Developing my website, I decided to have a resource section to provide the interested with information I found and continue to find in my search for helpful tools. The whole website is designed to be a resource actually. But what I realized was, the books, articles and websites for recovery are similar if not the same as healing. Recovery and healing are the same and it starts from the inside.

 

We are all recovering from something. In my case, I’m recovering from grief, which I see no end in sight. In Jack’s case, he was recovering from addiction. I am recovering and healing from a divorce, from selling our family home, from being an empty nester, from losing my parents. Others recover and heal from unrealized dreams, losing a friend, losing a job, recovering and healing from illness, loosing a pet.

 

Recovery and healing is individual. We have the tools. They are designed into our being. My teacher, Sherry says, “ We are our own healer, we are our own guru, our own Shaman.” But the way to get to our inherent tools is not so easy.

 

There is a lot of stuff in the way. I love quoting Sherry. She says, “Remove the interference.” What is in the way? All the worry, anger, stress and fear, guilt and regret whatever it is that clouds our minds and keeps us separate from ourselves. The yoga practice has helped me to “remove the interference.” But, then you have to be in your stuff. (I wanted to say shit) If we don’t sit with it and stare it in the face we will never heal ourselves. It takes time. It is hard work.

 

All of the support groups, counselors, workshops, books and articles are not going to do it. They will help, but we have to do it ourselves. Some choose to suppress their feelings or cover them up with busy-ness. If we even leave a seed of negative feelings inside it will bubble up sooner or later. Often suppressed feelings show up as physical, emotional or mental disease.

I spoke with a woman for several hours desperate after losing her son before Christmas to an overdose. She was in shock, disbelief, feelings of fear, guilt and regret. The road ahead is desperate, lonely and long. I wanted to help, but I couldn’t. I just listened. She is going to have to heal herself 🙁 It’s an inside job.