Moving Beyond Woundedness

Are you wounded in any way? If you're a human being, the answer has got to be yes. If you think I'm being negative, or overreacting, or trying to pathologize you, consider this:  before you were born, everything was lovely. You were warm and cozy all the time. You were protected, well fed, and never lonely. Then came the trauma of birth. Physical pain, intense pressure, screaming, bright lights, coldness, yucky smells, you get the picture. Welcome to planet earth! (Okay, I admit that sounds negative...)

My point? Human life is full of jarring, insulting, potentially damaging situations, and even the most resilient of us end up with wounds, which can lead to nagging or even catastrophic "issues." Let's take a moment to explore this further.

What are wounds? Wounds can be defined as marks left behind (by any kind of physical, mental, or emotional injury) that cause or support negative ideas we have about life, ourselves, or others. What makes an event wounding is not the event itself, but how we use it against ourselves and others. 

Issues are the result of our reaction to a wound, which is a personal, individual response (although there are common patterns within humanity). The injuries we suffer can promote small to huge distortions in our perceptions, which can limit our ability to engage happily in life.

For instance, experiencing a heart break can result in anything from a moment of sadness to a decision never to love again. How we respond to any situation depends on our personality, life experience, maturity, mental/emotional/physical health, genetics, cultural ideas, spiritual ideas, basic resiliency, and many other factors.

From Ordinary to Sacred
Linda Howe, author of Healing through the Akashic Records, writes:

"Because humans have suffered wounds for as long as we have been on earth, it makes sense to consider that there is a purpose---a spiritual purpose---for this wounding experience. There is a sacred opportunity within every wound:  the chance to become aware of the Divine Reality through our own humanity. Difficult and often damaging human experiences form a crucible within which we encounter the Divine Presence. They offer us the opportunity to transform every aspect of our being, from our perceptions to the way we express ourselves in the world.........Using what has happened against ourselves, limiting our possibilities in life---this is ordinary. The wound becomes sacred when we shift our focus to the infinite possibility of our spiritual healing........When we perceive our wounds as sacred, they indicate a path. As we walk this path, they become links to our own humanity, our connection to the humanity of others, and our point of contact to the Divine."

Sounds hopeful, doesn't it? This week, I ask you to look at your past and present wounds and gently notice how you are managing them. You may find that great healing has resulted from certain wounds, while you still struggle with others. Next week, we'll look at how you can move past your current (and even future) challenges.

Have a beautiful week.