By Robert Waterhouse
A lot of people cringe at the prospect of going to the dentist and I am no exception. So, it wasn’t in my nature when I gave myself a challenge to have dental work done with no anesthetic. Of course, this may not be an appropriate challenge for everybody. But I had been inspired by Circle of Atonement commentary on workbook lesson 137 that included the story of the lady who healed herself from breast cancer focusing on this lesson, “As I am healed, I am not healed alone.”
As I drove to the dentist’s office, I felt scared about the pain I might have to endure to replace fillings in two molars without a shot to numb my jaw. But I felt consumed by the chance to test out the idea from Workbook lesson 136 “Sickness is a Defense Against the Truth “. This quote from that lesson gave me a reason to try. “And you will recognize you practiced well by this: the body should not feel at all. If you have been successful, there will be no sense of feeling ill, or feeling well, of pain or pleasure. No response at all is in the mind to what the body does.”
Was I deluding myself? Could I do this? Perhaps I should be sensible and back out of this plan. But with each doubting thought, the unique opportunity presented with this idea became stronger in me. As I settled into the dentist’s chair, I requested no anesthetic and sat back as the drills were prepared. I meditated on Workbook 137 zeroing in on one paragraph, “…our function is to let our minds be healed that we may carry healing to the world, exchanging curse for blessing, pain for joy, and separation for the peace of God.”
I focused my intention fully on joy instead of pain filling the space at the contact point with the drill. I blessed others as often as I could. I thought about not being a body. The drilling made it impossible for anything else to distract me from my meditation. This test of ACIM truth was complete – I felt no pain at all! Instead, I felt only peace.
I left the dentist’s office with a deep restfulness that lasted for the rest of the day. It was almost as though I had not undergone any treatment at all.
Two weeks later I returned to the dentists for one more filling. Again, I was apprehensive, uncertain if the last experience was pure luck and would I remember what to do. But again, it worked very easily. When the drilling began, I rested my sense of peace and joy through its contact and when no pain appeared I focused on family and friends having no illness in their bodies. I thanked the Holy Spirit and visualized Jesus holding my hand. I relaxed for the rest of it with no feeling from the drill except its vibration.
Since this experience I’ve tried this practice on some minor health issues like high blood pressure and Tinnitus but without any significant improvements. My meditations seem to work best on pain management. The key to this, I believe, is focusing on where the site of the pain is believed to be, and then concentrating on going through it carrying feelings of love and joy. Consequently, I can now transform the lower back pain I had into peaceful and neutral sensations. To me this is great confirmation that the principles and practices of ACIM really work. My test at the dentist’s office keeps me committed to progressing and developing through the daily lessons and the study of the text.
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Healing is freedom. For it demonstrates that dreams will not prevail against the truth. [CE W-137.8:1-2]
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