The Twilight Brigade Volunteer's Training - My Personal Experience
I'd like to tell you about my experience with the Twilight Brigade workshop last month. Although I'd recommend it to anyone who might ask, I don't believe that everyone would have the same take on it that I do.
It's been 23 years for me in the healing business; most modalities of touch and energy work which I happen to be very good at. I worked with my first terminal patient about 18 years ago and probably a dozen terminal patients since that time. The hospital is a familiar place as I have spent time there as a patient as well as being a therapist of sorts to many other people who were trying to recover from an assortment of different ails. The strangest thing I noticed when working with the dying is how comfortable I felt. Even in the presence of weeping, rotting flesh, it is as though the Spirit curbed all revulsion that I might have felt since I generally have a rather weak stomach.
Back to the Twilight Brigade workshop - I've been asked not to tell about the exercises that are done so it is difficult to say how well this program is put together. Firstly, you are made to think about a way of life that you are not accustomed to. Secondly, you are invited to think and feel about situations that most people are not familiar with. Thirdly, your own fears are addressed which leads to unexpected other emotions that were blocked by that fear. Forth is instruction and education. Fifth on my list is how gentle this whole process is. Compassion in action is so very appropriate in describing the unfolding of inner knowledge here.
There is no question in my mind that I was under Divine guidance in sitting with or treating very sick and terminal patients. There isn't enough space to tell all of my stories about that. Even so, I learned very much more about death and dying during this workshop. Many of my silent questions were answered about my own experience and also the understanding of some of the other people who were also in attendance.
I think I understood something about emotional intimacy that I didn't quite grasp before. I saw changes in energy around people. I saw muscular changes in faces and postures. I could easily go around the room and pick out who would be great at this work and who wouldn't be (in my opinion). Although I can say that each patient I worked with changed me in some way. I hate to cry; buddy, I do not like to cry in front of people but my heart center opens as easily as an old screen door. Sometimes I have to lock myself away for short periods of time to gather my own love and appreciation to give to myself; it is present for others, it absolutely must be present for me and my family.
There was a young man in this Unity's first Twilight Brigade class. He was swept away only three weeks after being considered the most "excited to learn" student. Although I only knew him from across rooms, he had a glow around him that was so nice. He hugged and spoke to everyone like his own brothers and sisters. His name was Chris and his parents wanted to present a memorial award to the student most like their young son in every subsequent class. I was the first to receive this award. It was surprising, considering I'm almost twice as old as Chris was. The people who decided that I was to receive this award said it was because I was excited about the work and had a joy about me. I have a way of appreciating people and how they came to be the person in front of me. I feel the love and compassion in people. That joy they saw was a reflection of what I saw in their faces. I feel so proud to be in the Twilight Brigade. I feel so proud to know my new friends and embrace, even deeper, my already-made friends.