The dreaded moment had arrived. For over a week, I’d avoided thinking about it. I didn’t want feed any feelings of anxiety. Here I was, lying on my back, my body slowly being transferred into a big machine. I was halfway in when sudden panic set in. I knew that I was entering into a confined space, but I had not anticipated just how narrow and confined that space actually was. For a moment, I considered squeezing the little device in my hand to notify the nurses of my emotional discomfort so that they could take me out. Instead, I kept my big girl panties on and decided to take a few deep breathes.

I am the hole on the flute that Gods breath flows through.  ~ Eckhart Tolle

I’m sure that many people who have been for an MRI would agree that it’s no fun. It can be a nerve wracking experience. I’m not exactly claustrophobic, but being inside a tight warm space with all its banging and loud sounds while the scans were under way for close to an hour definitely required a concerted effort to remain composed.

However, as soon as I focused on breathing, a sense of calm washed over me. As I breathed, I reminded myself not to resist the situation, but to accept it. For a few months now, my hormones have been out of sync. I’d been for a series of tests and needed to have the MRI to see if there was a growth or tumour that could be the cause of this. Fortunately my situation is not life threatening. It has awakened me to the underlying patterns and shadows I still need to work on healing. I’ve witnessed Divine Spirit intervene every step of the way, guiding me to the right information, health practitioners and an amazing spiritual healer at the right time. So by reminding myself of this, I knew that I was protected, safe and exactly where I was meant to be.

To talk myself out of fear, I recalled some of the lessons that I’ve learnt from A Course in Miracles – that love did not create this, fear did and that I could choose to see my situation differently through the eyes of love. When I released my anxiety, surrendering to what was, I felt my angelic guides with me. Soon enough, it was all over. I am grateful that I could apply these spiritual tools to help me through the process.

 Place your faith and trust in the essence of love rather than give power to the fear, anxiety and negativity associated with your perceived challenges.

A Course in Miracles describes miracles as a shift in one’s perception from fear to the awareness of love. Making this shift almost always requires the choice to place your faith and trust in the essence of love rather than give power to the fear, anxiety and negativity associated with your perceived challenges. My recent experiences have reminded me that our tough moments are when we need to apply this understanding the most. We also need to find ways of remaining open to the soul lessons and blessings that accompany the difficulty we go through.

That said, here are a few tips from my lessons of dealing with an MRI. Some of these tips can also be applied in other situations as well:

1. The Power of Healing Energy – The love and light of healing energy has a powerful effect in every situation. Since Distance Reiki can transcend the barriers of time and space, I sent Reiki energy to myself in advance so that I would receive it during the MRI. I feel that the calm that descended upon me when I began to focus on my breathing was partly due to the Reiki energy coming through at that point.
2. Acceptance – Often most of our stress comes from resisting the situation that we are facing. We may not like it or want to be where we are, but accepting our reality is the first step to moving out of the situation. Make peace with what is. This relieves some of the anxiety and frees up your energy to focus on your healing.
4. Breathe – When we are stressed or anxious we restrict our breathing. Taking deep breaths fills your lungs and gets more oxygen to the brain. This helps the body to relax and be at ease.
5. Make use of Remote Sensing – If you struggle with confined spaces then put your imagination to use and expand your senses. During the MRI, I visualised the room outside me where I could see my husband sitting and waiting for me. I visualised the hospital, the area and the parks outside of the hospital. I could also see the sky above me and my favourite nature spots around the city. This way, I didn’t feel so trapped.
6. Call on your guides – The angels and your spirit guides are there to help you through all kinds of situations. Call on them for help. Ask the angels for extra support. Archangel Raphael and Michael are great companions during medical situations when you feel you need healing and protection.
7. Use Positive Affirmations – Maintaining a positive outlook and optimism is an important part of healing. Don’t give power to negative thoughts of fear, anger, blame or guilt. Instead, draw on your mental and emotional resources to foster positivity to assist you with your recovered.