Jennifer Smith, Registered Nurse, Australia
As a health professional working in a hospital, it is a requirement to be vaccinated against a variety of infectious diseases. When I was in my twenties, prior to any training in health and health care, I had chosen to be vaccinated to travel overseas. I was fully informed and chose to be fully vaccinated, as I was travelling to some very isolated areas and communities.
Later in life, I learned more about vaccines and health care, and made the conscious choice not to be vaccinated, based on certain beliefs.
Recently I began to ask myself:
Why choose vaccination then, and not now?
What’s the difference between getting vaccinated to go travelling and getting vaccinated to go to work?
If I really think about it, in all honesty I am more likely to come across someone with an infectious disease while I am at work than I was when I went travelling.
So where did my hesitancy and reluctance come from, for the many years of refusing to have some vaccinations as part of my job?
Most of this was tied up with the beliefs that I had about vaccinations. It wasn’t that I was worried about side effects so much; it was that I really didn’t believe that I needed them. I thought that if I kept myself well, then that would be my insurance. At this time I was also working with herbal medicines and I felt I could prescribe for myself if I became unwell.
What I began to feel was that although this was true, it wasn’t the whole truth; there was something missing in this argument that I had constructed for myself.
I began to ask myself…
Could becoming fully vaccinated for my work be a part of how I care for myself?
I considered the purpose of vaccinations and why and how they came about in the first place. Having worked with elders within my profession, they speak of caring for lots of children with diseases we rarely see now because of the use of vaccines.
The vaccine that I had steered clear from was the influenza vaccine. I had it about 10 years ago and became very unwell afterwards. Whilst I acknowledge that vaccines, and any medication, can have potential side effects I had reached the conclusion that it was only the vaccine that had resulted in my flu, that kept me in bed for one week. What I had not acknowledged was how I was caring for myself at the time. Around the same time as receiving the flu vaccine I went out late night partying, being outside in the freezing cold, inadequately dressed, and drinking a fair bit of alcohol (to keep myself warm!). Potentially what could have been a fairly minor side effect turned into a full-blown bout of the flu, because I wasn’t truly caring for myself.
Although having the vaccine can cause flu like symptoms, I didn’t want to accept the fact that on top of that I wasn’t really caring for myself. What I had been offered at that time was the opportunity to acknowledge this and also feel what my level of responsibility was in caring for myself. It is more than receiving a vaccine and hoping that I won’t become ill. I also have a part to play in caring for my body.
Recently, I began to feel that being vaccinated was a deeply caring thing to do, not only for myself, but also for the people I care for. I followed up on what was required. I was due to have three vaccines (injections). I was offered a blood test for one vaccine, and found that I was already immune, so that particular vaccine was not required. With the two vaccines that I received, I did it in a way that was very supportive and nurturing for me:
– I had one injection at a time, rather than getting them all at once. This was spread over 2 weeks.
– I made sure that I had days off after each injection, so that I didn’t have to push through any discomfort I may be feeling in my arm from the injection, whilst at work.
– I rested deeply after receiving each vaccine.
Other than a sore arm after one vaccine, I experienced no side effects.
It’s interesting to reflect on the beliefs we have on a subject like choosing to be vaccinated and where those beliefs may come from.
For me, there was arrogance in the belief of ‘well it won’t happen to me’ and ‘it’s ok, I can deal with it if I do get sick’.
Acknowledging and then letting go of those stubbornly held beliefs has allowed me to see that these medicines can be a true support for our bodies and how we care for ourselves.
You can read more about Serge Benhayon’s views on vaccination on the blog “Serge Benhayon on vaccination – choice and responsibility”.
Medicine and Serge Benhayon 
Avoiding vaccines thinking we are avoiding ill from complications…I can understand it in a way if there’s the commonly held belief that being ill is bad. What if sometimes we need to be ill in order to be shown how we are living? What if it’s not a punishment but highlighting what we’ve already done to ourselves?
I love how you revisited your beliefs to check in if they were true and if you still felt this but not only that was honest about the lack of care you were taking for yourself in the first lot of vaccinations years ago and how this time round you took extra care with yourself and how you were having the vaccinations … very cool ❤️
When I started my nurse training and was told I would have to be vaccinated – I did everything I could to get out of it, love what you share here as you are connecting to the bigger picture and the true responsibility that we can take.
Reading this blog made me realise I had similar feelings towards vaccinations. I too used to consider travel vaccinations and only accepted the vaccinations that were compulsory for working as a health professional.
Just this year, I accepted the flu vaccination and had this fear/concept of how it was going to affect me, hence my hesitation to have it on the first place. I didn’t have the opportunity to rest and received the flu vaccination whilst at work, and apart from a sore arm and feeling a little queasy on the day, I was fine.
Everyone needs to consider what feels true for them, at the same time we also need to ensure the vaccines are safe. We still have the freedom to choose to vaccinate or not.
Whatever injection we are to receive it is our responsibility to present a body that is truly cared for.
Mary that is a spot on, in your face statement, I absolute and totally agree with it. ‘It is our responsibility to present a body that is truly cared for’ is needed in everything we do and be.
Gosh Mary I love what you have expressed here and how you have expressed it .. bringing it back to our responsibility in how we care for ourselves and of course the body we present. What you have presented here is medicine in itself ✨
For me this clearly shows that the more responsibility we accept, the more worldly and wise we become in the choices we make, which are naturally more loving for the all.
I agree, the vaccines made for the current year were predicated on the previous years strains. A current year’s vaccine could completely miss the mark, as there is always some uncertainty about which strains will come in any one future year. Prevention in the form of keeping ones immune system healthy and living a healthy lifestyle with exercise and a good healthy diet and sleep seems to stand one in good stead.
I have never had a flu vaccine and never got flu – despite volunteering for many years in a primary school. The more I research certain vaccines the more uncertain I have become. I’m not sure we are told the whole truth by certain pharmaceutical companies. After all they are in it to make money. It would seem there is a huge polarity in the vaccine debate – being you are either for or against. I would prefer to research each one – and read the blurb that comes with each packet – something we don’t often have the opportunity to read unless we ask for it. Then we can make up our own minds.
Vaccines are an incredible advancement of modern medicine, and when there is self-care too, I reckon this makes for an awesome combination which everyone can benefit from.
I’ve experienced that arrogance of – I can do it without medicine too – all I can say was it was a relief to accept the support and also to engage in that care for myself rather than thinking and persevering with the belief that I could do it alone.
What you chose for yourself in your latest round of vaccinations is inspiring Jennifer, to undertake an event and to support yourself fully. This could be done across of many of our life events.
“Recently, I began to feel that being vaccinated was a deeply caring thing to do, not only for myself, but also for the people I care for.” As a health professional this makes perfect sense, yet it makes sense for us all because when we support ourselves like this we are also taking responsibility for ourselves and others, which is part of caring for our family and community.
Great to read this again Jennifer and come to the realisation of how important our self care is even around vaccinations, because if our body has experienced stress, pressure or neglect we may not be able to cope well with the vaccination. Your preparation around the vaccinations was very self caring also.
Yes, like many things in life it is important to look at why you do things. If you get vaccinations so you will not have to take responsibility for taking care of yourself, it is a different than getting vaccinations just as a part of your health care.