Jousting with Poison

Lessons from the great rash...

This blog is a place where I have vowed to be open and transparent in the name of modeling what personal awareness and empowerment might look like and feel like.

I offer my own life experiences and my subsequent interpretations of these experiences, along with lessons learned, in the hope of igniting your own curiosity about YOU.

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I believe the body is not just a biological machine, but a profound messenger—a mirror of the subconscious mind, and the wayshower of mental, emotional, and energetic imbalances. This perspective views physical symptoms not as random or purely physical, but as symbols pointing to deeper emotional, mental, and spiritual truths.

Whether you subscribe to the above, or you are simply seeking to expand self awareness, consider that our bodies are communicating to us all the time. Its easy to hear the scream of our lower back or our joint pain or the headache, but what about other ways our body communicates with us? And what are the deeper messages it is trying to convey?

The day after my return from NYC (see my last post), I decided to engage my favorite self-soothing pastime - yard work - in an effort to re-ground after my trip. It was a wonderful day, full of productivity, creativity, and full-on conscious engagement with both my body and my body in nature. Two days later I awoke with what I thought was a spider bite. In the ensuing 48 hours, the “spider bite” turned into a horrible case of poison ivy that spread around my body as if I were the tree that the vine decided to climb. While I am no stranger to poison ivy, it has been a long time since I have had such an insidious case. Given I am someone who believes and teaches that everything in life has a lesson, I was not going to avoid, discount, and/or ignore the potential message that this deeply irritating rash was seeking to deliver.

Of course I began by researching the deeper spiritual or metaphysical meaning of a poison ivy rash. I put each of these on my proverbial table for my consideration. By the way, I was not very comfortable with what I found but I knew I had to take an honest look.

1. Inflamed Boundaries - A sense that you have been “touched” by someone or something toxic - emotionally, energetically, or relationally. The accompanying question: Who or what have I been exposed to that feels energetically irritating or unsafe?

2. Hidden conflict or resentment - Poison Ivy is sneaky. You can come in contact with it and it not show up for several days. This could represent repressed anger, irritation, or resentment that festers under the surface before erupting…… OR emotional wounds from past experiences or people that weren’t fully processed. Question to ask: What am I irritated or angry about, but haven’t expressed?

3. Lessons in protection or awareness - Poison Ivy teaches vigilance. Once you recognize it you avoid it. One must become more discerning about who or what you allow into your energy field. Protect yourself proactively, rather than reactively. Question to ask: Where am I ignoring red flags in my life? Are there places I need to create more energetic or emotional space?

4. Healing through Discomfort - the rash forces rest, reflection, and care. It can be a spiritual signal to slow down, pay attention, and care for the self more deeply—especially when you’ve been pushing too hard or neglecting your needs. (Ding, ding, ding) :-)

Wow! It seems that I have some things to think about (said the psychologist turned life coach).

In the last week, I have spent considerable time contemplating the potential messages outlined above. I have asked the questions and journaled extensively….and what was revealed was TRUTH. My own truths. The truth came pouring out with the intensity, determination, and focus of a river rushing to find the place where it empties itself. Where in my life am I not expressing my true feelings? Am I holding resentments? What is festering and why? Am I ignoring red flags? Where do I need to create space? I approached these questions as best I could with objectivity, non-judgment, and humility, and the dialogue I had with myself was revealing and rather amazing.

While many answers came from the questions I asked myself in all the categories above, the one I will share with you relates to #4….Healing through Discomfort.

The discomfort associated with the rash, which included an intolerable, and at times un-soothable itch all over my body required patience, deliberate and mindful action, and self-compassion. I began the journey with this rash racing for a cure, or at least whatever would alleviate the discomfort the quickest. Sound familiar? (Think food, drugs, alcohol, spending, etc.)

I tried everything from Caladryl, to a steroidal cream, to Aloe, to baking soda paste, to an oatmeal bath. Nothing I did prevented the rash from invisibly creeping all over my body. I was engaged in a game of whack-a-mole. Every time I felt it emerging, I raced to the spot and lathered it with something. I felt like it was taunting me!

At some point, I woke up to this stressful jousting match with this poison….. and surrendered. This is when I began asking questions. What are you here to teach me? What am I not seeing or feeling or expressing? I practiced deep breathing, pausing, allowing. I stopped resisting and I “leaned into” its deeper messages. Slow down. Be HERE now. Trust the body to heal itself. Stop forcing. Find healthy ways to release irritation. Create space for self nurturance. Express the unexpressed. Be with the discomfort.

I then reminded myself that nothing is permanent…especially a poison ivy rash!

And with that….it began to disappear.

Candace Pert, a neuroscientist and pharmacologist known for her pioneering work on the mind-body connection said, "The mind writes the script and the body fills it.” Her research and subsequent books entitled Molecules of Emotion and The Body is the Subconscious Mind illustrate in detail how our thoughts and feelings influence physical health.

I easily could have accepted my poison ivy rash as an unfortunate and highly irritating physical experience that I just had to survive. I could have felt like a victim of the rash, blamed the plant for doing this to me, and complained to anyone who would listen. Instead, I chose to ask one of the most powerful questions one can ask about any experience or interaction, “what are you here to teach me?” And/or “what can I learn from this experience?”

I am the teacher and the student…..always. You can be too.

Love,

Lacy