Catalysts for Healing

Catalysts for healing, can be inductions, reminders, or encouragements. They are not forced, but are opened to instead. They are the mere effort of trying a different action, such as changing a thought, or making a sound.  They initiate in the forms of stories or movies, in which we work with our own psyche, while the characters unfold their plots.  They are an emotional release, a talk with a loved one, time in nature, a song. They continue with the implementation of a new behavior, or action to stop an old habit.  They visit as a gift from nature, or another soul.  They manifest as a present from deep within our own intuition in the form of a dream, or new idea.  They birth with a simple drumbeat, or the notice of our own drumming heart inside.  
 
With all the possibilities, why do many of us stay stuck in old patterns with which we are unhappy?
 
Often, we are blocked by our own perception of the enormity of the task at hand, that we miss the simple calls within and outside of ourselves.  We become too focused on the outcome, and lose sight of the beauty in each small step of the journey.  We guilt ourselves for hearing the call, because we have yet to do anything about it. We fear what life will look like without this problem.  Sometimes, we even feel that we do not deserve to feel better.  Perhaps there is a trauma blocking the path, such as an unresolved loss or shame. The polarities inside sometimes require attention, before the simple calls can be more clearly heard.  
 
Take Heart!  The magic continues to brew all the time.  It is patient. It is infinite.  It waits for us to be ready, and reminds us along the way. It is in the song-bird, and the creek when we are looking for the ocean and the eagle.  It is often in the smallest and simplest of places and ideas.  
 
I know from my own work, (and work with others) this one thing: we are often expecting a major surgery when healing is gradual and progressive.  We may miss the beautiful signs because they are not intense enough to match our idea of a destination, perceptually completely apart from where we currently sit.  We are already here, in this one perfect spot on the journey! It is safe to take a breath and a current inventory.  It is good to look and listen, to calm and wait openly.  There is no surgeon who can cut out this part of you, that hurts and writhes so.  
 
And it is the waiting openly that can bring such terror, apprehension, or disgust; for it is here that the pain becomes more evident. It is much more comfortable to keep moving, though we miss the beauty in the signs.  The bracing and avoidance are not healing, but oftentimes distractions; old ways of coping that were never meant to be long-term solutions.  They help us feel more in control, and often do succeed in helping us keep functioning.  In this light, it is important to recognize when we still need them to some degree.  This writhing part needs us, as well, and the pain can often begin to shift as we learn to turn more competently within.
 
The medicine awaits us all.  It will wait forever if it is necessary, for us to brush away the other disillusionments and find the path. Thank you all for reading, your comments and sharing this post with others.  We are working together to create a more trauma informed world.  Until next time, be well and be open.  You never know where the initiation to your next step will present itself.