I recently embarked on a 4 year course of study in traditional naturopathy and acupuncture. I’ve been immersed in timeless and practical principles of healing. I’m inspired. And I really really don’t want to talk about healing.
As I’m learning about cell biology and nutrition and ways to see and diagnose patterns in the body, I’m equally brought back to the past 16 years of my life and the understanding of wellness that comes from prolonged experiences with physical suffering and chronic illness.
The world pressures us to go from point A to point B, and look good while we’re doing it. Everybody loves to watch a good transformation story. But few people are willing to allow themselves the process of a powerful transformation.
My life is chock full of transformation stories, and I’ve been writing a book about the principles of power in healing for over a decade. Some of them are big, some are small and some are still ongoing. Some are hard to talk about.
The secret of real transformation has roots in an alchemical process that can not be packaged or sold.
I find we are better off studying ourselves, getting curious and committed to our inner dharma and intuition, and letting it guide us towards deeper versions of our true path and next right steps.
So, I don’t want to talk about healing, at least not today. I want to share a series of words that can help point your heart and mind in the direction of a great truth that will bring you back into balance with your path and the great transformation that is afoot in your life.
In some traditions this is called living with the Tao. It’s a state of being that we can’t think our way into.
It’s a tricky thing to do: to guide you to something without looking at it directly. Like pointing out a constellation in the sky that’s brightest when you see it from the corner of your eye.
There are a few guiding principles that we can use to walk ourselves (backwards, without looking directly,) towards a healing transformation.
The first is balance through self- knowledge.
When we are living in true balance with nature, we no longer need extremes: extreme diets, belief systems or high octane lifestyles. We are never far from our own centre, so we don’t need to perform or inject our life with adrenaline in order to feel something.
We’re living pretty close to our evolving truth, so we don’t need to wake ourselves up to get back on track constantly.
By developing an intimate understanding both our own inner nature— physical constitution, hearts desires, tendencies and traits both harmful and healing— AND a relationship with the natural world and its cycles together, we develop a foundation of understanding of our truth
It’s a truth that we don’t get from outsourcing the work it takes to get there. Following somebody’s ‘five step plan’ or program to truth isn’t wrong per say, it’s just not the way to unearth the subtle quality of knowing that comes from knowing yourself.
We find our place on earth by accepting ourselves as we are and actively receiving the wisdom from the earth and our own soul that is meant for us.
What does this look like, in real life?
For starters, it requires slowing way, way down. The nervous system adjusts and re adjusts during periods of rest. It means intentionally slowing down even though it’s not fun or exciting. We can’t possibly connect deeply with ourselves unless we give ourselves the time and respect to meet ourselves fully.
Slowing way down also doesn’t mean slowly way down and doing nothing, (though it can if that’s something you never take time to do), but rather slowing down and paying very close attention to your mind, heart and body.
We work with what is, with the way we are right now, and we apply that reality to the context of living with the plants, seasons, stones, waters, forests and animals which are kin to us.
It’s simple. It sounds like a baby step. Walk outside slowly. Focus on your weight shifting from foot to foot. Listen to the wind in the trees.When your mind gets bored and wants you to move on to something else, lovingly say, as of a parent to a child ‘not now. Now is the time for listening and feeling subtle sensations.’
Slow down. Listen. Repeat.
It’s no secret that the seeds of enormous life/ creative/business changes are planted in small spacious moments. That paradigm shifts occur during well timed moments of boredom.
If you want to take your life path, personal healing and creativity seriously, take quiet moments to seriously contemplate your inner experience, and then spend time with that truth of experience in nature.
The greater your curiosity and openness, the greater your results. But I won’t paint a picture of transformation for you— you’ll have to find that one out for yourself.