Where Healers Heal and the Healed are Healers
posted by Cynthia Robinson on May 3rd, 2018
As our Intercultural Healing Exchange program nears, I am reminded how deeply inspiring, insightful and motivational this initiative has been in my own life.
A Worthwhile Evolutionary Journey
I remember a 99-year-old woman in the previous retreat who kept returning every day, bringing a huge bag of bread for everyone present even though the communal clinic is free for locals. She experienced great relief from aching back pain caused by carrying bundles of firewood and harvests across great distances. On the last day of the clinic I found out that she walked two hours across mountains every day just to get to our clinic. When I asked her why she came each day she said that she had never seen foreigners treat the locals so kindly before in her life.
Ever since I first came in contact with the Peruvian culture, I was deeply touched by the simple, down-to-earth way of living that felt deeply spiritual to me without being contrived. Although these human beings are considered to be some of the most materially impoverished, even for a third world country, they are some of the most endearing people I have ever met, finding great happiness in the simplicities of life. While this mindful presence is intuitively embodied by many, modern societal values have reached these communities and in many cases are over-riding their native heritage. Often, these communities are neither able to understand nor fully participate in the modern system they find themselves in.
I came to this culture from the other end of the spectrum – growing up in and becoming relatively successful in the modern matrix, yet experiencing a constant undercurrent of dissatisfaction and dis-ease. I have immersed in the indigenous way of life from a conscious recognition that while these ancient ways are existential necessities, intercultural bridges are needed t
o apply them to modern challenges. One elder expressed to me that by coming together from such different circumstances, we can apply the heart wisdom to reconcile the differences, because evolution, at its core, proceeds through the unity of diversity. It is not about going back to the old ways or getting lost in the new but rather recognizing and honoring the timeless essence that exists in the present moment. It can then be expressed through various manners that are relevant to the particular era, mentality, and culture.
The local villagers have been very receptive to the different healing modalities that our practitioners bring. Once, I overheard a conversation between two locals who were watching a Reiki healing circle: “It may seem strange that these foreigners are sending healing through their hands, but you may recall that in the Bible, Jesus was healing people by laying hands on them.” We have seen Reiki energetic-healing sessions, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and other practices create a substantial foundation for restfulness and well-being among the patients.
Rekindling the Original Spark of Faith in Humanity
The intercultural healing exchange program is an initiative to meet across cultural, generational and societal boundaries. I have witnessed people from all around the world go through life-changing transformation by recognizing the immutable shared essence of the heart in a very tangible healing experience for all involved – where the healers become healed and the healed become the healers. Many practitioners have expressed that their spark of motivation, present when they stepped onto the path of the healer but forgotten in the wear and tear of everyday life, has been rekindled through their work in the exchange program.
Amazonian and Andean traditions, when skilfully approached with the support of Jungian Transpersonal and Buddhist psychologies, provide an invitation to uncover the innate source of creative healing potential that exists in Nature and every living organism. These traditions offer a direct non-conceptual experience that can greatly enhance the many different healing modalities from around the world and deepen individual insight into the workings of the healing arts.
We are continuously in awe of the physical healing that people experience in these natural medicine campaigns, and yet the most profound benefit is in the restoration of faith in humanity.
By developing relationships with wisdom holders over the years I have found an endless well of gratitude for being on this evolutionary healing path that provides deep meaning and purpose without which I would most likely not be alive today. This path unveils the brilliant simplicity of the awakened heart presence in the face of all possible challenges and adversities. It is a lifelong journey and yet it starts with a single step- a step into a loving relationship with the uncertainty of life, the constantly changing nature of each moment. These ancient lineages of humanity provide essential guidance and instruction when confronting the reality of impermanence. An embodied glimpse into the capacity of unconditional love is not just a Hallmark greeting card statement but a real experiential example of the immeasurable heart that withstands all fear and illusion. In indigenous cultures, qualities such as innocence and vulnerability are known to be the source of greatest strength, allowing the intensities of life to be harnessed consciously in service of the collective wellness.
Awakening the Heart of the Healer
While profoundly relevant to all aspects of one’s own life, this work also support the native people who are being entangled in the modern consumerist hamster wheel in returning to their nourishing roots. On many occasions I have seen that when foreigners appreciate and honor the indigenous traditions, the locals’ interest in and recognition of their own culture grows, especially in the younger generations. These people can then continue to be bright beacons, continuously sharing the wisdom traditions with the world from their place of origin.
The Intercultural Healing Exchange program is currently a two week initiative that we offer once or twice a year with the developing intention to have a steadily running program, our next program being June 2-16, 2018. After the first week dedicated to the activation of one’s innermost healing potential, taking place in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, we have the opportunity to share the awakened heart of the healer with the native population that these traditions originated from and that need rekindling today. The regions we are working in are considered to be the most impoverished in Peru. Today, these communities recognize allopathic medicine more than their own native techniques and remedies, while also having very minimal access to modern healthcare.
Our next communal healing clinic is taking place in a distant Andean region near the 4,000 acre reserve of which our institute is the steward and guardian. This is the first time we are holding the clinic in this area where we have cultivated a deeper relationship of trust with our neighbors, bringing us to a crucial point in our mutual evolution.
Whether you are an experienced practitioner, a beginner, or someone who has been curious about self-realization through active service to humanity, you are welcome to join us on this upcoming adventure into the healing mystery of the heart. All proceeds are continuing to support the development of this and other initiatives of our non-profit organization. Your contribution can also be submitted as a tax deductible 501c3 donation in the USA. We look forward to sharing presence.
