September 2014
Music and Photography by Caleb McGinn
Caleb McGinn...My Story
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Many times, it’s easy with Lyme disease to talk about all of the pain and struggle that is involved. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of that. And sometimes, more than anything, we just need to know that we are loved…and supported…and validated…and that there is hope for the future even if we are in the midst of suffering greatly. Fortunately, there is…and for the purpose of this article, I’m going to try a focus on the positives that have come from my experience with having Lyme disease over the last 2+ years. The main point that I want to get across with this though is that each and every one of us is perfect, whole and complete, even if our physical bodies aren’t currently manifesting that. We are beautiful. We are loved. We are worthy. We are healthy. We are whole. This may sound a little bit strange considering some of the symptoms and hardships that we face, but until we can start fully believing this, it will be difficult to completely recover. And if I’ve learned anything through this entire experience, it’s that God’s eternal love has the ability to heal us and change us if we are completely open to it and surrendered.
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For me, this journey has not only been physical, it’s been an exploration of my emotional and physical being as well. Looking back, I’d even have to say that dealing with the emotional and spiritual side of things is even more important than the physical aspect when it comes to complete and total healing! I’ve heard spiritual healers say that if we can become one with the Divine source that flows through each and every one of us and become the most authentic versions of ourselves, then disease cannot and will not exist. Although I’m not quite 100% in my own journey yet, I do completely believe that statement. When we are in that state of perfect love with our Creator and ourselves, disease becomes almost insignificant. Sure, there is still healing that might have to take place, but we can still feel good and be at peace with where we are in our journeys.
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I have found that my own journey has forced me to surrender to my spirit on a daily basis…many times a day…even when I’d rather just skip that and try to do it on my own. When I am able to spend time in meditation though, I can usually find great peace with where I am at. It has also forced me to explore a creative side of me that had been repressed at times throughout my life. I had been doing music full time the last few years, but hit a wall with my writing inspiration about a year before ever getting Lyme disease. I’m excited to say though that some very heartfelt songs have come from my experience so far and have truly come from my innermost being. Keep Pushing On is one of those songs and can be found on my website HERE. The others that I have written lately haven’t been recorded yet but I am extremely excited about those as well. I eventually hope to actually have an entire CD that is dedicated to “healing music” as music can be a tremendous emotional experience that can really lift our spirits and even help change us on a physical level. There were times throughout my journey that all I could do is listen to a song over and over again. I’ve made a list of some of those songs down at the bottom but they are different for each of us!
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I’ve also got a lot more into photography and have even dabbled in painting even though I hadn’t done that since I was like 5 years old! Haha. There were periods where all I would do is go outside and shoot photography of various things. It really helped me explore my creative side and live in the present moment. Being out in nature also helped me connect more with the earth and see the beauty that is in our world. I believe that we are all supposed to be creative beings in our own ways, but sometimes the hustle and grind of life gets in the way. I feel like we have to be able to make time for ourselves and truly pursue the things we love in order to find happiness. If you’d like to look at some of my photography that I’ve shot lately, you can do so at HERE. I’d recommend the HDR images section as that has a lot of my colorful images that have a painting effect added to them!
And finally, I’ve learned that we have to be able to stay away from being negative and even being around negative people as much as possible. I’ve personally had to start saying no to a lot of people and I’ve had to let go of a lot of the self-limiting and self-sabotaging beliefs that had become a part of my thought patterns over time. We are capable of so much more than we’ll ever know, but we have to believe in our own abilities. After having this experience, I truly believe that anyone can heal from anything if they have the faith and belief. It might not happen overnight, but it WILL happen eventually.
In conclusion, a big part of my own journey has been to transition my body, mind and spirit to a state of love as opposed to fear. I believe this has happened from a combination of things: Reading, meditation, yoga, healthy eating, loving interactions with others, listening to music, playing music, dancing and being creative. And in short, opening my heart up to the Divine love/Holy Spirit/life-force energy that flows through all of us.
In conclusion, a big part of my own journey has been to transition my body, mind and spirit to a state of love as opposed to fear. I believe this has happened from a combination of things: Reading, meditation, yoga, healthy eating, loving interactions with others, listening to music, playing music, dancing and being creative. And in short, opening my heart up to the Divine love/Holy Spirit/life-force energy that flows through all of us.
I’ll finish this with a quote by Marianne Williamson, author of “A Return to Love: Reflections on a Course in Miracles” which I strongly recommend to anyone! In it she says, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
I couldn’t agree more. You are beautiful. You are loved. You are worthy. You are perfect. You are whole. You are complete. You will heal. You are healing. You were made to shine. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
With much peace, healing and love,
-Caleb
With much peace, healing and love,
-Caleb
My Dream
Ultimately, it is my dream to be able to travel the world meeting people, playing music, inspiring people and sharing my story. I also have a strong passion for helping people heal through music and art. If you’d like to support me on this journey, feel free to purchase a photography print of mine at www.calebmcginn.com/photography. You can also donate to my cause from there if you’d rather do that!
Helpful Music
List of songs that have helped me throughout my journey in various ways (But not limited to these!) These can all be looked up on Youtube if you’d like to listen!
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Music
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Photography
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Support and Contact Caleb
Support CalebSupport Caleb along his journey...you can download his music (you pick the price), purchase prints, follow him and spread his music and inspiring message far and wide. Contact him as well, it is always nice to hear encouraging words! |
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