Infinite love and gratitude to all!!!

My name is Rebecca Cartwright....and this is My Story....

            As a child, I had beautiful blonde, almost white hair that was super straight and fine, but dense. I’ve always liked my hair, and discovered quite young that I had natural abilities with taking care of it and creatively styling it. Although I did go through a rebellious period where I refused to brush it, while my father gave me the nickname, “who did it and ran.”  I also allowed my sister, who is only two years older, to cut all of my hair off at the age of four. It was pretty much pixie short, but I still loved it. My mom on the other hand, not so much. I’ve also been extremely connected to the element of water, as far back as I can remember, and began swimming competitively at the age of four. Swimming all year round, took a toll on my hair, while exposing it to chlorine constantly. I battled the affects of chlorine on my beautiful blonde hair, which would leave a green tint, feeling slimy when wet, and constantly tangled. I’d have to use harsh clarifying shampoos to remove the chlorine.

            I taught myself how to braid at a young age, many different ways, and fell in love with it!  I also loved the texture, almost crimped, you got once you took them out. In middle school, during the 80’s, I decided that I wanted to change my hair. So, I decided to perm my hair, and then eventually start coloring it once it started to become brown. My parents refused to pay for such services, so I decided to take on a newspaper route to pay for it myself. I enjoyed how creative I could be with my hair, and it made me feel good about myself and gave me confidence. I was always receiving compliments on it. My mom and my aunt enjoyed curling it, setting it, and brushing it. Even my first serious high school boyfriend would brush it for me when I asked him to, because it helped me relax and I enjoyed it.

            I’ve never cried after a haircut, but sometimes it takes me a couple of days to adjust to a new style. If I drastically change the cut, I have a hard time looking in the mirror for a couple of days. To me, it’s hair that grows and transforms, which is exciting. When I was in cosmetology school, I had my biggest hair trauma. I broke off all of my hair about 2-3 inches all the way around from using harsh bleach to achieve platinum blonde hair color. That was the last time in my life that I had blonde hair, and it was quite emotional to transition to brown. After about a year of nursing my hair back to health, I became quite creative with it, which was definitely a reflection of my early 20’s. I colored it darkest brown, which appears almost black, with complimenting highlights of pink, purple, and blue. After that phase of my life was over, I colored it all darkest brown, and added long extensions to it. I was able to experience how head turning long dark hair was. I was pursued and asked out by men more, and I enjoyed the attention and the new confidence it gave me. Also, around 21 years old the texture of my hair changed to this beautiful loose curly hair, and I loved it because I had always wished for curls. I eventually changed the color to the brightest, most flaming copper orange, which complimented my porcelain skin tone. I enjoyed the red for about 5 years, and have now transitioned into a warm medium brown.  I’ve enjoyed all the different colors and styles I’ve been, and feel they were good representations of where I was at in life.

            In my mid 20’s, I began having a lot of major health issues, which caused me to analyze how I was living my life, and how I was treating my mind, body, and soul. I was diagnosed with a rare bone disease in my hands called Keinboch’s disease, which could have caused me to loose function of my hands had I not had surgeries to correct it. I was also diagnosed with ovarian failure, and began wondering why major systems in my body were failing. I also desperately needed to learn coping skills for anxiety and depression, which I had suffered from since a young age. In my late teenage years and into my 20’s I struggled with anorexia and bulimia as a way to have some control in my life. I also observed the affects of going through all of this on my hair. It began falling out mostly around my hairline and became quite damaged and dry. Yikes!!! After years of suffering and self discovery, with the help of allergists and naturopaths, I was diagnosed with celiac disease. Celiac disease is an allergy to gluten, which compromises your whole digestive tract and immune system, which often causes vitamin deficiencies as a result of malnutrition.

            In my career, as a hairstylist, I developed a number of allergies and sensitivities to hair color, other chemical processes, hair products, skin care, and make-up. This blessing in disguise drove my passion for discovering and researching more natural, organic, and healthier products. It gave me the awareness of how the industry was regulated, or shall I say not regulated. I also developed many allergies to food, preservatives, and environmental chemicals on top of all of my seasonal allergies. This snowballed into many major life changes involving my diet, stress management, my job environment, the quality of water I drink and wash with, taking nutritionals, and the quantity and quality of sleep I get.  I also developed the awareness of how important it was to be living my life as an empowered woman, learning to recognize whether or not you are being true to yourself and your needs. I changed the products that I would use on my clients and myself, and began educating others on the importance of using good quality products, eating organic food, exercising, and meditating to name just a few. I love inspiring others to love themselves unconditionally.

           When I was in my early twenties, after suffering many illnesses with no relief from Western medicine, one of my clients suggested that I call an amazing healer/life coach, Margie Kalaluhi. I received long distance healing sessions called The Life Line Technique, which began my journey of self discovery and healing on a subconscious level. I became aware of how impacting the thoughts in our own heads are to our reality and the impact that it has on our bodies. How emotions can manifest in our bodies and ultimately make us sick. I then went on to study the Life Line technique, which consists of kinesiology, color therapy, sound therapy(tuning forks), essential oils, chakras, rapid eye movement, positive affirmations and intentions, which all make up a healing system to release subconscious thought patterns that can cause imbalances in our body, mind, or soul. I was inspired by authors like Louise Hay, "You can Heal Your Life", Eckhart Tolle, "A New Earth", and Dr. Wayne Dyer. I began to awaken, and practice mindfulness. I chose to change, and appreciate all the gifts in strange rapping paper that I did not understand. I decided to surrender to God and the universe, and all the things I have no control over, and feel peace and happiness instead. Thank You to all my spiritual teachers!!

           On my spiritual journey, which began on a conscious level through the discipline of meditation, I began taking spiritual and healing arts classes. I began my spiritual studies with The Modern Mystery School. I went through a series of core programs, initiations, Healer's program, King Solomon Healing Modalities, Mind Region Healing Modalities, and Full Spirit Activation. The classes I’ve studied through The Modern Mystery School are: Empower Thyself, Know Thyself, Adam Kadmon-24 strand DNA Activation, Sacred Geometry Series, Astral Travel, The 12 Races of Earth, Crystal Healings and Readings, Sanctuary Meditation, Spark of Life(long distance healing), and The Universal Kabbalah. I've also become certified in Jikiden Reiki, Life Activation, and Hair Balancing.

              Looking in the mirror now, I am so grateful for all the experiences I have had in life so far, because that has made me who I am today!!! Although it may not have been the easiest path, it forced me to change for the better.  I’ve seen first hand how sick we can make our body, mind, and soul. But on the flip side, I've seen how amazing our body’s are at healing itself naturally, which can occur with some effort and discipline. Hair to me is an individual’s way to express themselves. It is also an outer expression of your inner self reflecting. Hair can be so much fun, and creative. It can be uplifting and give you confidence. It can also be a warning signal of an imbalance in your body or in your life. My relationship with my hair now is very nurturing, holistic, respectful, and carefree. I allow my hair to be free, and allow it to live where it wants to live, and I surrender to its natural beauty. I take care of my hair with love. I bless it, and affirm positive, loving thoughts on it. I also love to compliment it with flowers, feathers, hats, or jewelry.

            I will most definitely keep receiving hair balancing haircuts to more fully understand the process, but also to maintain balance in my hair, and also in my life. Ultimately though, I will grow my hair long again, and continue to cut it to emphasize the curls. I will continue to love my hair unconditionally and inspire others to do the same. I wish upon my hair to have all the health, holiness, and happiness that it can have or more than I can possibly imagine.