The Healing Journey

The Healing Journey uses the theme of a journey by water to parallel the types of events and situations you might encounter as you move past the illness or injury you are dealing with. We focus on the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of this journey. We offer ideas on the type of sustenance (courage, love, self-esteem, hope) that you will need to survive the trip. The authors believe there is value in looking at your situation symbolically. The images of an explorer setting out on a challenging journey may prompt you to think like an explorer rather than a patient. For many people patients are passive creatures. They are people who have had “bad things” happen to them. They are now waiting for “medical type” people to do “good things” to them so that the “bad things” will go away. An explorer on the other hand is one who is brave, curious, alert, intelligent, and most of all involved in all that is going on. An explorer is also one who can appreciate the beauty he or she finds even in dangerous situations. An explorer looks for alternatives, learns to avoid creating his or her own problems and seeks innovative solutions to problems that arise. The best explorers know the importance of teamwork and that people need to depend on one another if they are going to have a successful journey. Which image do you want to see yourself as – the image of a “victim” stuck in a terrifying situation waiting for bad things to happen, or the image of an explorer moving through unfamiliar territory, frightened perhaps, but keenly aware that you can make a difference in how the journey goes. Remember, the success of this journey is not whether the illness goes away. All of us are going to die someday. That fact does not make us all “losers.” To be successful – to be healed – means to actually make the journey, to be involved in it, to be alive to all that is around you. To be successful is to live your life for as long as you have it. The authors acknowledge that all we can do is throw out some suggestions. If people fight hard enough to stay miserable, they will always win. All that we or anyone else who cares about you can do is support, suggest, encourage, love, pray for, challenge, and listen. You will ultimately make the choice on how you want to live your life. You can choose to be a victim! You can choose to be an explorer!