Many years ago, I suffered from a deep depression that lasted the span of 4 years. I was a Christian at the time and did everything humanly possible to get relief. I prayed that God would take this heaviness away, I would play praise music and dance around the room, I went and saw both secular and Christian counselors, I even took anti-depressants, but nothing worked for any lasting time.
Then one day I was sitting in my dark green mini-van in the parking lot of my kid’s school. I was so wretched with emotional pain that you could cut it with a knife.
For some reason, I just started doing these deep breathing exercises and with each exhalation I would repeat silently to myself, “I release pain,” “I release pain.” I said this over and over and in about a 10 minute time frame, all the pain was gone.
There was a peace and stillness I had not experienced in a very long time. In that peace, God spoke to my heart and told me that the reason I was so depressed was because of my chronically negative thoughts. As I listened to my thoughts, which were unconscious to me before this incident, I noticed that I was continually putting myself down. I was saying thing like, “I hate myself,” over and over and over, all day long.
This was when my healing began. Within the next few months, using relaxation techniques and integrating them with scriptures I learned how to quiet my mind, eliminate my negative thinking, and restore my peace of mind.
Also in the process of spending extended time in silence and solitude with God, my intimacy with Him increased as well.
Later, God inspired me to create my first Christian meditation CD, Controlling Negative Thoughts. Now I have over 23 Cds Christ-centered meditation and affirmation Cds on many topics.
My future desire is to open The Secret Place Christian Meditation and Wellness Center: A Health and Wellness Center for Christians that will offer daily biblical meditation; PraiseMoves: The Christian Alternative to Yoga, and Pilates; weekly health, spiritual, and wellness classes; massage therapy; a health and nutrition boutique; support groups; and Biblical Life Coaching.
Several years ago I received training and certification as a Praise Moves Instructor, The Christian Alternative to Yoga. On November 21, 2010 I will have completed 250 hours of Yahweh (Christian) Yoga training and will be offering both Christian Yoga and meditation class in the Sacramento area. I am very excited!
