In The Irish Examiner Newspaper November 2000

Sue Leonard talks to Margaret Boland about seeing life more clearly, hearing more sweetly and living completely. 

“Metamorphosis is seeing life more sweetly and living life more completely”. Margaret Boland, a former nurse, midwife and reflexologist, who has been involved with Metamorphosis for nine years would like more time to explain the concept. It isn’t a therapy or a belief. “It’s a philosophy of life. The best way to understand it is to experience and practice it for oneself”. Such is Margaret’s passion and conviction, that I left after an hour with a brilliant depiction, and a curiosity to learn more.

Created by Robert St John in England during the late 1950’s Metamorphosis is an understanding of the way we are influenced by our inheritance of the past, and the way these influences create inhibitions in our appreciation of life. These modify our physical, mental, emotional and behavioral well being. Using spinal reflexes of the feet, hands and head, Metamorphosis brings these attitudes into the unconscious focus, enabling the person to be their own healer. Simple hand symbols are taught to help the person become more creative and balanced. The aim is to free the primary cause of stress and change the attitude of mind.

A woman recently had her first session with Margaret, afterwards she went for her daily walk. “She said she felt so different,” says Margaret. “Instead of thinking what to cook for dinner she said she saw the trees and heard the birds. It was the most relaxed walk she’d had in years”. Metamorphosis helps you create the moment and enjoy it. In stress we’re held in time, worrying about the past or anxious about the future. These patterns change with Metamorphosis and it creates freedom and a quality of life.

A Metamorphosis practitioner is a catalyst who’s motive is to introduce the idea of self healing.

 “Robert St John, who discovered this work, once said that if one person in each family had Metamorphosis the world would be a very different place.” St John died in 1996, but before then Margaret had already attended his seminars and courses.

 Margaret’s Family have benefited hugely from Metamorphosis. Her 19 year-old daughter sailed through her Leaving Cert, with no stress at all. “She was very calm throughout the whole thing,” says Margaret, “and she helped her friends who were very stressed before their exams. She would treat their heads and show them hand symbols. It helped them to relax and to focus.”

 “Although people often present a symptom, perhaps a Migraine, Metamorphosis takes the attention off the symptom and people often forget why they went for Metamorphosis,” says Margaret. “It’s creating balance in their lives.”

 Metamorphosis is wonderful for children with Down’s Syndrome, Autism and learning difficulties. The changes in people can alter their lives. A woman came to her before Christmas two weeks after her husband had left. “She was at a very low ebb. So tense that she could hardly speak.” Margaret treated her and taught her how to treat herself, and after Christmas, she seemed more relaxed and talkative, with plans to move house. Then her husband wanted to take her out on her birthday and feeling relaxed, she was keen to go. Her husband was surprised at the change in her and asked for another ‘date’. “She said ‘I wish I’d had Metamorphosis prior to him going’,” says Margaret. The date led to a holiday after which the woman’s husband returned. “Now she’s treating him and attending a study course in Metamorphosis” says Margaret. Metamorphosis enables us to be more creative in our thinking and doing, more compassionate in our feelings and dealings, and more at peace with ourselves and the world.”