Describe the saying: "One cannot lead where one has not gone himself". Do you have ano bligation to your clients to be developed psychologically, spiritually and physically?
As Wilbur puts it, "do not confuse the map with the territory". Having a map of Hawaii is not like being there. The ability to see the divine in everyone and treat each individual as though he were Christ or Budda himself can transform the suffering of illness into the grace of healing.
This quote is about the 'healer". I take this to mean how can we heal others if indeed we cannot heal ourselves. How can we teach integral health to others if we suffer form poor health either phsycally, spiritually or psychologically? I guess we would have to be able to see the good in all people to be successful in our chosen careers; however I thought about this statement and took it a bit further and would like to share for some feedback.
"One cannot lead where one has not gone himself". I am not a drug addict. Quite the contrary..I don't even take prescribed medications. I refuse the treatment of cholesterol medication, would't take pain killers unless I was dying and had all natural births the Bradley way..quiet, peaceful and without intervention. Having said this, I have to say that I somehwat disagree with the statement if you were talking about anything but seeing the divine in others. I want to become a drug councelor. It's my greatest wish and dream. I presume I want this so badly because there has been some addiciton in my family that has been very painful for me. Can I fix these people? No! Can I learn about these people? Yes! Can I offer hope? Most defiantley! Although I have not traveled the same path as the addicts I feel more than certain that I have the ability to bring something to the table about life in general. So, I can lead where I have not gone. Any thoughts out there?
Do you have an obligation to your clients to be developed psychologically, spiritually and physically?I presume we would have to obligated to taking care of these facets of our lives. If I weighed 400 pounds perhaps I wouldn't be taken too seriously if I were teaching nutirition, and honestly we can't see the spiritual side of someone, but I wouldn't want a non-believer to guide me to a place that he or she doesn't believe in anymore than I would want a serioulsy mental ill person caring for my mental health. I do think that we owe it to our patient/client base to keeps close tabs on our own integral health in order to help others to flourish.
Sharon
Sharon,
ReplyDeleteYou made some very powerful comparisons that were invaluable. You're right, one wouldn't want a unbeliever teaching them about spirituality because of the deep personal meaning in spirituality. Wellness education professionals have to have the same commitment to learning and living healthy or there is nothing there to follow. The path to wellness is dynamic and evolutionary, isn't something one wants to know about but rather and adventure to be experienced. If we want knowledge, we can get if from a book or a tv show. The benefit of sharing the experiences from one who has walked the path shows us that it can be done and gives us that blueprint to follow. If we aren't flourishing, how can we model that behavior? Yet even in looking at your desire to help drug addicted clients there is that element not of your walking the path of addiction firsthand but in walking the daily path to wholeness from this step forward. That you can instill and encourage. You have been in dark places in life - we all have - even when your darkness terrain is very different, the road to health passes the same landmarks.
All the best to you in your noble endeavors,
Anita Cain
Thank you Anita, sweet kind words of encouragement!
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