Healing can be seen as a change in ones symptoms or condition. The human system
has a natural tendency toward healing. As an example, if you were to cut your finger
when chopping vegetables, you would expect any bleeding to stop, and eventually the skin to close. Expectations of a natural healing process also exist with the emotional
and spiritual aspects of our being. When our expectations are not met, when we feel something is not quite right, when we are in pain, a healing intervention can be helpful.
The discussion of healing has existed in every culture and human experience. Plato, considered to be one of the fathers of western medicine, has a famous quote warning of the mistake when one allows a separation
of the soul from the physical body as one contemplates healing. In Chinese medicine, there is an understanding of three levels of healing. This concept dates back to one of Chinese medicines' oldest herbal texts and has been adopted by acupuncturists.
The first level is to clear the physical symptoms of excess. Excess being something brought into the human system. Examples include isolated acute pain from a fall, onset of a cold or flu, or a urinary tract infection.
The second level involves supplementing and supporting aspects of the human system. There is a balance of energetic levels, organ dynamics, emotions, stressors, or aspects of lifestyle to address in order for healing to take place. Examples of this would be whiplash from a car accident where the person is experiencing aspects of the trauma in their daily life in addition to the pain, chronic bladder infections, heartburn, re-injuring of problems, irritable bowel syndrome, or issues with infertility.
The third level is to support the connection of ones spirituality in relation to physical symptoms, lifestyle, and path of living. At this level, it is important to bring awareness to the innate knowing which we all process of how we are acting in our lives, and how these actions are affecting our health and fulfillment of our destiny. Examples of this would include, low back pain which is evident while working in a stressful job which disappears when there is a job change. Allergies, that disappear when a new relationship is formed. Depression which lessons when there is enough healing to go deeply into the self and find resolution in a chaotic relationship. Overlaid in any of these examples, is a felt sense of ones' own unique spiritual connection in life. This connection differs widely in people. Shamanism which has existed in every culture, sees energetic forces clearly as an important aspect in bringing about a state of change. These forces vary from a relative who has died to an emotional dynamic we hold within ourselves which attracts energy from others.
Shamanism which has existed in every culture, sees energetic forces clearly as an important aspect in bringing about a state of change. These forces vary from a relative who has died to an emotional dynamic we hold within ourselves which attracts energy from others.