Tuesday, February 22, 2011

When you step up to the plate...

When you step up to the plate you may not feel all that comfortable or skilled, but go by simply your own inner compass and continuing faith in something greater than yourself. I was asked by Dr. Anne here at Meherabad Clinic to go with her to provide post-trauma relief to a man who recently lost both legs in a terrible accident at the railway. He had been volunteering for Amirtiti here at the end of January and was on his way home. He was standing near the edge of the platform waiting and the crowd surged just as the train arrived. He was thrown onto the tracks and both legs were severed. He is a small man from No' India, no bigger than myself but a husband, father of three and from a very good family of devoted Baba lovers.
Dr. Anne was reached within 3 minutes of the terrible accident and was able to travel with him to hospital. He was initally refused treatment because his state was so critical, but she faced off the medical staff - as the only woman there, quite a sizable feat here in India- and demanded he get blood transfusions (7 or 8 pints eventually). He had no blood pressure that they could find, but she persisted. He survived but has been in such pain and shock.
His last surgery was 10 days ago and he was now stable and taking food, so an appropriate time to see him, re. some SE therapy exploration. This occured really through a blessed introduction with Meherwan only the day before at Meherazad. He is the most gentle of spirits and I felt so comfortable in his presence and drawn to him. He is now an elderly man whose brother had been a mandali and closest to Meher Baba. He apparently called Dr. Anne after our meeting and suggested I see the patient, having been introduced to him as a 'trauma therapist'.
I can say this: the journey to the hospital was another long drive through difficult traffic into Amhendangar (I realize I am butchering the spelling there) with Dr. Anne who only recently decided to try to drive so she could visit him. We found him in stronger spirits than she'd seen him, he smiled and was able to do some basic hand lifts and simple rotations. After she completed her initial assessment, I sat near him and held his hand. There was no discomfort or shyness; only an opening where we could both meet in the land of the heart without words. Indians do not usually accept touch, especially from a person of the opposite sex. But it was seamless and we did our work together to help his body begin to shed some of the shock from the tissue. His arms were rigid, held out to his sides, in the eternal bracing/freeze of a defensive response unable to be made. But he and I worked well together, and it lessened tremendously. He cried in a gentle way, and I kept my hand on his heart and encouraged him to softly open and close his hands as he did so.
But I believe the biggest shift was with his wife who had sat on the cold tile floor with her shawl covering her face for weeks. She had been unable to make eye contact over the month with Dr. Anne, and refused to sit on the bed or chair nearby. She clearly was in her own state of shock, and in a deep dorsal shut-down. Through touch to the back of her heart and repeating Baba's name slowly and resonately together, she came through that phase and back into relational being. Much shock came out of her heart, until finally I began to feel a deeper and more calm pulse in her tissue. It was very moving and touching to work so closely with this couple who allowed me into their world. Eventually I did a bit of SE eye work with her as well, knowing I might not get another chance to work with her. Her response was very good, and she began to make eye contact and pull her shawl back. Toward the end of the time, she moved toward her husband and held his hand. It was such a good shift toward healing.

I had two words that I had translated into Hindi: "Easy" and "That's right, that's good." They were enough, and if you ever think words really matter this was a testiment that they don't. It's truly in the realm of non-verbal communications that we affect one another. Meher Baba spent 44 years in silence, communicating the one thing that matters: love. And that, as we all know, is communicated in presence alone. I have been so deeply affected by this trip, and by Meher.
Thank you for taking the journey with me, via these posts.




2 comments:

  1. Patti I read through your blogs tonight. I am looking forward to seeing photos of you in sari garb, and people whose lives you have touched. You have been blessed to travel in that circle of SE people. It feels like India has captured your heart. I am waiting to talk to you on SKYPE when you return to ice and snow and bitter cold!

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  2. oh my, Patti. this telling brought me to a tender place of tears. for the magic and potency of presence and love. and, of course, knowing your skill in residing in both.....thank you for sharing this story. xoxo

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