If one were looking for the profound in the mundane (and here in the Archives that ‘one’ is me, and I am on the lookout) then I may have found something.  It doesn’t get more ordinary than a teeth cleaning at the dentist.  And yet…

Perhaps modern dentistry isn’t so commonplace.  I ponder further and realize that for a large portion of the world without access to regular dental care, having the plaque scraped free and the teeth polished is an extraordinary experience.  And in my case, couple that with a dental office nestled in a Hawaiian seaside village and you have one impacting appointment.

Impacting being the operative word.  (Oh, the puns abound).  The first question the hygienist asks me when I arrive is if I have had those impacted wisdom teeth surgically removed yet.  I explain that saving up the $1500 to do so has been slow going – but hey, I think one of them has poked through the gum.  That’s helpful, right?

Just like Jeb, I’m still cutting teeth.  Wisdom ones at that.  I reflect on the significance (if any) and wonder at the fact that these teeth are still moving.  Nothing is stagnant.  I’m still changing.

I go to Louise Hay‘s, “You Can Heal Your Life” (I can’t help it, my friend gave me the book) to find out the thoughts she believes are connected to my teeth.  She suggests that impacted wisdom teeth may come from “not giving mental space to create a firm foundation.”

To be honest, I don’t understand exactly what this means.  Maybe I’m not giving enough mental space to it.

Still, my wisdom teeth and I are feeling quite open-minded as I consider Louise’s affirmation antidote:

“I open my consciousness to the expansion of life.  There is plenty of space for me to grow and change.”

Maybe that little protruding tooth has dropped down as proof-positive that I am opening and expanding.  Let’s hope so.  Maybe I’ll expand into a couple thousand dollars so I can spring for the happy gas.

In perfect Kauai woo-woo fashion, the oral surgeon who can remove these impacting teeth offers a yogic meditation CD to help calm prior to surgery.  I have the choice to use just the meditation techniques and a local anesthetic or be completely put under with the laughing gas.

I’d like to think that I could Buddha myself into such a calm state that I wouldn’t mind hearing the sound of the teeth coming out of my head.  But I don’t want to risk being wrong.  Perhaps I’ll be accessing this level of expanded consciousness after they’re removed.

I’ve got the meditation CD.  I should just start listening to it so I can cope with regular day stuff.  Getting Jeb to shampoo his hair is like pulling teeth…