Beneath the Noise: Finding Clarity in a Broken Medical System
Beneath the noise of thoughts and the chaos of emotions there is peace and silence… from that silence, knowing arises and light comes in.
That silence is where truth lives. It’s where fear loosens its grip and clarity begins to form. In a world where health decisions often feel urgent and overwhelming, this quiet space is the most important place you can return to before saying yes or no to anything.
Today, I want to invite you to pause, to breathe, and to come back to your center before making health choices that could change your life.
The Medical System: A Dual Reality
A lot of us grew up hearing the same messages: “Trust your doctor.” “The doctor knows best.” “There are scientists who study for years to give us the right answers.” “Listen to your doctor, they know what they’re doing.”
We didn’t really question it. And if we did, someone shut us down. Maybe we were told we were wrong, or made to feel dumb for even asking. Sometimes we silenced ourselves thinking, “Well… the doctor said it, so they must be right. I must be wrong.”
But then… there was that moment. That time when we realized we were undeniably right after all. Many times…
And that’s when everything shifts. You’re left grappling with the blame, the cracks in your self-trust, the loss of trust in mainstream medicine and the overwhelming task of trying to navigate a system you still might need, even though it hurt you.
The medical system asks us to trust it. For many, that trust is hard-earned, and for others, it’s been broken entirely.
Science is valuable. It has given us incredible breakthroughs, tools, and treatments. But science can also be corrupted, shaped to serve profit over people. Ghostwritten research papers, industry-funded studies with predetermined outcomes, and financial incentives that quietly drive medical recommendations. These are not rare exceptions; they are increasingly common.
And yet, within that same system, there are deeply compassionate doctors and nurses who genuinely care, who fight the same battles you do against bureaucracy and greed. There are healers who listen, who respect your voice, and who genuinely want the best for you. The challenge is learning how to tell the difference.
The Art of Discernment
When your health is on the line, discernment - cultivating trust in your intuition and listening to your gut - is your lifeline. You don’t have to abandon the medical establishment entirely. You can make it work for you, the way it was always meant to.
There’s no shame in making mistakes, learning through trial and error, and having compassion for yourself if you agree to something you didn’t truly want, or refuse a treatment you later realize you may have needed. Practice self-compassion and give yourself grace as you navigate this confusing landscape.
I was permanently harmed 13 years ago, and even after that still agreed to procedures I immediately regretted. I wasn’t yet confident; I still didn’t want to be labeled ‘non-compliant.’ I worried I would be kicked out of the hospital, thought of as difficult or crazy, maybe even flagged in the Electronic medical system to warn nurses and doctors that I ‘refuse’ treatments.
It took me years to develop clear discernment and finally find my way to a place of self-empowerment where I confidently decline diagnostics and prescriptions I know I do not need or that won’t help me heal. I still encounter judgment and silent disapproval in one of my doctor’s offices, but I also see that he now accepts I am someone who guides her own care.
I am also acutely aware that refusing certain preventative or diagnostic procedures could mean missing something. And I am fully at peace with that. Because I know there is a risk with any procedure I refuse, and in my case, I know the risk of getting hurt is bigger than the risk of dying of an undiagnosed condition. That’s the risk-benefit ratio I weigh for myself every time I choose to see a doctor or accept a prescription, including supplements.
Here are some red and green flags I watch for:
Red flags often show up as:
Being rushed through appointments, where checkboxes matter more than your voice
Having your concerns dismissed or minimized: “It’s just stress,” “You’re getting older,” “That’s normal.”
Pressure to undergo procedures or take medications without clear explanations or consent: “Let’s see if this works,” or “Don’t worry about where the symptom came from, let’s just treat them.”
Feeling like your questions are unwelcome: “Stop using Dr. Google,” or “Why are you here if you already ‘did your research’?”
Green flags might look like:
A practitioner who listens without interrupting, and you feel they truly hear you
Transparent conversations about risks, benefits, and alternatives—even admitting they may not know all the risks, but will hear you out if you bring them up
Willingness to collaborate on a plan rather than dictate one, fully accepting if you refuse a treatment or need time to think
Encouragement to seek a second opinion without judgment
Discernment isn’t about mistrusting everyone, it’s about knowing the difference between being cared for and being managed. It’s about feeling that you are making an informed choice, rather than just following orders.
The Inner Compass
In a culture that glorifies data and endlessly promotes so-called “evidence-based medicine” while ignoring how deeply corrupted much of medicine has become, it’s easy to forget that your own knowing is not irrational. In fact, it’s one of the most important tools you have.
When you’re faced with a non-emergent medical decision, try asking yourself:
· Does this feel true?
· Does it resonate deeply within me?
· Do I feel seen and heard?
· What is my gut telling me?
· Am I choosing out of fear or from a place of clarity?
· Am I at peace with the consequences of saying “yes” or saying “no”?
Sometimes the answer you get won’t make sense to anyone else. That’s okay. It doesn’t have to. You are the one who lives with the outcome, not them.
Independent research is one way to strengthen that inner compass. This doesn’t mean you have to become a medical expert overnight, but it does mean going beyond the brochure or the five-minute explanation in an exam room. Look up the original studies. Compare sources that aren’t funded by the companies selling the product or procedure. Seek out the experiences of others who’ve walked the same path—both positive and negative. The more you understand the landscape, the harder it is for someone else to push you into a decision that isn’t right for you.
There’s No Perfect Choice—Only an Empowered One
Every choice carries some level of uncertainty. Even the most researched, carefully considered decision can bring unexpected outcomes. Sometimes years later.
For one person, choosing breast implants may be the most self-empowered decision of their life, yet years later they could develop ‘breast implant illness’, autoimmune issues or brain fog – effects no one warned them about.
Another person might refuse chemotherapy, believing it’s the right choice for them—and that’s okay. Someone who received a vaccine might find themselves living with a life-altering illness that keeps them in a dark room, while another who refused it might still wonder if they made the right call.
The real question is: Were all of them truly given informed consent, with every known risk clearly explained?
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s peace. It’s being able to look back and say, I made this choice with all the information I had, from a place of clarity, not fear.
For me, that’s meant declining certain medical screenings like MRIs and mammograms, and politely saying “no” to prescriptions after researching the side effects and uncovering buried trial data showing low to no efficacy with a risk profile far above acceptable. I didn’t make those choices lightly. I weighed the evidence, listened to my body, and honored my boundaries.
Your path might look different, and that’s the point. There is no one-size-fits-all in health. No one should be made to feel bad, non-compliant, stupid, or like a conspiracy theorist. Self-empowered choice is exactly that, a choice. We live with the consequences, and we can change our minds if we need to.
Closing Invitation
Before your next health decision, whether it’s as small as changing a supplement or as big as scheduling surgery, pause. Return to that quiet space beneath the noise. Let your own knowing rise to the surface. Take as much time as you need.
Because no matter how broken the system feels, no matter how loud the outside voices get, you still have agency. Always.
Your health, your body, your choice, your life.
For video version of this blog, click here.
