Becoming Beducated in Egypt
Some stories just beg to be re-told and this is certainly one of them. I hope my friend forgives me for sharing this, but it’s for a good reason, which I will eventually get to.
Several years ago I visited Egypt—my first of many trips to the Land of the great Pharaohs. I now lead an Egyptian Mystery School group there every year for those interested in learning the ancient initiation and healing practices of the adepts.
One day my young and rather handsome Egypt guide showed up in a black tee-shirt sporting the urban American saying “Beducated”. I eyed it suspiciously and asked him where he had gotten it. He revealed it was a present from his beautiful wife. I tried to hide a knowing smile.
“You DO know what it means, don’t you?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said proudly pointing to the letters. “It means B-Educated.” A university graduate himself, it was clear he thought he was advocating a quest for continued learning.
I really hated to burst his bubble. “That’s not what it means,” I informed him. “Beducated means you’re good in bed. It appears your wife wants the world to know you got what it takes.”
He looked mortified and immediately turned fifty shades of red. He’s a good Muslim man. According to his religion, “He who has in his heart the weight of an atom of pride shall not enter Paradise.” Without another word he turned around, went back to his room and changed—the Beducated tee-shirt never to be seen again. Later I would learn his clever Egyptian wife knew exactly what it meant and pulled a good one on him. He still turns red every time I see him and mention it.
A week ago I returned once again from Egypt and the term “Beducated” took on a whole new and unexpected meaning for me. For the last six months I’ve had a persistent crick in my neck, discomfort in my hip, lower back soreness and at times it even felt like my shoulder wanted to rotate out like I had been put on some kind of rack. I would wake each morning feeling sore and stiff after a restless night of sleep. I dreaded going to the gym, even though I did so and always felt better. I refused to believe the morning stiffness could possibly be due to old age finally creeping in.
I used my Trinfinity8 technology to reduce the morning soreness and inflammation and it would disappear quickly, but only for a day. The same story with my chiropractic adjustments. Each morning I would experience the same discomfort symptoms all over again. I thought I was just sleeping wrong or something.
Then mysteriously all the soreness and discomfort disappeared while I was away in Egypt. I thought it was because I always feel a greater sense of peace there, despite it being in the Middle East. However, the next morning after I returned home the soreness returned. That’s when I had the revelation it might have something to do with my bed.
I stripped off all the bedding and closely examined the mattress. Right in the middle of the bed was a barely noticeable shallow dip that lined up quite nicely with my shoulder and hip since I am a side sleeper. I managed to flip the mattress, but the writing was clearly on the wall. The mattress had to go. I had been sleeping with the enemy all along, while making my chiropractor rich. I should have put two and two together sooner and saved myself the pain and cost, but at least it didn’t take me years to discover the culprit.
I have to admit I didn’t know that most mattresses have a life expectancy of only 8 to 10 years. Mine was 16 years old, out of shape and long overdue for retirement. According to Consumer Reports, if you’re over the age of 40 you might need to replace your mattress every 5 to 7 years. I didn’t know that. Maybe it’s news to you as well. If it wasn’t for all the good mattresses I slept on throughout my time in Egypt, I might never have made the connection that my own bed was causing such discomfort. My time in Egypt BEDUCATED me.
After doing some extensive research, I started sleeping on a firmer mattress. Suddenly, my body no longer felt beaten up each morning. I was also sleeping longer and deeper. I talked with a physical therapist friend of mine who informed me that so many chronic pain conditions, especially back problems, can be attributed to a sagging mattress.
Since we spend a third of our lives in bed, its understandable that a bad mattress can be a recipe for chronic back pain. Unattended this can lead to degenerative conditions leading to such surgeries like hip replacement. Even worse it can lead to depression and exhaustion from a night of tossing and turning trying to find relief.
This should REALLY get your attention: Sleeplessness and pain can also make you FAT. It is no secret that people who are exhausted from poor sleep will eat more carbs and sugars to boost their energy during the day. A good mattress will help you sleep better, lose weight, improve memory and even help you live longer.
Don’t make the mistake I did. Check out your own mattress today for signs that it may be reaching its shelf life. Here’s a handy LINK to measure if you have a sagging mattress which needs replacement. Give yourself the gift of a good nights sleep and life will look a lot brighter each morning. It certainly made a difference for me.
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Dr. Kathy Forti is a clinical psychologist, inventor of the Trinfinity8 technology, and author of the book, Fractals of God: A Psychologist’s Near-Death Experience and Journeys Into the Mystical
Thanks for sharing how you came to the conclusion that you needed a new mattress. I was away on vacation as I was reading your article. I realized that my sore neck and shoulder (which I had been dealing with since the first of the year) were mysteriously gone since I checked into the hotel with my husband. I mentioned this to my husband and he suggested that I monitor the situation when we get back home to see if the pain returns. Sure enough it came back. We bought a new mattress the next day. Our mattress was 13 years old. It was time for a replacement. I sleep so deeply with this new mattress and my neck and shoulder are feeling well again. Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I always enjoy your newsletters.