What is healing? It is the mental process of recovering from or stabilizing an emotionally disturbed mind or soul or bringing it back to whatever normal emotional composure an individual possesses. It is a process of healing of soul when the concerned matter or aspect pertains to spirituality which is generally based on a faith or a religion or a culture; while it is healing of an individual’s disturbed mind and heart when it pertains to the day to day life of an individual. I am not here discussing the healing of physical injuries or wounds or healing from mental or physical sickness. Emotions and feelings are just like air, sometimes freshening, sometimes sweetening and sometimes violent and storming. Therefore, the process of healing basically requires an individual’s mental power or strength of his/her mind and the results of healing depend upon such power. The mental power can be enhanced through regular meditation or through any kind of mental exercise of concentration. It must be noted that the real process of healing would begin and it would become most effective, only when an individual, first of all, surrenders to the truths with his/her permeating honesty and also to his/her honest mind and that without such process the entire exercise of healing would become a futile effort or a farce or a wastage of time and life of the concerned individual(s). Repentance or no repentance but at least admitting the truths and honesty of one’s own mind is the first and most important step in the process of any kind of healing.
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| Hands of Light © 2011 J M Ashcroft |
Causes of Emotional Disturbances or Wounds: It is the reality that except in very few instances where the concerned situation or matter is out of the control of an individual, in most of the instances an individual himself/herself is responsible for his/her emotional disturbance or wound which is the result of his/her self infliction or his/her infliction on others. The play of ego, selfishness, greed, lust, dishonesty and irrational expectations in almost all human affairs and relationships is the main source of emotional disturbances or wounds in the lives of the people and amongst these, holding or harbouring ‘irrational expectations’ is the most common and universal source of such mental condition. Any expectation held by any individual becomes irrational or impracticable or unrealistic if it is not based on the reality existing in the context of an individual’s capabilities, actual personal, social life and his/her life at work place, concerned social norms, culture, traditions and customs, morality and law at a given time and place. These are the general and common causes of emotional disturbances in the lives of the people. However, in the life of every individual, there are some instances in which the situation or the concerned matter is beyond the control of an individual and the incidents take place unexpectedly or suddenly or shockingly. Such emotional wounds are deeper and severe than the wounds suffered on account of the general causes.
Methods of Healing: The most effective, scientific and clinical method of healing would be that which will be based on the real cause of an individual’s emotional disturbance or wound, provided that the concerned individual admits to himself/herself the truths of the concerned matter or aspect or incident. The method of healing would also depend upon an individual’s emotional composure—his/her personality type, attitude, outlook and his/her IQ/EQ level. Therefore, the method of healing would differ from one individual to other individual. However, methods of healing could be broadly categorized as under:-
(a) Spiritual Healing: It is the most common method of healing which is blindly followed for healing all kinds of emotional disturbances or wounds. It is generally based on a faith or a religion or a culture. It is the most imaginary method of healing as it pertains to healing of ‘soul’. It is so much popular amongst the people that some so called spiritual leaders/teachers or gurus have exploited it on a large scale to make it as their big and successful commercial and most profitable venture.
(b) Healing through meditation or concentration: Meditation or concentration is basically a process of disciplining human mind by self control and self restrain through concentration of mind, supplemented with or without some physical exercises. There are (more than one) yoga like exercises, known by different names, being followed in every society or culture. However, all such exercises are based on the principle of disciplining human mind, though methodology differs from one exercise to other exercise. It is a reliable, practical and systematic method of healing, useful and effective for healing the emotional disturbances or wounds caused by the day to day actual, physical and real life situations. Such regular mental exercise also empowers the mind of the concerned follower. Any individual can easily learn to practice this method as per his/her convenience and can acquire it as his/her personal habit. It does not necessarily require a teacher or a guru to guide a follower.
(c) Healing by adopting method of Replacement or Same to Same/ Tit for Tat strategy: There are some matters or aspects or incidents or some individuals or some cultures, wherein and for whom, nothing in this world can heal their wounded emotions, unless they adopt this strategy (any one or more): revenge for revenge, blood for blood, murder for murder, dishonesty for dishonesty, lying for lying, cheating for cheating, jealousy for jealousy, hatred for hatred and so forth. A war creates a need for next war. Similarly, a new love replaces an old love, a new friend replaces an old friend and a new relationship replaces an old relationship. A foster child or a foster parent takes the place of a lost child or a lost parent. In this way the process of replacement helps to heal emotional wounds of the concerned individuals. Some individuals like to follow ‘same to same’ strategy’ for healing their wounded emotions. They adopt (in return) same methods or ways and means or strategy or same abusive language when they deal with their opponents or the concerned individuals, which they have experienced or suffered from such persons.
(d) Healing by adopting a habit: Some individuals suffering from sadness or depression that follow after loss of either a blood/close relation or a job or materials or money, can successfully divert their mind to adopt a good habit like hard work or worshipping or reading or writing or social work or developing their hobbies, while some such individuals fall prey to a bad habit like smoking or drinking or stealing et cetera.
(e) Scientific/Psychological/Clinical Method of Healing: Now we possess advanced knowledge of both human brain and mind. We have developed different and specialized psychological tests and methods to diagnose different kinds of sickness of human mind. Therefore, all kinds of emotional disturbances or wounds or sadness or depression caused by day to day life situations can be effectively treated by individual counselling and guidance. I am not discussing here the abnormal mental conditions, which require individual supervision, counselling, guidance and medication.
The Secret of Healing: ‘Love’ is the foundation on which rests human existence. Feelings of belongingness, brotherhood and love for each other amongst fellow human beings, the bondages of love amongst different members of a family and web of friendship and citizenship amongst all the members of a group or an organization or a society—are the main pillars of this existence. Therefore, ‘love’ is the elixir of human life, thereby human existence and survival. It is the best remedy and medicine for all kinds of human sufferings, sorrows, vices and social maladies. All kinds of sickness of human mind originate from the loss or want of love and every sickness of mind can be traced back to such cause. Love is true human life and life is nothing but love. Therefore, following is the ‘secret formula’ of human existence and survival.
LOVE = HEALING.
LOVE = LIFE.
(--) LOVE = SELF DESTRUCTION.
July 2, 2011 G.D.KOKANI
Mumbai, India.
