“On changing the past – How can you change the past except in fantasy? And who can give you what you think the past deprived you of? The past is nothing. Do not seek to lay the blame for deprivation on it, for the past is gone. You cannot really not let go what has already gone.” – Meditations From A Course In Miracles
I have heard it before. I know I cannot change the past. What is done is done, and there is no sense in crying over it. So, then, why do I still shed tears over something I have no power to control?
My present self cannot release the memories of my past hurts. After all, I cannot let go of something that is already gone. However, throughout this journey in Meditations From A Course in Miracles, I came upon a fascinating discovery concerning one of my friends.
Wally Witkowski is a man for which time seems to stand still for. As the years tick by, he still manages to live a fulfilling life in a beautiful wooden acreage of land in the thumb of Michigan with his sister as his closest neighbor. I have had the honor to meet Wally and get to know him. He has a heart of gold, a love for animals, a lively spirit, and a charitable soul. His compassion led him to raise thousands of dollars for a local “no-kill” animal shelter for the past six years. And he is in his late 80’s!
When A Course in Miracles was conceived, Wally became the secondary interpreter for translating it into the Polish language. He spent grueling hours in translation so that the message would be adequately represented to those in the Polish language. Imagine spending your days and nights submersed in something meant to improve the quality of your life. The thought of what that would do to a human being as they contemplated and debated the meanings within another language amazes me.
I cherish my visits with him and marvel at his kindness and wisdom. His daughter, Helena, introduced us, and it has been a pleasure. His way of life and the example he has given to his daughter are also evident in her life. They struggle just like everyone else who resides on our big blue planet, but they have found a way to find peace and happiness amidst the chaos.
Helena is a therapist and often handles the most difficult cases that life throws at her. Yet, despite the terrible situations that her clients go through, she still strives each day to meet their needs and pass on the lessons that she has learned. Recently, she has been practicing EMDR therapy with a few of her clients and has received amazing results.
EMDR is better known as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a form of therapy that helps the mind to reprocess traumatic events. During these events, people will feel intense emotions. For some people, those emotions are so intense that when they relive the memory of that event, they will feel the extreme intensity of emotions again. EMDR therapy releases those powerful emotions. Eventually, when the client revisits the memory, they will have a sense of peace from the feelings they once felt.
When we relive the past and experience those emotions, we feel we can control and change the situation, but it’s not possible. The past is gone forever, and it will never return. We need to learn from it and move on. However, some people cannot because they are held back by the intensity of their emotions. EMDR has been proven to work, especially for those who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
I know that I cannot change the trauma from my own past, but I use the lessons I have learned along the way. In the meantime, I write about those emotions I feel, and when I am done writing about them, I can finally find peace and release them.
I may have finished Meditations From A Course in Miracles, but I still need to spend time in A Course in Miracles. I intend to revisit the full course to gain a greater understanding. I see how it has enriched Wally’s life, and I would also like to experience that same peace.
Stacy N. Elliott 