The Healer

Who is the Angel to the left? He is kind of the unknown archangel, or perhaps the least known. He is Angel Raphael. We know Angel Gabriel, and we know Angel Michael, but who is Angel Raphael? What does he do?

He is the Healer.

Have you ever healed from an injury or major illness? What made you well? What helped? What didn't?

Let's take a look at healing. It is an interesting phenomenon. We have all been sick at one time or another. But, what does it mean to heal? To really heal?

Every age and culture has their healers. Who are our modern day healers?

For the most part, the doctor is "the healer" of our modern age in the Western world. That profession that has a huge amount of education (mostly in science) and wears a white coat. And yes there are many gifted, talented and caring doctors and medical professionals out there. But for the most part, our modern day healing way, or system is impersonal, bureaucratic and for the patient, primarily passive.

We all know the drill, we call the doctor and make an appointment, we go to the doctor's office and then sit in a small little examination room waiting until the doctor comes in. If we are lucky, the doctor will not be in a rush to get out the door to see the next patient and take the time to explain things to us.

Usually as part of our modern day healing ritual, the doctor will write a prescription for whatever ails us, and we go to the pharmacy to get our drug. We take our medicine and wait for the drug to heal us.

But as we know, different times and cultures all have / had different roles of "the healer". As well, different roles and expectations for the person who is in need of healing. Healers are / were known as Medicine Persons, Shamans, Healers, herbalists, Midwives, Curanderos, Hataali, and all the others many names by which they are known.

As we know, Jesus was a healer. The stories of Jesus' healings in the Gospels are numerous. Interestingly in about 95% of the healing stories... Jesus tells the person he has healed, "Your faith has made you well".

Yes Jesus was primarily a healer. He seems to be better remembered though as a teacher and a preacher, but when you read those stories, it is apparent that he was predominantly a healer. Also interestingly, he seems to not take the credit for his healings. He attributes the persons new found healing to their faith.

"Your faith has made you well."

Hmmm.

Unlike our modern day medical healing model which tends to be somewhat passive for the patient, the person being healed in Jesus' healing stories had a very active part in their healing. Their thoughts, their belief and their faith (trust) that they would become well were key in their healing and being made whole.

In many religions and cultures teachings, a person's thought has much to do with their healing...and or its opposite, making them ill.

"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7)

From the Buddhist perspective, the mind is the creator of a person's sickness or health. Buddhism asserts that 'for lasting healing to occur, it is necessary to heal not only the current disease with medicines and other forms of treatment, but also the cause of the disease, which originates from the mind. If a person does not heal or purify the mind, the sickness and problems will recur again and again'.

Also, in many indigenous healing traditions the person being healed has an active part in their healing. Yes the medicine person may chant and sing, perform rituals, pray, give healing herbs, and other rituals and art forms may be enacted, but most importantly is the sick person's belief, their faith, that they will be healed.

In many ways, the patient is also the healer!

Have you ever healed from an injury or major illness? What made you well? What helped? What didn't?

Yes there is more to healing than just going to the doctor and taking a pill. It takes faith. It takes courage...it takes strength, inner strength. It takes wanting to get well, with all your heart. It takes prayer upon prayer. It takes family and friends and a network of support. It takes letting go and... trust. It takes all you've got... body, mind and spirit.

The depths of what Jesus said rings true... "Your faith has made you well".

Life Interrupted..Or Is It?

When I had my life put on hold due to illness a few weeks ago, amidst the shock, fear, and range of other emotions I was experiencing, were also feelings of anxiousness and frustration that my busy life had been "interrupted".

I had just taken a new position...I had vision, things to create. There were plans, projects, hopes and dreams to make real! Still things to teach, things to learn, things to do. Places to go.

And then, out of the blue....everything... on hold. Everything beyond my control.

Life interrupted. Ugh!

It was not what I had envisioned.

But now, as the first couple of weeks have gone by, I rest and am convalescing...and have begun to contemplate my time of illness and healing.

Perhaps it is/was not an interruption after all. Although it was no picnic being in the hospital and no fun being sick, there are gifts.

Already, in these few short weeks, I have learned so much. I have seen and experienced so much love and support from so many people. So many amazing and talented people, so much generosity and kindness. So much caring.

Perhaps bringing it down a notch or two (or three) was all in the plan. I am taking this time, for now I have it, to read more, pray more, rest, relax, and heal. It is on many levels, sacred time.

As someone who has served as a chaplain, minister and a teacher of religions for many years...I am used to doing ministry, helping people, teaching people.

But now I am the patient, the recipient, the receiver of people's generosity, kindness, caring, ministries, prayers, phone calls, emails, cards, flowers, visits, and so forth.

What a blessing it is.

It is an adjustment, yes. Humbling, yes. For no longer a super-person am I. I am human, like everyone else.

And again, what a blessing it is.