How to Heal Yourself
Knowing how to heal ourselves has arguably never been more important than it is now.
With the NHS seriously struggling post Covid, you are lucky if you can gain access to the system in a timely fashion. And if you do, it is a lottery what standard of care you will receive.
So, the old adage, “Prevention is better than cure”, has a particular resonance in these troubled times.
If prevention isn’t possible, we will look at some of the ways you can support your own health as best you can.
The Four Aspects of Healing
For ease of referencing, this blog will present healing information in four categories; so look out for these tags:
physical healing | mental healing | emotional healing | and spiritual healing
That said, I do not wish to fall into the trap of segregating disciplines. We need to hold in mind the holistic nature of who we are. Everything is connected.
So, it will always be foremost how these four aspects sit alongside of each other; never one to the exclusion of another. That should always be borne in mind.
It is a key tenet of naturopathic philosophy to treat the whole person; mind, body and spirit, and that is the premise upon which this blog is founded.
What is Healing?
Before we can examine how to heal, first we must look at what healing is.
Healing is a process that takes place over time and space.
Physical healing can take place over a relatively short space of time, especially if the problem is acute – think cuts, bruises, sprains, broken bones, coughs, colds, mild infections treatable with antibiotics and other ailments of this type.
More deeply engrained illness, often of a chronic nature, will take longer and more commitment.
We know that with the right conditions, the body has an innate desire to keep its systems in balance (homeostasis) and can heal itself.
There is much we can do to support this process by engaging with healthy eating and drinking habits , managing our stress and taking healthy exercise.
More in-depth healing, that accounts for the psychological and spiritual as well, is likely to take longer and require a greater commitment.
In short, in order to be truly well, we need to look out for all aspects of our being – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
Healing and the Immune System
The immune system is the principle bodily system that works to maintain our physical health.
Relatively new science now shows that the myriad microbiota occupying our guts are an important part of this immune system.
Prolonged stress, with its psychological and physiological impact on the body and its immune system, is the largest factor impacting most people’s health.
The good news is that stress is something we can learn to manage.
Trauma is a form of stress on the body that we can learn to heal.
Physical Healing
When we think of healing there is probably a bias in most people’s minds towards physical healing.
For minor physical ailments we will turn to the medicine cabinet that we have at home.
This may include medications from the pharmaceutical world such as painkillers (ibuprofen, aspirin or paracetamol); anti-histamines to treat hay fever or insect bites; antiseptic wipes and creams; or whatever other over-the-counter medicines that you find helpful.
It may include medicines from complementary health modalities such as a home homeopathy kit, herbal tinctures or essential oils.
Most of us have some kind of healing tools to turn to in the home.
GP, A&E or Specialist Consultant
For anything more serious, we will seek out our GP (a service that is increasingly difficult to access) or go to A&E.
If that needs progressing, we will be referred to a specialist consultant and further treatments may be recommended.
The pharmaceutical and surgical toolbox of the orthodox medical world is uppermost in western societies.
Medical Insurance
In the UK, the normal trajectory through the NHS/orthodox health system is free of charge, and it therefore takes precedence. In other countries, and to some extent in the UK as well, insurance companies ensure that it remains King.
There are, however, other places we can turn to and this blog will shine a light into those corners too.
Psychological Healing – Mental and Emotional
The world of physical healing has been the dominant healing force available to most.
Mental health has only recently started to attract the attention it deserves.
In the UK charities like Mind and Heads Together have helped with its promotion, to try and break down societal stigmas around mental health challenges.
In days gone by, unless you were so ill as to be sectioned, or placed in a mental asylum, you were left to battle any mental health problems alone.
The 1950s saw the advent of anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs. The worlds of psychiatry and/or psychotherapy were around, but not then widely available.
Community played a large part in supporting people through mental health crises, but with an increasingly insular society, this system has largely broken down.
When it comes to psychological healing, we talk of doing activities to help us “unwind” and “let off steam”. But more of this later.
The Conscious vs Subconscious Mind
The human mind is part conscious, part unconscious.
The extent to which that is so, depends from person to person. Generally speaking, however, it is said that only 5% of our mind operates consciously, and the rest is unconscious.
So much of what drives us to think and behave as we do comes from the hidden depths of our psyche. We could say “out of sight, out of mind”, only it is not that simple!
The Subconscious/Unconscious
This 95%, that is our unconscious mind, comprises of our personal unconscious plus what resides in the collective. Given that it is the lion’s share of the mind, we can see that there is much running the show that is “behind the scenes”. A bit like The Wizard of Oz, hiding behind his screen, pulling all the levers, the master controller, yet you can’t see him. Until you do!
To heal, we need to pay attention to the unconscious. And there are several ways we can do this.
Taking notice of our dreams is a common one. Psychodynamic Therapy and Internal Family Systems assist the process. Free association and Freudian slips can provide small windows of insight, and so on. I am skimming over the surface here, setting the scene for future more in-depth coverage, so do keep following if you would like to find out more.
There are many things that go into the unconscious that are of less concern when thinking of healing. Things that we have learnt to do and can now do by rote become facets of that domain, like when we learn to drive a car. In the beginning we are consciously thinking about our every move, but once familiar with the process we drive unconsciously. How often have you driven somewhere and when you got there you haven’t remembered the drive?!
To dig into the unconscious field for healing, is to go on a lifelong journey of self-discovery. The more aware we become, then the more we can process what has hurt us in the past, and free up stuck energy held in our bodies.
Therapy is often referred to as a process of making the unconscious conscious. The jewel in the crown of this process is to be more in touch with who we are. The ultimate treasure is more freedom, joy and harmony.
Spiritual Healing
Spiritual healing is intrinsically linked with the psychological, which is why these two are often spoken of together, referring to our psychospiritual wellbeing. Focusing on the spiritual, to the exclusion of the psychological, can be unhelpful and result in what is termed “Spiritual Bypassing”.
It is helpful here to separate religion from the spiritual. They are often linked together, which can be off-putting for some.
It is possible to connect to our spiritual being without being religious.
Many now purport to be “spiritual but not religious”.
Many are rejecting the dogma and institution of religion, with all its human flaws, in favour of a more direct connection to “the above” – whatever that might be for you.
Some refer to God, others feel their spirituality in beauty and nature, some call it source, and others still feel it when in a state of awe and wonderment. Whatever your connection to the “divine” may be, it does not have to be mediated through any particular world religion.
What is Your Belief System?
The word “religion” simply denotes a belief system.
We all have a belief system, and it is important for our health to know what it is. It’s like working out what is your personal “religion”.
When did you last look inside of yourself, really examine what makes you tick, and articulate what that might mean for you and how you live your life?
If we ignore the essence of who we are (our spirit), plough on living against ourselves, fitting into others’ ideas of who we should be, we can almost be certain that we will hit a crisis at some point.
Psychological and Spiritual Crisis
What is a psychospiritual crisis”? Often they happen at midlife, although they can happen at any point in the life cycle.
It is a description of what happens when all that bending of self to fit in to societal expectations/ another’s ideas of who you “should” be can finally, no longer, be accommodated. It is time to start living in alignment with who you really are.
It is a state that arises when accumulated stress/traumas tip your system beyond coping.
In more dramatic fashion, a psychospiritual crisis is sometimes referred to as the “Dark Night of the Soul”.
Physiologically speaking, our nervous system can no longer keep putting it away. It will be characterised by certain behaviours, and may also be packaged up with certain addictions.
Healing Trauma
Healing trauma plays a large part in what it is to heal.
Most people have suffered enough to know what trauma feels like.
How much time it will take to heal from your own particular wounds depends on their nature and your own.
Some may never wake up to engage with this healing journey of the body and soul and may soldier on oblivious.
Others can be locked in their pain for many years before a catalytic event ignites the process.
This can be as simple as deciding that you no longer want to live with crippling anxiety.
The denser energies that we hold in our bodies belong to unprocessed grief, anger, sadness, depression and other low frequency emotions.
The antidote is to learn how to process our emotions and move through to the higher frequencies of compassion and love.
Medicine Chest of the World
When it comes to assessing which medical tools are the best ones for us to use in our own personal healing journey, we need to look wider than the main medical model we have all become familiar with.
Orthodox medical treatments have their place alongside other complementary medical practices.
Many of the more “natural” cures fall under the heading Naturopathy, and this blog will be examining this world too.
Psychological healing is often facilitated through psychiatric or psychotherapeutic practices, but not always. Again, something to be examined.
Indigenous cultures knew a thing or two when it came to treating people, especially when the soul was found to be flagging.
There are many indigenous traditions around the world, and thankfully their wisdom hasn’t been entirely lost. Although, the West had a jolly good go at stamping them out in the name of civilisation!
Now we are starting to respect what these cultures have to offer when it comes to healing.
Many acknowledge and value this world, often referred to as shamanism.
These days, some western people seek out shamans when orthodox medicine has nothing left to offer.
The Call to Holistic Healing
Do you feel the call to holistic healing?
It takes dedication, honesty and courage to truly face up to the forces that make us ill in the first place.
In order to heal, we have at first to make a decision. We have to decide that we truly want to heal.
At face value, it might seem obvious. Of course, we want to heal. Who wouldn’t want healing?
But there are several parameters that require investigation if deep-seated healing is what we hope for.
Healing requires work. It requires commitment to soul growth. It requires courage to step out of our comfort zone.
The healing journey will make demands on you, and you will need to be prepared to meet them head on.
It requires a relinquishing of blame. It demands a connection to love and loving compassion. It insists that you take personal responsibility for your experience.
For to heal, you need to forgive. To heal, you have to reclaim your power and give up victimhood.
I hope you choose to take this road and sign up to this blog.
Your Planet Needs You
Our planet has never been more in need of conscious, responsible people prepared to go the extra mile to make planet earth a better place for the generations to come.
We can only heal our planet if we heal ourselves; to be conscious, mindful citizens whose actions account for the greater needs of humanity and mother earth.
A Magdalene Addendum
My Mary Magdalene Pilgrimage in May 2023 expanded my thoughts and approach to healing in ways I could not have conceived beforehand. This has now become part of this blog.
Bottom line, Yeshua (Jesus) and all those who worked alongside his ministry were, in essence, supreme healers. They were not about building a religion, so you wont find any religion here.
From my research so far, it can be said that “Mary Magdalene” wasn’t just one person. The writers of the four gospels have conflated a number of women, initiates of the Order of the Magdalene, to create their sinful prostitute! These women were powerful healers in their own right, whose voices were shut down by the patriarchy of its day. They are the ones who are behind the rising feminine that is now being witnessed in modern society. They are the ones inspiring women like me to pick up their mantle, and lead a movement to heal the distorted masculine and wounded feminine.
The time is nigh; there are enough awakened and awakening souls to carry this to fruition and bring these polarities back into balance.
The extra dimension brought by the Magdalene energies is the healing between the masculine and feminine.
There are some days when I don’t know which way to turn. The writing is coming through me thick and fast. I really don’t feel in charge!! So I hope you enjoy, and feel inspired to act upon, the content that is manifesting.
