I believe we are all called to heal ourselves at some point in our lives. My call came during a time when I was seemingly thriving. I was blindsided by a debilitating and mysterious illness that touched my entire being --- physically, emotionally and spiritually. Over multiple years, with traditional medicine yielding minimal results, I began exploring holistic approaches to health. My recovery journey became an accidental education that has reconfigured my identity and my work as a psychologist. I now viscerally understand the intricate connection between mind, body and spirit. 

 

​Whatever has you on the quest for healing, know that it can be your teacher. While sometimes brutal, it can be benevolent in the most surprising ways. During a very difficult point in the illness, hummingbirds entered my life. They were constantly outside my window, flying around me in my yard and showing up in conversations. These little creatures reflected my hope. Though small and delicate in form they embody enormous strength, perseverance and endurance. They courageously embark on a seemingly impossible journey across the ocean with unwavering faith in their ultimate arrival. And, while the journey is long and arduous, it is imbued with joy, playfulness and buoyancy -- simply for being who they are. If you ever watch a hummingbird, you will feel a stir inside of you -- of childlike wonder and awe. The wisdom from a South American indigenous tribe tells us that the hummingbird embodies the energy of the soul. How fitting, as perhaps that's where the challenge of the journey has always intended to lead us anyway.  

 

So, fellow traveller, may you also follow the path of the hummingbird. With audacious hope, set off on your flight across the unknown, trusting that that as you traverse across miles of unfamiliar land, there is still joy. And, when you reach your destination, may you bow to your journey, reveling in the knowledge that it took you right where it was meant to: home.
 

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