Spirituality and Healing

What exactly does Spirituality mean? The definition of this word could have as many meanings as there are people on this planet. For some, it draws ties to their religious dogma and broadly defines something they deem to be true. For others, Spirituality might be a way of life or a calling to explore specific universal themes such as love, compassion, patience, and gratitude. Even more, it may represent a term used to describe a deep knowing of significance that our lives carry value beyond the sensory perceptions and material possessions of this lifetime. Regardless of how one decides to define this ever-evolving word, it is clear that the complexity of its definition leads to one exact point. Spirituality is not something we practice, and it's not something we do; Spirituality is a way of being. In this simple state of being, a certain sense of self-awareness begins to cultivate. The result of that cultivation is itself Spirituality.

So what then is healing? We find multiple definitions of healing, but mainly two that stand out 1) to make free from injury or disease, 2) restore to original purity or integrity(Merriam-Webster, n.d.). In both definitions, we notice the words "make" and "restore," both verbs implying action. It is then understood that healing involves some action to return to an original state.

For this discussion, if we can agree that Spirituality begins to grow or cultivate, healing is then the work (or action) used to facilitate that growth. If we were to draw an analogy, we could say that Spirituality is the resulting blossoming of the vegetables and fruits within a garden. At the same time, healing is the process of tending to that garden. As we yield more fruits and vegetables (joyful life) within the garden (you), we also create more seeds (Spirituality), which then require more work (Healing) to generate more sustenance ultimately.