These are the three big words whose meaning I want to explore:
SPIRITUAL
HEALING
HEALER
Using these three words can cause much confusion and doubt, for instance, when they are used to explain the meaning of spiritual or energy healing to people who work in a medical environment. They frequently work in highly regulated and very demanding circumstances, where practical matters of life and death can override spiritual concerns, such as being patient, allowing time for reflection, and seeking peace of mind. Staff and patients can confuse the word ‘spiritual’ with spiritualism; they can be frightened by the thought of other worlds, inhabited by family, friends, or even enemies, who may come to visit them! They can also confuse the word with religion, and feel threatened by the thought of someone trying to ‘convert’ them to their way of thinking. Speaking about religion can sometimes make patients very angry, because they feel that they have failed, by not being ‘good enough’, and even that they are being punished by God through their illness. There is great wisdom in the saying: ‘religion is for people trying to keep out of hell, whereas spirituality is for people who have been through it!’
The word ‘Spiritual’ comes from ‘spiritus’, which means breath. It can be said that the spirit carries the life force through the breath, to maintain life in the body, mind and soul. The spirit can be seen as giving life, and the soul as receiving it. So, in this context, to become ‘spiritual’ is to seek actively, and to practice receptively, that which brings us fully to life, to experience the pleasure of the body, the understanding of the mind, and the joy of the soul. The description: ‘Spiritual Healing’ acknowledges the presence of the spirit and the soul, as the spirit inspires the energy of healing, and the soul infuses it. This is brought about through the seven levels of consciousness that are ever present in life, as described, for example, by the seven Universal Laws, and as witnessed in the seven colours of the rainbow.
The word ‘Healing’ also needs to be used with great care. It means ‘to make whole’, in body, mind and soul, which in itself is a very large statement! A patient suffering in body, mind and soul can feel very fragmented, disconnected from every day life, and from any enthusiasm for it. There is a need to reconnect, which can come about through the natural process, for example, of spiritual healing. This natural ability may need support, and the greater the disease, the greater the support, in the form of conventional and complementary medicine, and with the help of family and friends. However, fundamentally and ultimately, everyone ‘owns’ their own healing ability, because it comes from their own physical, psychological and spiritual responses, which are based on their past history, present experiences, and future concerns.
The word ‘Healer’ can infer that one person can ‘cure’ another person. This can fuel the ego, making it think that it has power over the lives of others. I believe that this is actually an abuse of the essential power of the ego, which in reality is given to each person to be used as their personal organiser and director in life. The healing process can be hugely supported by others, in the form of body repairs and appropriate medication, as it can be by the subtle application of energy medicines, such as acupuncture and homeopathy, and by the use of manipulative skills, such as massage and osteopathy. In the ancient eastern tradition, the name ‘Hakim,’ meaning ‘the Wise’, was given to practitioners who allowed themselves to be guided by the physical, psychological and spiritual needs of their patient, thus enabling their treatments to be based on the wisdom of good timing. This reminds me of the medical guidance about giving medicines, that they should be given to the right patient, at the right time, in the right amount, and in the right place. However, ultimately, it is the patient’s response to their treatment that counts, and this is dependent on many factors besides the skills of others, such as their own life experience and life style, their environment and, most importantly of all, the relationship that they conduct with themselves.
My colleagues and I formulated a Mission Statement in the hope of clarifying the meaning of these three big words: Spiritual, Healing and Healer, because they can cause so much misunderstanding when misinterpreted, and yet bring so much insight when they are given their real meaning, which connects us to our birth right, our source of life and our reason for living.
HEALING SUPPORT GROUP MISSION STATEMENT
The Practitioners offer spiritual health care in the form of spiritual healing
Spiritual health care requires the care giver to be wholly and unconditionally committed to the well being of the patient, in the spirit of love and compassion
Spiritual healing takes place when the Practitioner focuses on the energy of the Client, and asks for healing to take place, without placing any personal expectations on the outcome
Healing Practitioners create a safe and comfortable environment for their Clients, to allow the space and time for healing energy to be generated
Healing Practitioners do not promise to ‘heal’ or to ‘cure’, because they believe that everyone has ownership of their own health; their role is to facilitate the process
Being healthy is acknowledged as being able to manage oneself, in body, mind and soul, with appropriate help and support for wellbeing
Healing Practitioners do not diagnose any conditions; they are required by their Code of Conduct to recommend Clients to seek medical advice for any health problems
Healing Practitioners do not give advice; they encourage their Clients to make their own choices
Every healing session is a private interaction between Client and Practitioner; confidentiality is only broken if it becomes evident that the Client is in danger of harm
Registered Healing Practitioners have PVG clearance to allow them to work with vulnerable Clients
Registered Healing Practitioners are entitled to offer healing support patients in hospital, provided that permission is given by the medical staff.
Christina Mark
17.07.16