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Awakening of a Healer
David Raphael Isaacson

As a young boy I loved comic books and “Dr Strange: Master of the Mystic Arts” was my favorite. My mind had not yet been fully conditioned and subjugated by the harsh realities of this world so my imagination was still open to believe that anything - even magic - was possible. Around the age of 15 I read Martin Buber's’ "Tales of the Hasidim" (a collection of stories and aphorisms of Jewish mystics and miracle workers of 17th and 18th century Europe). I thought, here is a book about real adult men and women who experienced all sorts of magical wonderous things. Even though this happened a long time ago, why can it not happen to me? But all these Masters were long gone... who now could guide me ? I had no clue, yet these fantastical ideas of an otherworldly reality and magical way of being was now firmly planted in my impressionable young mind and grew to a yearning I could not resist.

At the age of 17 I became an Eagle Scout of the Boy Scouts of America. It did not quite fit the spiritual ideal I had in mind, but it was (in its own way) something noble.

I had just started my third year at the University of California (Irvine) majoring in a new field called Social Ecology, when I read "The Autobiography of a Yogi" by Paramahansa Yoganandas. Here was the real deal, a spiritual teacher who not only embodied my divine ideals but lived in the modern world ! Unfortunately, Yogananda passed on years earlier so I could not meet or study with him in person, but the possibility that my dream could become a reality was now fully awakened... and even though my friends and family thought I was crazy, I immediately left school to pursue my search in earnest.

Over many years this “quest” has lead me to explore many spiritual paths and healing modalities such as Sufism, Siddha Yoga, Subud, Spiritual Response Therapy, Dowsing, Thai Chi-Chi Kung, Reiki-Tummo, Theta Healing, Conscious-Ecstatic-Soul Motion-5 Rhythm Dance... and work with many master teachers, psychics and healers...
and the process of “Awakening” continues....

Stored away in some part of the Inner Self reside all ones latent gifts and talents, results of efforts taken over countless past lives in this and other dimensions. The first challenge for the incarnated soul, enchanted and intoxicated by the illusions of this material dimension, is in “Waking Up” to this higher knowledge

Awakening From "The Matrix"
The "Wounded Healer" Archetype

Awakening from "the Matrix" of the material world usually occurs when we start to become disillusioned with its reality. The monopoly or strangle hold it had upon our attention starts to slip and release, allowing for the possiblility of seeing from a different view point, outside the "box" of this world and over the edge to the next. This awakening process may be initiated or catalyzed through either a progressive series of events such as when there is the deep painful emotional loss of a close friend family member or spouse... a serious accident or life altering injury... drug or alchohol abuse (the undesirable side effects causing a weakening tearing and rupturing of the energy field), or as in a near death experience that abruptly breaks the very bonds a soul has to this world. In any case, Spirit can use any and all of our experiences (no matter how traumatic) as tools to help us awaken. Speaking of, I don't advocate that any healer or teacher willfully induce trauma for any reason... there is just too much room for the limited ego mind to step in and cause something to go wrong. And so, though it takes a great deal more patience trust and faith, the safest surest way to achieve long lasting results is through Divine Grace such as received within the sacred space of a healing session. But we all are not so fortunate to have unlimited access to such a thing at every moment when the need and desire arises, and so Spirit must work with what was at hand. In my case there were a number of traumatic events (symbolic deaths and terrible disappointments) that managed to push me over the edge and outside... again and again.

There are numerous side lines we take as we are engaged with the world - the pursuit of love and money are the big ones. We are inundated with the cultural messages and biological imperatives that say ones purpose in life is found in career and relationships. And of course on some level this is true, yet this truth can only take one so far until the impermanence of temporal reality hits home and ones world comes crashing down.

There was the divorce from the woman who (I thought) I was going to spend the rest of my life with, and the subsequent loss of my 2 beautiful children as they all flew away to the other side of the world. Both events ended the notion of the “living happily ever after" fantasy. Yet through this experience there was born the commitment to overcome and heal everything inside that caused this to happen.

About this same time I had been studying with someone who I believed was this great spiritual master... until I found out he was physically and sexually abusing some of his students (I was saved from this torment but many others were not). “How could such a ‘spiritual’ being do these sorts of things?” I asked. On top of my divorce and the loss of my kids, this last disillusionment lead me to entertain the possibility that everything about spirituality was a lie. Fortunately I found a spiritual friend who helped me transition through this crisis of faith, but I can see why people get disenchanted with the spiritual path - its leaders are all humans with character flaws who at times do terrible things. Yet it's just as the Dalai Lama said "do not throw the lesson out with the experience". My lesson here was "discernment" as in.. how to distinguish the essence from the physical form, or.. how to separate the message from the messenger. Besides sharpening my discrimination, this experience released my attachment to the outer Guru (the archetypal "authority figure") and allowed me to become more conscious of and awakened to my own Higher Self.. the "Inner Guru" !!! This one realization became the greatest spiritual gift of my life, laying the foundation for everything to come.



In the meantime, pursuing the goal of becoming a healer, I completed 2 years of pre-med studies at Northern Arizona University and was accepted into Western States Chiropractic College. Two weeks into the second semester, early in the morning, I had a very vivid dream. I was standing in front of our class of some 130 people and said: “No matter how much time and money we have invested to get here, we can always make another choice. It is never too late to do something else. That said, I feel this path is not making me happy so I am going to let it go and drop out."
WHAT !?!?!
I made so many sacrifices and went through so many hoops to get here and this dream was telling me give it all up? This is Crazy ! And yet.... when I searched my feelings I realized it was true, I was NOT happy. I should have been excited about waking up every morning and going to school (especially this early into the program) but I was not. Even my body was telling me how unhappy it was by how much it was hurting.. and each week it was only getting worse ! If I gave up on my dream (which I thought was to be a Chiropractor) what would I do then?
But this dream and the power of my feelings were too much to ignore... so I took a leap. The next morning I stood in front of my class and gave the very same speech I dream't of and quit school.. and it felt RIGHT !
A few weeks later a palpable wall of blackness descended in my life (when I closed my eyes I could even see it). I had followed my dream and here I was, with no discernible future and a huge student loan to pay back. What was I to do now? As a sad side note, later that same year 2 senior students committed suicide (perhaps if they heard my speech they would have made a different choice?)
To keep the thread of my “dream” alive I decided to study massage and graduated from The Oregon School of Massage. One thing led to another... I became an Ordained Minister. Shortly thereafter I took another leap and enrolled at The Oregon College of Oriental Medicine... and three years later graduated with a Master’s Degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (1992). And so began my “formal” healing practice.



I had followed the bread crumbs of some nebulous fantastical dream, all of which lead me to this “officially” recognized career as a licensed "Healer”. Whew, finally... I "made it" (see the diplomas on the wall) and yet... I had a nagging feeling something was still missing.

A few years later I was hired to work as an Acupuncturist in an alternative health clinic in Saudi Arabia with the potential to make enough money to pay off my student loans in 2 years ! After being there for 3 months the clinic owners business license was revoked (it was a Shia-Sunni political thing) and I returned back home to the USA. I had to ask myself "What message was spirit conveying here?" From this (and other) "shuttered doors" I realized the universe was no longer going to support me on this "oriental medicine" path and I had to gracefully "let it go".

"When one door closes another door opens"
Fortunately, the few years leading up to this realization I continued to follow the guidance of my "Inner Master" and found myself opening up to some very unique healing work. I wasn't quite sure what to call "It" or what "It" actually was. I didn't even know if I could earn a living doing "It" but whatever 'It" was was sure interesting. Infinitely more important... I was getting results that were a lot more effective (and amazing) than I ever got in my oriental medicine practice !!! I figured, Ok, the "A" (Acupuncture) door is closed... let's see where the "B" (Beyond) door takes me... and here we are.

Acknowledgments

An integral part of my path has been the receiving of Grace from many spiritual practitioners and master teachers. No matter how great or small, long or short the association, I would like to gratefully acknowledge a few of these people for their unique gifts and influences in my life: Swami Muktananda, Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan, Robert Detsler, Jeannie Mackie, Anita Stewart, Racquel Palmesi, Charles McCall, Karen Abrams and Tanya Sheikh. And to those many other unmentioned lovers of light and truth - I do thank you one and all.

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David the Person is a human being experiencing the unique opportunities offered in this dimension. He is passionate about the liberation of all beings, the ascension of the whole planetary body and the embodiment of Divine Love in human form.

David the Spirit works very closely with countless beings who make up the Spiritual Hierarchy. He has a pure attunement to the Divine Directive (the "Universal Plan"), expressing in his work the Spiritual Authority, Healing Power, Transformational Consciousness and Will of the Master.

All those sincere seekers who are willing to go beyond their limitations and comfort zones are invited to experience his work.

Peace and Blessings
David Raphael Isaacson

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