| What is healing? | | | | much negative reinforcement about being sick in the |
| Healing is more than just about maintaining a positive | | | | form of attention - from doctors, family or other |
| state of physical wellness. Healing encompasses the | | | | caregivers - that they have trouble letting go |
| four major forces that comprise our existence: | | | | psychologically of their identity as a "sick" person. |
| physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. If one or more | | | | Other reasons people do not heal is because on some |
| of these areas is not functioning optimally, then we are | | | | level, they don't believe they are worthy of being well. |
| in need of healing to bring those forces back into | | | | If they suffer from low self-esteem or were made to |
| balance. We can be physically healthy but if our | | | | feel at some point in their life that they do not deserve |
| relationships with others are rife with conflict, we are in | | | | to be happy or have good things happen to them, it |
| need of healing. Conversely, we can be physically | | | | can be difficult to let go of negative mental conditioning |
| compromised in some way, but if we have accepted | | | | that allows illness to manifest and take residence. |
| that state and embraced a new way of living, we can | | | | These are not "bad" or "messed-up" people. They |
| consider ourselves to be healing because we are not | | | | have just been conditioned for a long time to believe |
| rejecting what is physically not "working" but rather, | | | | and integrate their experiences in these ways, and |
| seeing it as an integral aspect of what makes us who | | | | healing cannot begin to occur until they recognize |
| we are. | | | | those patterns and process them differently. |
| Still here, still healing | | | | What's in your healing tool kit? |
| Ram Dass, in his book, Still Here, speaks with honesty | | | | Embarking on a wellness journey can bring great gifts |
| and grace about experiencing, rejecting and then | | | | in the form of supportive practices and resources to |
| eventually coming to terms with his physical limitations | | | | draw on during the healing process and facilitate |
| following a stroke. A well-respected spiritual teacher, | | | | positive change. Often, it is not one single treatment or |
| he traveled the world giving talks and doing | | | | approach that does the trick but rather, a combination |
| workshops, and was an avid golf player. He talks | | | | of two or more things that spark a noticeable change. I |
| about the effect that the stroke had on him and how | | | | call this the "healing tool kit" and I encourage my clients |
| he eventually made the shift towards a state of | | | | to seek out and utilize several different things that feel |
| healing by accepting that his life had fundamentally | | | | right and improve their well-being. |
| changed and resisting the temptation to manifest his | | | | What can be especially helpful are finding practices |
| symptoms within his identity: | | | | that help remain centered during difficult times. |
| "After any major physical "insult," as they call it, it's all | | | | Meditation, yoga, visualizations, affirmations, mindful |
| too easy to see yourself as a collection of symptoms | | | | movement (Tai Chi, walking in a labyrinth or peaceful |
| rather than as a total human being, including your spirit - | | | | space) and energy healing are all great ways to tune |
| and thus to become your illness...Healing is not the | | | | into the body's messages and dial down reactivity. |
| same as curing, after all; healing does not mean going | | | | These will, in turn, lower anxiety, stress and physical |
| back to the way things were before, but rather | | | | discomfort. Try one or even several practices and see |
| allowing what is now to move us closer to God." | | | | how they fit together. Be open to experimenting. Some |
| Barriers to healing | | | | people have difficulty sitting still for meditation, but find |
| Why is it that we sometimes don't heal as we should? | | | | joyfulness in a chanting or prayer practice. Others find |
| How does a simple injury or illness suddenly rage out | | | | that a yoga class that is slower-paced and |
| of control, spinning off new chronic conditions and | | | | emphasizes breath work is more comfortable for |
| wearing down the body? Why do some people, after | | | | them than an energetic asana flow. Be creative in how |
| going through a difficult phase in their life, have trouble | | | | you incorporate practices and go with what feels right |
| moving forward? | | | | to you. I often incorporate Reiki into my sitting |
| Sometimes we don't heal because medicine or | | | | meditation and yoga practices because it fits in well |
| counseling can only treat one aspect of the problem | | | | with the contemplative nature of these activities. |
| we're experiencing. People who are chronically sick | | | | It is also useful to find a combination of therapeutic |
| may need to make lifestyle changes - dietary | | | | approaches for dealing with stress or managing acute |
| modifications, some form of exercise, stress reduction | | | | or chronic health conditions. Team with your doctor to |
| techniques or set healthy boundaries in their | | | | incorporate a mix of allopathic and complementary or |
| relationships with others - in order to see a major shift | | | | alternative treatments to help improve your well-being |
| in their overall quality of their health. | | | | and manage symptoms. A number of clients who see |
| People who have experienced trauma often continue | | | | me for Reiki treatments or life coaching are also |
| to manifest symptoms in their bodies long after the | | | | receiving chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, |
| event occurred because on an emotional or spiritual | | | | hypnotherapy and standard medical care. People who |
| level, the wound is still raw. A study published in the | | | | feel like they have some control over how they are |
| January 2009 issue of Archives of General Psychiatry | | | | dealing with and treating their chronic health conditions |
| has shown that children who were traumatized by | | | | will experience greater relief from symptoms and |
| some form of physical or emotional abuse are more | | | | improved quality of life. |
| likely to develop chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) as | | | | Know that you are your own best healer and that |
| adults. There may be other reasons adults develop | | | | although the practices and therapies are out there to |
| CFS, including environmental triggers or an | | | | assist you, the enabler for change already exists inside |
| inflammatory response that went haywire (again, also | | | | of you. Build your healing tool kit to help give you a solid |
| traumas of their own) but it's important to note that | | | | foundation to help keep you centered and grounded. |
| unresolved deep traumas do continue to play out in | | | | Most importantly, give yourself permission to let go of |
| our lives long after the event has passed. Even if we | | | | incorrect, outdated or negative beliefs about who you |
| do acknowledge those traumas, we may not have | | | | are. Name them, and gently release them with the |
| fully integrated the experience so that deep healing | | | | intent that you are welcoming and nurturing only those |
| can occur. Depending on the nature of the trauma, it | | | | beliefs that serve your higher good. As part of that |
| can take time, commitment and one or more | | | | process, find time daily to serve yourself a helping of |
| approaches to facilitate the healing process. | | | | love, forgiveness and compassion. With these |
| Sometimes people do not heal because they are | | | | approaches, you will soon find yourself in the midst of |
| resistant in some way. Either they have received so | | | | a transformative journey to healing the whole self. |