Often, hearing the word work conjures images of doing — periods of busyness, full of bustling activity. While that may be the work that we are called to do in some moments, there are other times when we are called to do a different kind of work — the work of healing. Healing is not stagnant; it is actually quite active, but our activity shifts from a focus on doing to a focus on being. Healing moves us forward in the most beautiful way. Considering the current state of the world, perhaps healing is the work that everyone, everywhere has been called to do right now.
Healing is a natural process in life. Our bodies and our minds are inherently able to bring themselves to a restored state when obstacles to healing are removed and the process is supported. Not many would deny that when someone gets physically worn down, sustains an injury, or experiences an ailment that they need to take the time to rest and recuperate and slowly build up their strength before continuing on their way. However, so many fail to recognize that we need to take the same care when we experience the like in the areas of our emotional, mental, and spiritual lives. Ignoring the need for healing compounds the troubles, clouds our awareness, and makes it extremely difficult to get into or stay in alignment on our life journey.
While it never stops singing, many of us allow the song of our soul to be drowned out by the loudness of the world. Our time of quarantine and social distance has created a new kind of stillness that brings with it a beautiful invitation to do the work of healing emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. With the noise of the outside world hushed and the movement slowed to a trickle, we have been given the time and space to mindfully listen and notice which parts of our lives are playing in harmony and perhaps discern whether other parts are playing too loudly, too quietly, out of sync, or out of tune. Awareness is the first step to healing, and with it, everything that is out of harmony can be shifted back into place or be allowed to fall away.
Healing is an arduous task that requires discipline, energy, effort, and commitment which is the reason that so many pass up opportunities to heal their lives in the busyness of living. Even now, we have continued worldly needs that require our attention—some have work to attend to, loved ones to care for, and homes to maintain. The stillness, however, has created space for us to move forward with our daily requirements and concurrently heal because so many extraneous expectations, the expectations that can be put on hold or eliminated altogether, have been released allowing us the space to respond positively to the invitation to mindfully rest our bodies and our minds.
Resting does not mean we stop in our care for ourselves or fail to engage our minds and bodies in meaningful ways. It just means that priorities and mindsets are shifted to make space to live with our souls in the lead while allowing ourselves to let go of unnecessary expectations of productivity and perfection. Resting can mean mindfully engaging in peaceful activities like being in nature, or exercising and moving our bodies. It may include enjoying and creating art—listening to or playing music, reading and writing works of literature, indulging in a movie or television show, cooking or baking and experimenting with ingredients and flavors. It may include learning new ways of thinking or new ways of being by engaging in an online course or reading a new book. It may include enjoying meaningful relaxing moments with your family, time with your friends and family online, or taking some time to relax all alone.
Living in the present moment, making decisions reflective of our truths and allowing ourselves to live from a place of healing is the cornerstone of a lifestyle of being versus a lifestyle of doing. Being allows us to integrate all of the elements we inherently know are right for us while letting all of the rest fall away. Being means living life in your own lane while cheering on everyone else around you to be their best selves as well. Being means finding contentment where you are in the here and now while simultaneously setting yourself up to do even better in the next moment. Being brings us into alignment with our true selves.
The work of healing and going inward may seem self-serving to some, but it is not a selfish act in the least. When we do the work of healing ourselves, we are better able to recognize our individual identity and see just how perfectly we fit into our beautiful, connected world where everyone has their own special place. Even in our current separation, we are connected. When we heal ourselves, we are better able to support one another, lift each other up, and walk beside one another. When we as a unit, as a whole, as a society are stronger, the world becomes a better place. When we heal ourselves, we begin to heal the world.
