Healing Isn’t a Smooth Journey

Article by Angie Webster

There are a few misconceptions about the healing path that don’t serve us very well. I would like to try and clear up the errors around these.

Being on a healing path doesn’t meant that you will never get sick. It doesn’t even mean that you will get well from whatever you have struggled with before you came to the healing journey. It often does mean that you recover as you begin to reveal the layers underneath the illness, but not always. Sometimes it simply means that you stop seeing yourself as a “sick person” or a victim and you develop a more functional way of living with what your body is like. That is healthier in and of itself. That feels better, even though the body still technically has an illness.

Mostly, being on a healing journey means that it is not a goal that you reach one day and then you are finished. There is no finish line on a true healing journey. You start to see that it is a process in which there are layers and the layers go deeper and deeper. That can sound frightening at the beginning, especially if you are in great physical and emotional pain. I understand. You want the pain to end—that is your goal. And that is OK.

But if you are to truly heal your pain, you must heal each of the layers that created it. That is a learning and growing process, a shedding of the things that do not work. As you do this, tools will present themselves to you which help you along the path. They help you to continue shedding layers and growing, doing the work of healing. As you work through the layers, revealing new insights about yourself, you will start to see that there is a wonderful jewel inside you. You will see that the process of healing has value as a journey, as a way of being, not as a goal. And at some point, you will begin to value yourself and wherever you are in your life, in each moment—even the unpleasant ones. That is pretty powerful.

The healing path is not an easy one to walk. This is another misconception I very often see, especially when people comment on one of my articles or speak to me in person. Even loved ones have mistaken this. I have often said that finding the healing path changed my life. That is very true. In fact, I don’t doubt that it saved my life. I have a very positive and appreciative way of viewing life and I am much healthier than I used to be. But that didn’t happen immediately. It was, and still is, a path. There are many course corrections; days where I have to repeatedly remind myself of the direction I want to be heading. And especially in those first months and years, it was very difficult as I worked through the density of the unhealed layers of myself. It took determination to get through it. The alternative of continuing to live unhealed and in pain was worse. Though I am happier and healthier, that doesn’t mean I never feel sad, angry or fearful and it doesn’t mean I never get sick or have pain. I am still human. The way I handle these things has changed.

The healing journey does not mean that everything comes easily or that each day is joyous and carefree. Life still goes on. Some days will be challenging. You will still feel emotions—even unpleasant ones. That’s normal. Some days you will see old patterns peek to the surface, especially in the beginning or when you expose yourself to situations that trigger those. As you learn, you will grow, but you will never be perfect. Perfection doesn’t exist. Even Jesus needed someone to help him as he carried his cross. This life is very challenging at times! It takes effort to continue learning your way through being a human! Remember to be gentle and supportive with yourself. Ask for help when you need it and allow yourself to be human, imperfect and loved.

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Angie Webster made a significant contribution to the Reiki community, with a particular focus on Animal Reiki, which she had a deep affection for. As a knowledgeable Reiki Master Teacher and Author, she conducted online courses on energy healing, herbalism, flower essences, and personal growth.
She is the author of “Animal Reiki: How it Heals, Teaches & Reconnects Us with Nature” and “Reiki from A to Z”. Currently, Angie has decided to retire from her professional life to devote more time to her health, family, and the little joys of life.