Reflections on my Healing Journey

Recently I had the honour of participating in a journey of discovery and reflection at The Longhouse Quiet Land Healing Lodge. During the women’s sharing circle, Grandmother’s words were spoken by Gentle Birdwoman that continue to resonate within my spirit.

“baa shaa-way daan” “In A Sacred Way, May We Be”

I want to continue to remember these words and also the wisdom about using “we” instead of “I”.

So much of our lives are framed by the concepts of me and I and mine; my pain, my happiness, my life, my friends, my feelings. Even in healing we seek in an ego centric way; I want to feel better, I want to discover my destiny, my purpose, my spiritual path.

For 7 years now I have been walking a path of seeking healing and connection and purpose. And I realize now it has been all about me and my needs and desires and goals. Yes I have learned to pray for others through working on developing compassion in my wounded heart. I have learned to wrestle with the hard journey of forgiveness. I have learned how to accept and honour the pain in others, accepting them for who they are, even while protecting myself from the harm they inflict upon my spirit.

What I have not before encountered is the concept of “we”; “In A Sacred Way, May We Be”. 

To acknowledge that as much as I want a spiritually guided journey to understanding the goodness possible within me, I have to also want that same goodness for others, even those who have harmed me.

I have often played with the idea that praying for the healing of the hearts of those who harm others is part of a sacred journey. I have even introduced into my daily reflections times to send prayers of healing even to those who are the source of my sorrow, the sorrow of the world, the harm to Mother Nature. But “In A Sacred Way, May We Be” is even more powerful.

It reminds me that I do not heal in isolation. Yes I travel the soul searching journey alone, I struggle and learn in isolation, I discover my pathway and this discovery is all good. But these words; “In A Sacred Way, May We Be”, remind me that if only I heal then my relationships with those who are still wounded are not healed. They remind me that if only I heal then the world’s sorrows do not heal and if only I heal then Mother Nature remains wounded.

“In A Sacred Way, May We Be” reminds me that a prayer must be inclusive for all. 

To be included in my healing journey are those who have begun the journey, those who have begun to seek the path and those who are not yet upon the path and even for those who do not even yet realize that there is a path to be found.

Even as I discover my own healing I must pray for and include all; even, or maybe especially, those whose actions thrust me out of my comfort zone and forced upon me the discomfort, sorrow and anguish that set me upon this path.

My new friend Gentle Birdwoman wrote; “Together, we are always stronger”.

This strength begins by supporting those who understand because they share the path of sorrow and the challenges of healing. However, it can’t stop there. After finding the strength to heal the self, there is the next challenge of praying for the healing of the “other” and the healing of the “we”.

Renate Dundys Marrello

2016 – 10 – 07

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