Stories of Transformation - Beth

Summary

At age 9, after diving into a swimming pool as a strong swimmer working on junior lifeguarding, they woke up in the hospital and spent 10 years with EKGs before being diagnosed with cold urticaria - a life-threatening condition where cold water touching them caused welts, hives, and full-blown anaphylaxis (similar to strong swimmers who mysteriously drown when their histamine system becomes completely overblown). For 50 years this kept them from doing what they loved (swimming, surfing), constantly protecting themselves and staying away from water, which spilled into every area of their life. During the Vancouver walking meditation facing cold water, they started feeling welts, nose and throat swelling, going into full-blown anaphylaxis, but said "no this is not going to happen" and started real deep breathing, pulling energy up until it went away completely - then they started walking and dancing down to the water's edge. In a silent moment they remembered the little girl huddled at the bottom of the ferry from Washington to Vancouver, terrified she was gonna die, and as they fell in love with that image, energy shot through their head and the little girl appeared on top of the ferryboat with their deceased father, smiling at them - they blessed her and sent her off, and the condition didn't return the next morning despite worse conditions (higher temperature with snow) that would normally trigger hives.