Massage
Magazine January / February 2001
A
hands-on healing mission.
What began 10
years ago as an Episcopal Church spiritual development group in Clearwater,
Florida, has grown into a non-denominational hands-on healing organization open
to everyone. More than 100 people now volunteer at the Pilgrimage Institute and
in the community, providing free hands-on healing to those in need.
"We serve those individuals who come to us in search of relief from the
stress of life issues, whether of mind, body or spirit." said co-founder
Marilyn Barr Gatlin.
Co-founder Rev.
Tanya Beck and Gatlin incorporated their ideas with input from healing arts
practitioners to develop the hands-on healing method. A set of movements, hand
positions, intentions and prayers evolved, administered by a two-person team
of "healing partners" to a clothed client lying on a massage table.
"Two people work together in synchrony. Its healing in stereo,"
said Gatlin.
People are
referred from neighboring hospitals and cancer centers, or they hear about the
organization through word of mouth, according to Cindy Livernois, the
Pilgrimage’s program director. Many of the healing partners were once clients
whose lives were transformed by receiving hands-on healing. A two-day
workshop trains prospective healing partners, and then pairs new partners with
experienced ones in client sessions. The organization has attracted
psychiatrists, lawyers, nurses, massage therapists, physicians, ministers and
educators to its team.
"The
intention is to provide a loving, healing presence. We put no expectations on
anything. The client and two healing partners create a strong circle where
wonderful things happen to everyone involved," said Judy Charmatz, one of
the original healing partners. "We don’t ask that a body be healed. We
ask that the person be able to find that spirit within themselves to find their
own healing, whatever that is meant to be."
Retired doctor
and psychiatrist Dick Meadows, M.D., had a life-long interest in alternative
healing, and began volunteering weekly a year ago. "I feel good about what
I am doing. And the people who come to see us say they feel much better, they
say, "I am on the way to getting well," he said. Another healing
partner, Pam Milhan, took the training and began volunteering after seeing the
positive effects the sessions had on a family member. Milhan, an assistant
school librarian, said, "It's not something where you need to sit and
think, 'Am I doing this right or wrong?" You are following a basic plan and
everything else comes from spirit. You really tap into their pure self.
It becomes a two-way thing, it’s very radiant."
Charmatz said she
would like to see the Pilgrimage process be infused into all areas of human
contact. "We have people who, when you hold their head and feet on the
table, they just break down. They can’t believe this kind of total caring and
love is available to them. I think the world needs more of that."