us think. Then he said, “Now that I’ve fulfilled the promise of my talk, let’s get to the REALLY important question! How does pain serve us?” We were all hooked.
For the next 90 minutes, he explored how pain can be a guide and a teacher. His talk made me see things in a whole new way, which changed how I work with my clients. I started using humor to help people see their beliefs differently and began teaching them how to view pain as an ally and messenger.
His insights have shaped my journey and influenced the thousands of clients I’ve helped over the past three decades. I’m so grateful for his impact on my life and my practice. He’ll never fully know the difference he’s made, but I carry his lessons with me every day.
Who's guided you? It’s time for YOUR so give them shout out in the comments!
Cheers,
Yvonne
