Creating a Circle of Healing and Support

I have long held the belief, both personally and professionally, that there is a healing power in holding a person in one's thoughts whether you are saying prayers or giving blessings or lighting candles. This belief in holding a person in your thoughts are the same beliefs echoed by Dr. Jim Reeves, the urologist who treated Cancer Survivor, Lance Armstrong.

There is an ancient Chinese belief
that when a person is held
in the hearts and minds and souls
of so many other people,
they can do better.

One of the greatest difficulties for me as a NICU parent, who was also used to being a physician, was the overwhelming feeling that there wasn't anything I could do for my daughter. I had to step back and turn over all of the care to those who understood the NICU technology and could help her medically to heal.

I decided to change my feeling of helplessness by taking a more active role in her care. We created a Circle of Healing to have friends and family hold her 'in their hearts and minds and souls...so she could do better.'

Our Circle of Healing for My Youngest Daughter
Within days after the birth of my youngest daughter and her unexpected NICU admission, thanks to the connection power of the Internet, we were able to quickly contact friends and family to notify them of what had happened.

On Easter morning, our newborn daughter was included on several prayer lists and prayer circles, only two days after her birth. Via phone calls and e-mail messages we tapped into the healing powers to create a circle of positive thoughts and energies from friends and family around the United States and around the world. We asked everyone to hold our daughter in their thoughts, to keep positive thoughts and prayers to mentally aid in her healing process and strengthen the Circle of Healing around her.

I truly believe that having so many people hold our daughter in their hearts, minds and souls, mentally aided in her healing process. We were blessed with the outcome. The Circle of Healing we created for her helped keep her safe and protected until she was strong enough to be discharged from the hospital.

Continuing the Circle of Healing
Rev. Schwing (see prior post) was the start of the Circle of Healing that we created starting on Easter Sunday Morning for my youngest daughter Kristiina while she was in the NICU.

Writing this article, I wondered who would be there if our baby had a health crisis? I don’t know. I trust that the Circle of Healing would be there. Sometimes we are on the giving end, sometimes on the receiving end. That’s what keeps the circle going.

The nurses at UCSF continued Kristiina's Circle of Healing by hanging a blessing that we wrote for her above her isolette. You can read a copy of the blessing that we wrote for her posted on the Journey of Hearts Website as A Healing Blessing. Part of the blessing is included below.

Ironically, Rev. Schwing would experience being a NICU parent several years later with the birth of his second child. The Circle of Healing was there during his challenging time in the NICU.

My Wish for Current NICU Parents
For this Easter season, as I am reminded of our own NICU experiences, I would like to extend the following wish for NICU and ICN parents who currently have their newborns in the hospital.

May you continue to heal

moment by moment
hour by hour
day by day
knowing that so many love you
and wait to welcome you.

May you feel loved.
May you be safe.
May you be protected.
May you be strong.
May you be healed.

May you find healing, in whatever form that healing might take.

Our Easter Gift
This Special Healing Blessing comes as a bonus when you download the Free NICU eBook, For Those Who Hold the Littlest Hands.

More Resources:
Dyer KA. An Easter Healing Blessing in the Intensive Care Nursery NICU Parent Support Blog.
Dyer KA. Circle of Healing - Cloisonné Lapel Pin. The Violet Heart Collection on Squidoo.
Dyer KA. 2002. A Healing Blessing. Journey of Hearts.