Anna Nielson
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Hello All!
My name is Anna and I’m very grateful to be on this journey with all of you!
I am a body and energy worker. I graduated from Massage Therapy school in October 2019 and was just getting my personal practice off the ground when COVID hit and put a hold on the progress.
I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to work for the Earth Based Institute as an admission’s guide and have since taken on administration work. I never pictured myself working behind a computer, mostly because I have the special gift of killing/technology, (I impress my partner, a cyber security specialist, with my ability to continuously disrupt a WiFi signal, etc…) I am continually surprised at how excited I am to step up to assigned tasks and how rewarding it feels to accomplish them. I imagine a large part of that has to do with EBI and my desire Working with EBI has opened up a ton of opportunity for me. For as long as I can remember I’ve been in pain. I started experiencing migraines at the age of 11. In my late twenties I started seeing a massage therapist regularly after ending an abusive relationship and noticing an increased sensation of pain. That experience helped influence my desire to become a massage therapist. During school I had less time to focus on my yoga and meditation practice and again noticed the overwhelming sensation of pain.
Upon entering the Coronaverse, I have found myself diving deeply into the practices of yoga and meditation. I am currently my only client, not because of COVID restrictions, but because the journey inward has brought forth clarity surrounding my deep need of self healing and the removal of blockages in my mind, body, and spirit. I don’t know that I would have the opportunity to delve so deeply inward without EBI and the financial and community support provided within this organization.
I view NCL as a necessary step toward self discovery and leadership. I find myself getting in my way often, noticing internal messages of self doubt, procrastination, imposter syndrome, and anger, to name a few. I am looking forward to the day when I get beyond these thoughts and embody my wholeness, to when I trust my voice and the voice of the universe, and to when my vision and Dharma are clear.
I see NCL as a gift. To engage with all of you and to expand my toolbox is incredibly supportive in a way I have always desired. -
“Before I pull the trigger, I have to take aim.”
Whew, Jess, that got me! It brings to mind the power of intention setting. For months I set intentions of direction and clarity. It took awhile, but I was finally gifted those things in immensely profound ways.
Thank you so much for sharing! -
When practicing objective awareness, I have noticed a hum, or pulse of energy at my base. If I am able to stay tuned into it, I find it throughout my body and even outside of my body. I notice pain and tension that I hold in my body. At times, persistent chatter that sometimes doesn’t cease during my sit. A list appears of what needs to happen, or what I would like to achieve as the day moves along. Noises become louder and anything outside of the norm i.e. a lawn mower, a garage door opening, neighbors chatting sends me in a spiraling in distraction, anger, frustration and blame. I find myself wanting to be further from society so as to not be distracted, looking for a more desirable position to become more still with myself. “When I am further away from people, then I can really start digging…”
My partner and I recently watched the docuseries “Chernobyl”. I knew it would be difficult and painful, but I have always had a desire to understand more fully our past, so I looked at it as a learning opportunity, and it was.
At times, my boyfriend noticed my reactions to what we were ingesting. In an attempt to support me, he said “It’s not your pain, it’s not your experience, it’s just make-up…”
The next morning, I woke up anxious, scared and very, very sad. As I sat, meditating, I had many emotions surface, mainly grief. It took me some time to realize that I was grieving for humanity, not only for everyone affected by the disaster, but for all those who have been negatively impacted by a larger entity that is unwilling to look past their ego and what is serving them, in order to fully serve those they swore to protect. As I identified the grief, I allowed myself to feel it completely. I cried, a lot, prayed to help us heal as a human collective in hopes we can keep from making the same mistakes, and did some Reiki on the world. It helped.
What concerns me most, is that in the moments of my partner attempting to sooth me, I made the unconscious choice to listen to him. Disassociating from the experience being portrayed on tv, I didn’t allow myself to process what I was seeing and feeling. What is also concerning, is that in sitting, I had to dig to find what I had repressed only hours previously.It showed me that I must allow myself to feel my emotions as they come, even if it makes people uncomfortable.
It teaches me to be more conscious of choices I am making, even if the choice is to dismiss a suggestion made by a loved one, in their attempts to comfort.
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This activity reminded me of camping when I was a little girl.