The True Meaning of Healing
A Journey Back Home to Yourself
What is the true meaning of healing? Is it a final destination we arrive at, or something else entirely? On the Don't Step on the Bluebells podcast, I've had the privilege of exploring this question with many incredible guests. By weaving together their wisdom with my own understanding, a beautiful and multifaceted picture of healing emerges.
While there is no universally agreed upon definition of healing, my core belief is this: healing is a process of coming back home to ourselves. It’s the profound realization that we were never broken. We were simply trying to survive, to fit into molds created by others, and to fulfill ideas and beliefs about who we should be. We did what we could to stay safe and belong. But as we grow, we often realize that living out of alignment with our true nature is the very thing that can make us unwell - mentally, physically, and emotionally.
True healing is knowing we are enough, we have always been whole, and we are worthy of being our authentic selves. It is the practice of remembering who we are at our core and letting go of the old programming that holds us back. Healing is a powerful act of remembering, reconnecting, and becoming more fully ourselves. The more we allow our true selves to shine, the more at ease, aligned, and peaceful we feel in our lives.
Healing Is a Journey, Not a Destination
A common thread that has emerged from my conversations is that healing is not a one-time fix or a finish line to be crossed. Energy healing practitioner Jodi Greenstein describes it as a process and a journey, not a fixed destination. Similarly, Jessica Lynne emphasizes that healing is a journey and that there is "no such thing as being completely 'healed'".
This perspective shifts the goal from achieving a final, perfect state to a continuous process of growth. It's about recognizing the parts of ourselves that are still a work in progress and embracing the reality that we are continuously evolving throughout our lives.
The Path to Wholeness and Authenticity
At its heart, healing is a return to wholeness. Danielle Van de Velde defines it as a "return to wholeness and harmony on all levels - physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual". This involves looking at the entire person and their unique life experiences to address the root cause of dis-ease, not just the symptoms.
This journey toward wholeness is deeply connected to authenticity. It’s about learning to show up as your true self without pretense. Spiritual artist Aida Murad beautifully describes this as transforming outmoded beliefs and stories to find "greater wholeness" and become your "most authentic, playful, magical, and spiritually connected self".
An Inside Job: Releasing, Integrating, and Transmuting
So, how does this transformation happen? Many guests agree that healing is fundamentally an internal process. As Danielle Van de Velde puts it, "Healing is an inside job". While external practices can offer support, the real work is done within our own being.
This inner work often involves two key processes: releasing what no longer serves us and integrating our experiences.
Releasing and Shifting: Aida Murad sees healing as a "shift from an old reality to a new one" , where we evolve beyond past limitations to become our best possible selves. This often requires releasing old patterns and beliefs.
Integrating and Transmuting: However, this doesn't always mean "letting go." Teo Alfero offers a powerful perspective that healing means "integrating all aspects of your being". He suggests that instead of getting rid of our experiences, we can transmute them into "raw power," gaining knowledge and understanding from them for our continued growth. The result is a "whole being" that contains the sum of who you have ever been.
From a shamanic viewpoint, this can even involve healing spiritual causes of illness. Sandra Ingerman explains that a common cause is "soul loss," where part of a person's life force leaves the body during a trauma. Healing, in this context, can be the ceremonial return of those lost soul parts to the body.
You Are Not Alone: Healing Through Connection
While the work is internal, the journey doesn't have to be solitary. Andréa Ararê passionately argues that healing is not a "solo journey" but a "return to connection". This includes connection to:
Community: In many traditional societies, people healed while being supported by their entire tribe. Andréa reminds us that even today, healers, guides, and communities are ready to support our journey , stating, "We are not meant to do this healing work alone".
Your Body: Healing happens when we stop fighting our physical responses and instead recognize our body's own intelligence.
Nature: By observing the cycles of the earth, we can find a powerful guide for our own transformation.
Your Invitation to Heal
Ultimately, true healing means shedding everything that doesn't belong in our lives or our personal stories. It is the freedom to feel well, energized, and in flow with life. It is the courage to be who we really are - without worrying about who is watching or what anyone else thinks.
This path isn't always comfortable; it can bring up strong emotions as old traumas are processed. It requires patience, self-compassion, and a willingness to embrace change. But by embarking on this journey, we embrace life's beauty and our own divine potential. We remember that we are already whole, and in doing so, we finally come home.
The journey of healing is rich, deep, and beautifully unique to each of us. The perspectives shared here are just the beginning.
To dive deeper into these powerful conversations, tune in to the Don't Step on the Bluebells podcast. You can hear more from Aida Murad in episode #004, Danielle Van de Velde in #011, Sandra Ingerman in #013, Teo Alfero in #018, Jodi Greenstein in #019, Jessica Lynne in #027, and Andréa Arare in #029.
And now, I'd love to hear from you. What does healing truly mean to you? Send a message on Instagram to @amandaparker.co and join the conversation.