Removing Obstacles

The path to healing

You are the healer. Not the doctor, health coach, energetic light worker, chiropractor, therapist, guru, pastor, rabbi, shaman, etc. You, you are the healer. All you have to do is remove the obstacles to healing. And your job is to figure out what those obstacles are that block you from healing.

Obstacles to healing

1. Mind: Our mind can be our biggest obstacle. If we can learn to control our mind, we are on the right path to healing. This seems simple enough, eh? That’s because in theory, it is. But in reality, It’s actually the hardest part of healing. It can take years to work through the mind tricks we put in front of our path to healing. Ah the mind. I love my mind, and I hate my mind but it’s with me for the long haul so I must learn how to control it. As for me and healing, I happen to be choosing the long winding path. I get off the path and go deep in the dark woods where I can’t even see the path anymore.

2. I can’t even think of another obstacle to healing that doesn’t involve the mind.

So how do we allow our mind to aid in our healing rather than prevent healing? Another simple answer: we get to know the mind better so we can learn to control it. And if not control it, at least quiet the chatter so we can see what’s beyond our mind. Behind the mind is our true self, holy spirit, the divine within. The name we call it doesn’t matter so much as what it is. Once we step outside of our minds and see what is behind the mind, we become the observer of the mind. We listen to what the mind tells us, but we don’t identify with it anymore. We observe the thoughts, and then we examine them to determine if those thoughts are true. What does this have to deal with healing? Well, everything really. Let me explain.

I am in need of some physical healing. I have healed a lot of my mental issues, but my physical body is still in need of some repair. I know exactly what to do to heal. It’s the things I mentioned in my last post. 1. Breathe. 2. Move 3. Nature 4. Nourish 5. Pray/meditate. Oh so simple. So why am I not healed? Because of my mind. I am addicted to coffee, lattes specifically. Yes, yes, I know I can make my coffee from home. But it’s not the coffee, it's the experience and the dopamine rush I get when I'm in a coffee shop tasting that sweet, delicious taste of heaven. My body says, “oh no Adrienne” and my mind says, “Oh sweet girl, you deserve this because it’s Monday, or it’s Tuesday, or you had a bad day so deserve this, or, you had a good day and deserve this. You can start tomorrow. You can have this occasionally.” Occasionally is pretty much every day though. And I sometimes choose to eat things that maybe my body doesn’t like. I also hold my breath a lot. Not in the yogic powerful holding your breath sort of breathing exercises that are good for you. No, I hold it in my chest like I need to keep it in there. Like I need to keep all that toxic carbon dioxide stored in my chest. But the exhale is where we empty and release and yet there I am hanging on to my inhale and toxins, as if my life depends on it. Which it does not, in fact with every tightly held breath, I’m losing precious minutes to my life. I also don’t exercise enough or spend enough time in nature or pray and meditate enough. And I've been known a time or two to think some pretty toxic thoughts about myself. And by a time or two I mean 46 years. Well maybe not 46 years, as I don’t think we start out with toxic thoughts, that comes with age, but I think you get what I mean right?
How wonderful it was for me to learn that those toxic thoughts are not the truth, they are just thoughts that come and go, and I can examine them and choose whether to believe them or not.

I’m now learning how to befriend the mind, and to not let it control me. I am becoming aware of when my ego is trying to take charge. I’m trying to quiet the mind/ego, question it, then listen to the truth behind it. Once we become aware of our thoughts, then we are on the right path to healing.

I think of healing as a path. The path has always been there. It was once a well-manicured path we could see clearly. Then, some weeds grow (negative thoughts, bad habits), if we don’t pick the weeds, they continue to grow and obstruct the path. In pulling the weeds, we once again see the path, it becomes clear. We actually have a path at our house that has weeds trying to overtake it. My husband saw me working at the weeds and said, “once you clear the path, you’ll be healed.” He’s so right! But it’s not easy as some of those weeds have been there for a bit, they have some pretty deep roots now. It would have been easier to keep the path clear than it is to dig up all these weeds. But part of my healing work is clearing this literal path because it’s time in nature and a reflection of the mind.