An MS Diagnosis and Your “New Body” Can Lead You to Your True Essence
The cover picture for this blog is a photo of me dancing at the rehearsal dinner for my wedding almost 14 years ago. I was totally free and totally happy. I was able to wear 4-inch heels and I loved every minute of it.
Do you know what I FEEL when I look at this photo? I feel JOY! I feel POSSIBILITY. I feel FREEDOM and LOVE. Does it make me sad when I see this photo? Absolutely NOT! It brings me so much PLEASURE! It resonates at a completely high vibration for me. That is why it is pasted on my vision board which sits on my desk that I get to look at every day. I use my vision board to turn my grief into hope. It sets me up for a better journey, and a better experience to live WELL with multiple sclerosis.
Grieving a multiple sclerosis diagnosis with hope
When my husband and I attended the memorial service for his grandmother, something the minister said really struck a chord with me. He talked about “GRIEVING WITH HOPE”
From my teaching experience, I have found that many MSers feel that they are grieving their “old bodies” - the body they knew before they were diagnosed with MS. They wish they were still able to live in that old body and experience life with them instead of their “new body.”
As the minister said this, I thought what if my students could grieve their old bodies with hope instead of with fear and sadness? What if they could spin their MS symptoms in a positive way to look at their “new” bodies as a messenger who is there to deliver important news? What if they could recognize that their “new” bodies are just there to warn them of something or make them pay attention so that they can make a necessary change?
Coming back to my true essence through MS healing meditations
My husband and I recently watched the Pamela Anderson documentary, Pamela, A Love Story. I was initially skeptical, but I really enjoyed watching it. It just goes to show that you can’t judge a book by its cover. Pamela is much smarter and more capable than most people ever gave her credit for. They assumed things about her that weren’t true, and she lost a lot, especially in her career, because of those assumptions.
But the most interesting part for me was towards the end of the film. I got a HUGE nod from the universe. There was a shot of Pamela’s nightstand and on it was a Cliff’s Notes version of The Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campbell, which is what The MS Stage framework is modeled after.
Then as if that wasn’t enough of a sign to me that the universe wants me to keep going with this work, at the end of the documentary, Pamela finally came back to herself and proved what she is truly capable of as an actress by playing the role of Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago.
You see, I call my left leg “Roxy.” My leg spells it differently than the main character in Chicago, but that was the name that appeared to me in a meditation when I was asking my left leg what its name was last year. I decided to try something different and find out the name of my worst symptom so that I could speak to it as if it was a friend and not an enemy.
I remember thinking, “Roxy? How in the world did that name pop into my mind?”
But then…I remembered one of my favorite musical theater characters is named Roxie. Suddenly it all began to make sense.
For years as a child, my leg supported me as I danced and performed on stages, and she wanted to be called the same name as one of the characters I adored.
Now I know my leg is a woman. She is about my age, and I have a very good sense of what her character is like. From the moment she revealed herself to me, I knew that Roxy was my superpower.
Here is a clip of Renee Zellweger playing Roxie in the film version of Chicago. You will see what I mean by understanding the character of my left leg now.
Just as Pamela Anderson’s documentary shows her coming back to her true essence by the end of the film, The MS Stage guides students to come back to theirs. It’s how I have come back to the freedom and happiness I felt at my rehearsal dinner all those years ago. And it’s how you can come back to YOUR true essence through my women’s MS support group.
MS healing testimonials and stories of hope
You don’t have to take my word for it that The MS Stage and healing arts for MS really make a difference. My students have experienced a variety of positive emotional shifts and incredible opportunities as a result of joining my MS wellness program.
Ashlee’s MS support group story:
My student, Ashlee, came into the program only 4 months after her diagnosis. Her desire was to create a better relationship with herself by practicing loving kindness. What she left with after the 12 weeks was so much more. She loved being witnessed by women in the group. Ashlee {watch her story HERE}, reported during class that she feels like “The MS Stage is guiding me back to my true essence and helping me reclaim my power.”
Through The MS Stage Method, Ashlee discovered that her true gifts are best expressed through love and connection. She is now living a much calmer life with ease.
Palina’s MS support group story:
One of my students, Palina, came into my online MS healing group, The MS Stage, a year into her diagnosis desiring HOPE. She lives in Prague.
HER RESULT at the end of the MS support group was really positive. She said, "I am much less scared honestly. I speak about MS in a much calmer way. After I gave my symptom a name, it has become a lot easier to manage her. It puts my quality of life on a different level because I know what I’m dealing with now. I have compassion for her and treat her as a friend instead of a foe.”
Palina went on to learn how to swim, which is something she always wanted to do but was intimidated to try. She got an offer for her dream job, and is now working in an industry she’s passionate about. She has even been asked to give a talk about her experience with MS to share and help others in her city grieve their multiple sclerosis diagnosis with hope.
Gina’s MS support group story:
Gina, an American living in the UK, says: “The MS stage was the first program I had seen around the stage, dancing and the body and getting in touch with my symptoms through movement. I did a lot of theater and dance growing up and thought that part of me was going to be put on permanent hiatus. I have quite a lot of disability. I struggle to walk. I talk to myself and my symptoms in a much kinder way now. That has been the biggest mental health shift for me. I’m not so resentful over my limitations anymore. I am so happy to have found the MS stage.”
The MS Stage helped Gina get back into her body by connecting to her symptoms through movement. She had begun her first round of The MS Stage doing her dancing seated. Now she dances standing. The program was super accessible for her as someone who struggles to walk sometimes.
Learn more about The MS Stage!
If you’re interested in coming back to your true essence, The MS Stage is a 12-week guided experience to claim your “hero’s journey” with MS. Our signature program is a women’s MS support group that includes weekly Zoom calls, bonus content and additional resources, and access to our community of women who are also taking control of their MS journey alongside you. We can’t wait to have you join us inside The MS Stage - click the button below to learn more!