THE HEALER'S TOUCH

THE HEALER

Defining "HEALING" is impossible outside of the context of individual meaning and value - it means different things to different people.  To some, it is quite concrete and is defined by optimizing physical health. To others, it may incorporate psychological aspects; but, likewise, it is often seen to be at its core physiologic and measurable. 

To many, though, healing and health encompass much more than an empiric estimate of how well our physical body, including our brain, maintain homeostasis and avoid disease.  It is not simply a Cartesian manifestation of WHAT we are, but a complicated interaction between WHAT we are and WHO we are.

Healing also assumes that there is "brokenness" and is probably more accurately defined by how we understand the concept of suffering.  As with healing, though, defining suffering is entirely dependant upon our own contextualization and varies greatly from individual to individual, influenced by social, societal and existential perspectives. 

The apostle John in his third epistle to the early followers of Christ wrote: "I pray above all things that you prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers."  The word for prosper in this context comes from the Greek word eudoo, which means in its most literal sense - 'to have a successful journey.'  The word for health, hugiainō, means to be "whole; complete; healthy"  In this, John summarizes his prayer passion: that our "journey" in life be a successful one and that we be "whole and complete."  However, he makes it clear that what is temporal and easily measurable - our life's journey and our wholeness - is influenced profoundly and directly by what is not - the state of our soul's journey.

All of us have the potential to be healers and all of us in some way or another are in need of healing.  Some choose to make being a healer a full-time vocation and have given their lives to this noble cause.  As healers, whether our primary focus is on healing the spirit, soul or body, we must understand that suffering and our attempt to address it involves addressing all aspects of our human existence, what is measurable and what is not - what is physical and what is not.

It is incumbent upon the healer, then, to seek to understand suffering broadly as involving sometimes predominantly the physical and more easily measurable and at other times predominantly spiritual, existential, or "of the soul."  Regardless of what predominates, the entire being is always affected, interconnected on the most intimate level, and true healing must address the entire being.

A Few Random Thoughts on Learning Patience

Johanna Shapiro, PhD

  Being a less-than-patient person myself, I’ve often noticed how quickly patience diminishes as medical training progresses. Yet patience has always been considered a great virtue by philosophers and theologians. Here is what the Chinese sage Lao-tze had to say about patience:

Do you have the patience to wait

Till your mud settles and the water is clear?

Can you remain unmoving

Till the right action arises by itself?

  I wonder what Lao-tze meant by our “mud.” A psychologist and expert in stress reduction, John Kabat-Zinn, believes that “scratch the surface of impatience and what you will find lying beneath it, subtly or not so subtly, is anger.” What might we be angry about? Do we default to an impatient mode to justify or mask our anger? Does impatience help or hinder us in accomplishing our tasks?

  Thinking strategically, the 18^th century British statesman Edmund Burke asserted that “Patience will achieve more than force.” Is it an oxymoron to “hurry patiently,” or is there something of value in this idea?

Finally, in a helpful application of relativity theory, Einstein reminded us, “The faster you go, the shorter you are.”  Next time you’re on the wards, take a look around. Something to think about :-)

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THEY CALL ME DOCTOR

At times, I hate when they call me doctor.

Intensely struggling inside to show outward control, hoping there is no angst in my voice, no drops of cold sweat that give me away.

Please don't trust me so, with fragile and precious life.  I too make mistakes, I too get scared, I too want to cry.

With any decision, any cut of the knife, any birth, even when all seems well, even when all is done right, injury or death may rear its inevitable head.

In that moment, the heart free-falls into the loneliest of pits, groping for the knowledge and the skill and ultimately pleading with God to make it all OK.

In the end, hoping you've helped to put off what patiently waits for us all.

 - Steve Roberts, Versailles KY

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