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“I’m cursed,” Kristen told me at our initial session.
“In what sense?” I asked.
“Literally,” she replied. “I think I’m actually under a curse.”
Bedeviled for almost three years by rapidly oscillating emotions, nightmares, psychosomatic illnesses and a persistent, nameless dread, Kristen felt like a person under assault, but by what?
“This isn’t me. I’ve always been upbeat, have a solid career, good friends and family, and take care of my health. Saying I’m cursed makes me sound crazy, and it worries my loved ones to hear me talk about it, but I’ve exhausted all other explanations.”
After evaluation by numerous physicians, naturopaths and shrinks, and batteries of tests, both physical and psychological, all the experts concluded she was fundamentally fine and, they implied, it might all be in her imagination. One psychiatrist pronounced her condition a “self-fulfilling prophecy of doom,” insisting that if she ceased believing in the curse, her symptoms would vanish. In pursuit of that, Kristen embraced a broad range of treatments, including antidepressants, herbal remedies, meditation, cognitive-behavioral therapy, journaling and many other nostrums, but none afforded any real relief.
Hurtful Energy
“Then, one day, I realized people can send each other positive energy, like when you pray for someone or think of them with loving thoughts,” she explained.
“And you believe the opposite is also true,” I suggested. “That someone can target you with negative energy and hateful thoughts.”
“Exactly,” she replied. “Isn’t that what a curse is? It’s when someone attacks you with their dark, hurtful energy.”
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The concept that humans can transmit some sort of psychic or spiritual force to others is ancient. In fact, the very idea of prayer is based on this principle. Traditionally, prayer can be a way to focus and project one’s energy, most often to a supreme being, but it can also be directed at others, including loved ones. Meditative practices encouraging compassion for others are of the same ilk.
To Kristen, there is such a thing as “evil prayer,” a way of projecting malevolent spiritual power toward another human being. Folks who examine the darker side of spirituality sometimes call this a “psychic attack.” While there is no empirical evidence to support this notion, we do know that everything, including humans, is composed of energy, and we have much to learn about consciousness. Meaning it is wise to avoid closing the book on such matters prematurely.
“Do you suspect someone in particular as the source of this curse?” I asked.
“I’m pretty sure I know who it is,” she answered.
Not long before she developed her symptoms, Kristen fired one of her deeply troubled and poorly performing employees, and it proved a very acrimonious affair. She remembered telling a colleague she felt a palpable sense of hate coming from this worker, not just your garden variety anger. As Kristen put it, “If you could have seen the look in her eyes, you’d know what I’m talking about. It made my skin crawl.”
What is Real?
When it comes to these sorts of presenting issues, which border on the paranormal, I avoid getting caught up in the “What’s real?” question. Granted, if someone is exhibiting signs of mental illness, which Kristen was not, I come at it differently. However, because her mental status was normal, we explored options for addressing the curse, be it true or not. These ranged from confronting her presumed tormentor to seeking the assistance of a so-called energy practitioner, one willing to deal with the darker side of the spiritual realm.
In the end, Kristen chose a more measured and, in my view, wise approach. It involved meditating each day and, while doing so, sending compassionate energy to her presumed nemesis. What’s more, during these contemplative interludes, she envisioned a sphere of love enveloping and protecting her person. It did the trick. Gradually, her symptoms eased, and, after a few months of this daily practice, she felt like her old self.
Are curses real? We can’t prove or disprove Kristen’s belief in this regard.
But, either way, becoming a more loving person can heal many wounds.
For more, visit philipchard.com.
