Medicine

It’s still very dark. This side of the Earth is in the coldest and darkest of times. A winter calm surrounds me; this is one of my medicines.

I close my eyes for a moment and my mind is catapulted into all things that are… my medicine. I focus there, where the greatest feelings of healing come. I inhale nature, and exhale darkness, finding a contoured landscape of paradox – this is my medicine.

The darkness of this season is not painful, nor is it somewhere I tend to relish in – fuck do I love the pool, beach and getting lost in the warm ocean; again this paradox is my medicine.

All is quiet, peace and I continue to move through the yoga of exploring my medicine.

As my mind wanders, my heart opens and my body moves it then occurs to me that my medicine is always changing, evolving and transforming – that is as long as I am open and as long as I am listening.

I want to offer you the question of what is your medicine? And how do you cultivate this healing?

Be A Companion To Yourself

First, I believe you listen to your urges; you begin to practice the art of being your own companion. Oh shit, Ryan is encouraging me to talk to myself… Yes, and yes? The idea of becoming a companion to yourself is pure medicine. Companioning is about discovering the gifts of the sacred silence; it’s not about filling every moment with words or actions. I often say – doing, not doing. Give yourself space.

Holding Space

Another opportunity to find your medicine is through the act of giving space and holding space. This is an exercise in feeling – again another movement in not moving. You are and you provide a deeper way of being witnessed or witnessing. This experience of holding space is preparation for the ultimate experience of dying, supporting death or simply watching your 1 ½ year old gently fall asleep.

Holding space can be seen as similar to being mindful with the added importance of being safe in the exchange. Why is this medicine? YOU HAVE THE CAPICITY TO TRY ON A DEEPER RELATIONSHIP TO LIVING THROUGH HOLDING SPACE.

Listen To Your Core

When I say listen to your core what I am really saying is practice honoring your intuition. One of the most magical medicines there is lies within you. One of the most underappreciated gifts we have is our innate ability to reflect, listen, and understand our intuition – if we slowdown enough to do this. And when this takes form it can be a wonderful medicine to heal.

Find Contentment

Trusting in the idea of contentment can be scary in this rat race. Faster, faster… More, more, more. Finding contentment is another way to harness medicine. You have to slow down enough to trust the messages coming in. Accept the idea of doing three things: Listen, Digest, and Integrate. From my vantage point one of the best ways to find contentment is to slow down, listen to yourself. At that point then be conscious with the level of what you are hoping to digest. AND then find your way to being content through your integration of living.

Ultimately, finding peace with your situation and not hoping for change.

Dr. Ryan Westrum has a PhD in Transpersonal Psychology and Masters degree in Adlerian Counseling and Psychotherapy. Please reach out via email to ryanwestrum@gmail.com