by Angela Perin, Brisbane, AUSTRALIA. DipT (ECE), BEd (ECE), Business Owner

I was introduced to the work and modalities of Universal Medicine in 2010, just over two years ago. One of my daughters had become quite ill with asthmatic symptoms to the point where she was missing many days off school. In the months prior, my eldest daughter was diagnosed with glandular fever and was also challenged with poor health as a result.

As parents, up until that point, we had prided ourselves in electing the alternative and natural medicine approach, and had largely avoided conventional medicine to treat any illness or symptom our family experienced. We felt we had a healthy lifestyle as we ate organic (wherever possible), and all participated in physical activity or sport on a regular basis. We didn’t eat fast food, my husband and I didn’t smoke, we didn’t have tattoos or body piercings, we didn’t drink excessively, and we capped our espresso coffees at 2-3 per day (we loved our coffee!). 

Although I was personally aware that it would be better if I cut down on my coffee drinking altogether, or to avoid alcohol or the occasional sweet treats (chocolate, cake etc.), I always found this difficult. I defended this by telling myself that these things were ok in moderation, and that in respect of the ‘good’ diet and lifestyle I felt I had most of the time, that these things were part of a healthy lifestyle as long as they weren’t done in excess. In fact many, if not all of my friends and family, who had also adopted a similar attitude toward health and diet, also regularly drank alcohol and coffee. We felt our diet was a big improvement on the diets of most of the population, and therefore relatively speaking we felt we had taken responsibility for a ‘healthy’ lifestyle.

In saying that, our home and relationships were not always (and rarely in truth), harmonious and happy, and our business was oftentimes demanding and stressful. To counter this, my husband and I delved into various personal and professional development workshops and programs in an attempt to address and find a solution to the ongoing issues in our relationship and business. Our investment of time and money resulted in improvements or changes that were short-lived (mostly providing temporary relief), but invariably we found ourselves back confronting exactly the same issues with ourselves, and within our relationships. Despite believing that we were taking responsibility for ourselves, and not suffering any major illness or disease, the feelings of being sad, angry, stressed, depressed or tired remained.

Although I always had a sense that there was more to health than diet and exercise, and felt that factors such as emotions and relationships could also influence health, I believed at the time that the alternate therapies we had chosen to support our family were addressing the root cause of whatever was presenting. When a symptom or health issue arose we would address it with these therapies – and there always appeared to be a relief of symptoms and a feeling of physically feeling ‘better’ which followed. Although I had always struggled with my weight, together with digestion and bowel issues, I considered that this had little to do with my ‘healthy’ lifestyle and had come to accept my state of being and body as ‘normal’ for me.

When it came to my daughter being very sick, I was running out of options. No matter what we tried, her poor health continued to the point where she lost considerable weight and barely had the strength to get out of bed for several weeks. I could feel that something else wasn’t right and needed to be addressed, but couldn’t identify what that was.

As soon as my friend introduced me to the Universal Medicine esoteric modalities and practitioners, I knew instantly that this finally made sense. Although I didn’t grasp all of the details, I knew without a doubt that what was being presented was ‘true’ and complete, and at the same time I knew that I knew all of this already.

There was no imposition by the practitioners telling us what to do, or trying to fix us, or promising us solutions (including improved health). There was no feeling of judgment for the choices we had made up to that point or would continue to make, and there was no feeling of betterment or that they knew what was better for us than what we did. This differed markedly to the other alternate therapies and practitioners we had seen up to that date because even with perhaps the best intent, the treatments had always been about abiding by a certain set of rules in order to improve health (i.e. diet, exercise, etc.). In retrospect I have identified that we had given power away to previous practitioners who we upheld as having the answers to improve our health, and that it was ‘they’ who had the power of healing.

However, what we experienced with Universal Medicine practitioners was different to anything previously experienced. Through the esoteric modalities, they simply supported us in connecting back to, and listening to our bodies – and the choices we made in relationship to that connection were ours.

Initially, I took my daughters for treatments with the aim of supporting them with their physical health. As I began to understand more about the modalities, I could feel that I had hardened my body to not feel, and that underneath, my body was also giving me clear signs that there were things to look at. So I began having esoteric healing sessions myself, and began attending Universal Medicine workshops and presentations with Serge Benhayon. The more I did this, the more I realised how disconnected I had been from my body previously, and the ‘actual’ state my body was in.

Initially when I began to slow down and start to listen to my body, I realised that I was actually exhausted, and was functioning and running on constant nervous energy. I could then feel how I used coffee and also certain foods as a stimulant to ‘get’ me through the day. The questions I then asked myself were: why was I so exhausted, and how was I living that would lead me to be so exhausted? When I was honest with myself, I became aware that I was using alcohol as an escape and distraction from my life. Then I had to ask myself: why did I need to escape and what was I escaping from? These were all very exposing questions which required me to be really honest with myself about exactly what was going on in my body and my life.

The more honest I became and the more prepared I was to actually honour my body and what it was saying, the more I began to become aware of my relationship with food, sleep, exercise etc. By being gentle with myself, and feeling the impact of how I was living on my body, it was easier to make supportive choices around my diet and sleep, and also around my relationship with myself and others. So the choices I made in relation to choosing to not drink alcohol and coffee etc. were not difficult because they were not coming from a directive from anyone else, nor from an intellectual or mind decision or an ideal or something imposed upon me, but rather based on what I could actually feel these things were doing to my body.

Over the past two years, each family member has had the opportunity to experience the healing the esoteric modalities offer; healing that simply allows us to connect to our own bodies and thus be aware that we are truly masters of our own healing, and that true healing comes from within. Each of us has made changes within our lifestyle (diet etc.) based on what we are each ready to feel and take responsibility for.

Of course there have been times where I have been challenged, and I am lovingly aware that there are times when I over-ride what I feel in my body, but throughout this process neither I, nor any other family member, have ever been judged by Universal Medicine or Serge Benhayon or any of the esoteric practitioners. I have learnt to be more gentle with myself in relation to my own unfolding, and am learning to be more gentle with others in relation to where they are at, and the choices they are making. And thanks to the example of Universal Medicine I am learning to be less imposing and judgmental on the individual choices of others and to simply live my life with gentleness (to the best of my ability) around my own choices.

At the age of 46, I feel more ‘me’ and more connected to my body than I have ever felt. I have lost excess weight without ‘trying’ and without any conscious effort, and feel more comfortable in my body and appreciate more beauty in myself than ever before in my life. I take better (and more gentle) care of myself, have more energy (I no longer rely on nervous energy to get me through a day), have more awareness of what is truly going on for me and for those around me, and more appreciation for me just being ‘me’.

I enjoy regular gentle exercise, and feel (and look) better in and about my body than I ever did when I was heavily into running and regularly at the gym, and have an appreciation for western medicine that I previously criticised and defended against. Having spent a lifetime constantly feeling there were things I had to ‘do’ to be a ‘good’ worker, mother, wife, friend, daughter etc., I am gently becoming aware that the basis on which I ‘did’ all of these things was false, and that it was about fitting in or being accepted, and nothing to do with what was true for me; and that all of these things have been held in my body. I am gently re-learning that it’s not about the things I’ve done or continue to do, but who I am. Who I am then becomes the expression of the things I need or choose to do each day.

I have recently separated from my husband after a 21 year marriage. The separation has been more loving and supportive than I could ever have imagined for both of us and our three daughters, and has been based on an honest awareness that our marriage was never based on true love, but rather was founded out of need which grew into familiarity, convenience and comfort. Had we separated prior to Universal Medicine (as was the potential outcome many times during our marriage), the separation would have been in reaction to our relationship and the hurt that has been held there for a long time. We currently still have a business which we are working together, which prior to Universal Medicine, I could never have imagined or considered the possibility of occurring in consideration of our separation. We still have our issues presenting and are being offered the opportunity to heal these during this period. We both choose to still work together, and although far from perfect we have a more truth-full, honest and loving relationship now than we have ever had.

The quality of support, love and care I have experienced with Universal Medicine, Serge Benhayon and his family, and the esoteric modalities is second to none. And what is most observable now in retrospect, is that what was inspiring back then (and continues to be so), is the consistent way in which the esoteric practitioners live and the integrity with which they practise. They practise nothing less than what they live, for which I am deeply appreciative.

It was, and is, truly inspiring to be supported by practitioners and an organisation with the highest code of ethics and integrity that I have seen anywhere, and who never impose, but simply present who they are, and by reflection, who we also are – love. I am immensely and deeply grateful for the work that Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine are bringing to humanity, never out of need for self, but always from service – and always and only ever, by reflection of love.