From Sickness to Sovereignty: Illness as Alchemy for Healing and Growth
Support Your Body, Mind, and Spirit Through Medical Choices and Public Health Decisions
Feeling overwhelmed by conflicting information or unsure how to center your own wisdom in the noise?
Want tools that honor both your body and spirit as you navigate vaccines, viruses, and collective health experiences?
Have you considered the possibility of health challenges actually being catalysts for evolution and expansion?
This guide is here to help you in your consideration of the above questions. It offers layered support—practical, energetic, emotional, and spiritual—for anyone navigating vaccination decisions or broader questions about how to stay balanced in the face of illness, immunity, and societal pressure. Whether you're preparing for a medical procedure, recovering from a virus, or tending to your wellness through uncertainty, these suggestions are intended to reconnect you to your clarity, your care, and your power.
Why I Created This Offering
Growing up in a Christian household, my narrative around and perspective of disease was that it was a demonic element—something to be rebuked, cast out, not spoken of (except in prayer), and addressed with severe disdain.
While I understand the intention behind not feeding time or attention into what you don’t prefer, as an adult I’ve come to see that this very attitude often carries its own negative charge.
In my late twenties, I began seeing my chiropractor and nutritionist, Dr. Martin “Marty” Stites, who was instrumental not only in transforming my physical health but also in expanding my understanding of the mind-body-spirit connection. Prior to working with him, I had completed a 10-day silent Vipassana meditation, which deepened my somatic awareness—an awareness that continued to expand through work with various practitioners and teachers.
Dr. Marty identified my anemia—so severe at the time that a blood transfusion would likely have been the recommendation from a conventional medical facility. I asked him what his course of treatment would entail: the process, the regimen, the financial commitment. He gave it to me straight—no chaser, no fear, no ultimatum—just a deep respect for my sovereignty and right to choose. Though I had never worked with a chiropractor and had grown up with skepticism toward them, shaped by Dateline specials and media exposés, I chose to go forward with him. Doing so was the best decision of my life.
Onyi receiving PureBioenergy healing from a fellow practitioner
Beyond my work with Dr. Marty—which opened layers of multidimensional and esoteric understanding—two pivotal moments further solidified my reframe around sickness, illness, and disease. One was a conversation with my Reiki teacher, Elisabeth DeVries Ridgeway, who—after I shared about a virus I was navigating—spoke of treating it with love. The other was during a lecture by my late PureBioenergy teacher, Zoran Hochstatter. He spoke about the harm in projecting negativity—through thoughts, words, or energy—onto cancer cells. They are your own cells, he said, reminding us that to attack them is, in essence, to attack ourselves.
That way of thinking blew my mind. It was this shift, layered on top of many others before it, that helped me more deeply understand the Ifá concept of ajogun—energetic forces that are often perceived as disruptive or negative, including illness, grief, anger, or conflict. These forces are not inherently “bad,” but exist in dynamic relationship with humanity. Their function or dysfunction depends on how and why they’ve been invited in—and what reflection they are here to offer.
As I’ve continued to grow in my spiritual and healing practice, I’ve become very mindful of how I approach and consider instances of sickness or dis-ease. I may not prefer them and I have deep sympathy and compassion for those experiencing them, but I hold them in a different regard—one that does not include contempt.
I see viruses and bacteria as beings—beings that have been invited in, somehow. I view individual and collective conditions—pandemics, epidemics, and beyond—as movements of energy responding to imbalance across some intersection of space and time. All of it is reflection. All of it is here to teach us. Navigating any of it is part of both individual and collective destinies, serving purposes that may be beyond our current understanding—or, at times, simple reminders to pause, reflect, and do something different.
Onyi giving PureBioenergy healing
I view all forms of medicine—from the indigenous and ancestral to the contemporary and externally developed, from the holistic and spiritual to the pharmaceutical, from the subtle and energetic to the invasive and extractive—as valid. Each exists on a spectrum of efficacy that depends on a variety of factors, including one’s belief systems, readiness, and the needs of the moment.
The first iteration of this resource came out in 2021 and was specific to COVID and the COVID vaccine, created in response to all that people were navigating—on top of the virus itself. Now that it has lived out that phase of life, what’s aligned is to share the same core messages, applicable to any experience of misalignment—what Zoran referred to as a “gap in health” and “missing information” across any part of the system.
Whether you’re dealing with an acute or chronic condition, I pray the reflections and considerations below support a shift in perspective—so you may remember what is possible and reclaim your sense of empowerment and agency as you begin or continue your healing journey.
A Note on Discernment and Personal Responsibility
I am not a medical practitioner. The suggestions offered in this guide are based on intuition, personal experience, and consultation with trusted practitioners. Please trust your own guidance and consult with professionals you rely on before making any changes to your wellness routines.
Do Research, Maintain Neutrality
Listen to, read, and have conversations with physicians, public health experts, spiritual and esoteric leaders, holistic and naturopathic, and other wise and properly trained individuals who offer sound information from grounded and neutral perspectives
Neutrally consider the factors that make it appropriate, inappropriate, necessary, or unnecessary for you to take a specific route connected to treating or navigating a condition or sickness. If it’s a clear case (in either direction), make your decision with peace.
Be mindful of being derailed by conspiracy theories, fake news, and other information (even from others who have navigated similar challenges) that is intended to bait, stroke, or incite negativity. If they come to you via your digital feeds, through conversations, or suddenly in other ways, immediately disengage or excuse yourself if you are not interested in entertaining them. If you feel compelled to consider them and are confident in your ability to do so with a great degree of neutrality proceed. I encourage the following:
Before diving too deep, take a moment to breathe, ground, and remind or instruct your consciousness that is has the ability to neutrally receive, process, and convey information regardless of how and from/to whom it is delivered.
Highlight the pieces of information that catch your attention (and leave the rest), conduct additional research, engage in further inquiry with the trusted, neutral, and unbiased individuals.
Consider the agenda of those sharing the information as well as your own agenda in receiving it.
Preparation, During, and Aftercare
As you make decisions—or once you have done so—create as much “space” for yourself as possible:
Clear your schedule as much as you can on the days surrounding your consultation, treatment, procedure, or medication.
When possible, schedule appointments at times that place the least demand on your energy.
Prioritize only what is most essential on those days—including conversations with others, especially those you know will require significant energy or focus.
Let your close family, friends, or others you are in regular contact with know you are focusing on self-care. Offer clear timeframes for your availability, giving yourself extra leeway. You can always return to engagement sooner once your energy allows.
At the same time, spend time—if aligned—with those who love and support you without placing demands on your energy. Find a rhythm between solitude and connection that feels nourishing. Know who you’re dealing with, and invite the right people to be part of your support team.
Be in or near nature—ocean, forest, mountain, river—as much as possible. If that isn’t accessible, use proxies that support your imagination in evoking a similar feeling. For example:
Small-scale or miniature items: A bowl of water (ocean); a potted plant (forest); rain on the window or water flowing along a sidewalk (river).
Visuals: Look at photos, watch videos, or create drawings.
Audio: Listen to nature sounds or step outside and take in the sounds around you.
Scent: Use fragrances that evoke the natural world.
Nourish your body in ways that support its strength and alignment with your healing. For example:
Eat grounding, clean, natural foods that your body requires.
Be mindful of sugar, preservatives, overly processed foods, and other ingredients that may be harmful to your system.
Eat the amount your body needs at times that support your digestion and circadian rhythm.
Offer gratitude or prayer for your meal, for all that contributed to making it possible (including yourself), and for your body as it receives and processes the nourishment.
Engage in physical movement that brings ease and joy, according to your current capacity. For example:
Take gentle walks
Go swimming
Dance—virtually or in person
Rotate your joints in the morning and/or before bed
Above all, express gratitude to your body and for your life in all the ways you can. Gratitude is a powerful alchemizer.
Thank your body for waking up, for functioning however it does, and for the ways it may be teaching you through this experience.
Say aloud:
I trust your intelligence to do what is needed to receive, utilize, and integrate the information being provided to me through this [consultation, procedure, medication, etc.], and to release anything that does not support or serve me.
Regardless of It All, Consider the Lesson
Consider the perspective that, on some level, your spirit may have attracted or arranged this experience to offer a lesson—one that you, those around you, or even the collective might not have learned otherwise.
If this idea feels overwhelming, pause and take a breath.
Touch your head to the Earth. Give yourself a hug—or, if you’re with someone who can hold space neutrally, ask them for one. Stay here for a moment and simply be, allowing yourself to process the emotional and energetic weight of this perspective.
When you feel more regulated, gently explore the deeper message within your experience:
Reflect on where you may be out of alignment—physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually—with yourself, with others, or with the Earth. (The ritual below may support this process.)
Acknowledge whether you’ve taken the necessary precautions—or not—and how that has impacted you internally and externally.
If needed, offer forgiveness—to yourself or another—to release any lingering energetic attachment to a past version of yourself or them.
Ask for the courage and discipline to recognize what needs to shift. And when you're ready, set the clear, embodied intention to make a change.
Suggestions and Resources:
Consider spiritual, energy or body work as part of your ongoing wellness:
ONYI LOVE services:
Ifá divination (Dafa): Ile Orunmila Afedefeyo
Additional healer collectives, networks and platforms:
Listen to soothing music:
FORIBALE album
Songs of Soothing album
Consider immune-supporting plants, herbs, vitamins, and supplements. Some sources include:
River Rose Remembrance by Layla Feghali of River Rose
Sacred Vibes Apothecary by Empress Karen Rose
Pray for the ability to:
Trust yourself, your body's intelligence, and your learning journey
Use everything—no matter what—for positive transformation
Ritual for Clarity + Release
An intuitive practice for when you feel unclear, fearful, or overwhelmed—especially in the face of difficult choices.
Use this ritual to create space for self-guided insight and emotional release, particularly when navigating illness, decision-making, or transformation.
Suggested timing:
Option 1: During the daytime when you can devote at least 1 hour to the experience.
Option 2: At night, about 1 hour before sleep. Keep your pen and journal by your bed to record any dreams or recognitions upon waking.
Steps:
Gather your items: a candle, a clear glass of water, pen, and paper or journal.
Go to a quiet place. Sit comfortably on the floor or in a chair with your feet grounded. Breathe deeply 3 times and say a prayer for clarity.
Light the candle. Gaze into the water and say:
“Body, reveal to me in a clear way any negativity I am holding around…” Choose one:This experience in its entirety
Choosing or considering any course of action
Moving forward with [the course of action you know is most aligned, but that brings up the most fear]
Breathe deeply 3 more times. Write down what comes.
Repeat steps 3–4, replacing “body” with “heart,” “mind,” and “spirit.”
Place one hand on your heart and the other on your head. Say aloud:
“I am powerful. I make decisions from a place of peace and trust. I am grateful for the ability to choose what I prefer. I am in command of my existence.”Breathe deeply 3 more times. Blow out the candle and pour the water onto the Earth—either outside or into a plant pot.
Sit quietly. Listen and write down anything that arises.
Repeat this ritual if needed, up to three times in one week, allowing at least one full day between each repetition.
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© 2021 ONYI LOVE ® LLC & Felicia Richards [Revised 2025]