Spirit Animals and Positive Affirmations: My Very First Energy Healing Session

I've lived in LA for nearly 10 years. In that time, I have drunk tea made of things I could not identify, boiled until it was the texture and taste of mud. I have had tiny needles poked all over my body and heated glass cups suctioned to the skin on my back. I have had my connective tissue manually manipulated, including in some rather intrusive areas of my body. I have soaked in a mugwort tub, sat quietly in a room made of himalayan pink salt, and had Korean women in their underwear scrub my skin until I thought my it would come off then splash me with buckets of warm water while I laid naked on a table like some beached sea creature. You could say I'm game to try it all in terms of beauty and wellness treatments, and yet until recently, I'd never experienced energy healing.

I was introduced to Megan Schaeffer as a "holistic beauty expert" who offers services including non-toxic lash extensions and organic facials at Health LA, a health-focused hub in Mid-City. Don't get me wrong, those types of treatments are of interest to me, but what excited me about Schaeffer was that in addition to working on her clients' exteriors (clients that include more than a handful of A-listers, mind you), she also practices shamanic energy medicine. That's right, she's a shaman. Megan got into such work after searching for a solution to her own ailments and traumas, and now she utilizes a combination of reiki, crystal therapy, sound healing, and animal messages — in addition to her own powerful intuition — to unblock energy, balance chakras, and otherwise help clients tackle physical and emotional issues. 

Let me start by saying there's something (excuse the word) magical about Megan. There's something about her demeanor that lets you feel totally comfortable sharing intimate details about your life — which is exactly what you'll probably be doing, since the whole concept behind her kind of energy healing is that all your physical ailments are in fact a result of some kind of personal trauma. As Megan explained, we all have "weak spots" that are susceptible to illness or injury. For example, if I have scoliosis (I do), it's not simply because I was "born with it." Sound weird yet? Hear me out. Megan asked me when I began to notice and become affected by this condition, then asked me what was going on in my life at that time. The parallel was undeniable. In terms energy healing, scoliosis is symbolic of not being able to stand confidently, of wanting to withdraw and protect oneself. Okay, Megan, you're good, I thought.

As for the actual treatment she performs, you lie on a table much like you're about to get a massage, except for the fact that reiki and other forms of energy work barely involve any touching. After a guided mediation that focused on each chakra one at a time (did you know they have colors?), I could sense Megan moving around my body, only occasionally applying light touches on certain points, but mostly I felt her hovering just above me, moving her hands and arms swiftly, then gently. The hum of a bell moved around me while crystals vibrated on my chest. And was that a rain drum (yep, it was) that whooshed over me like a wave?

At a certain point Megan asked if anything in particular was coming to mind — slightly embarrassed I admitted that it wasn't. What I did feel however, was an overwhelming sense of warmth and my spacial perception had totally shifted, kind of like when you're asleep but swear you're laying upside down, with your feet on your pillow (does that not happen to you?). Moments after I told her this, which seemed to impress her, I felt myself pull back in alignment. I tried to be conscious of any images that popped in and out of my mind, no matter how silly or fleeting they might be: a whale as she touched my wrist (symbolic of creativity, something I had already mentioned I had been struggling with) and a pelican by my feet (which is a creature representing mobility and buoyancy, potentially speaking to my scoliosis). 

After about an hour, Megan and I talked about different things she felt in my body, energies she worked hard to shift, and she offered a few affirmations ("I am enthusiastic about life and filled with energy and enthusiasm" for example) to recite, which initially I had an aversion to — but what harm could it do? And while I will say that the day after my session was election day and it seemed that all my optimism had left the building, Megan's explanation of the mind and body connection is one that will continue to resonate with me, and I plan on checking in with her whenever I need a little perspective, to tap into the power of my spirit animals, or just get in tune with my body in a way I never knew possible. 

Schedule your own appointment with Megan at Health LA here.