Longing

The Iroquois believe that sickness is the souls way of letting us know that we are missing something in our lives. If this is true, then a body in pain is a soul that is longing. And a soul that is longing, is a soul that has something to say. A story to tell.

Symptoms are often dreams trying to come true and therefore the best medicine is hidden in the symptoms. It seems obvious to me that when we medicate and try to eradicate the symptoms, we are in essence killing the messengers before they can deliver the dreams our souls are longing for.

Body symptoms will present you with information, like the dreams of which you are unaware until you awaken and remember. If you read your body symptoms as symbols they will have meaning. Can you put words to your body symptoms? Can you "draw" your body symptoms perhaps? Can you describe your body symptoms with color or shapes? Can you give your body symptoms a voice?

Simply telling someone to "get well" or "get over it" can be very sad words to hear if you have been struggling with painful body symptoms. Your messengers are waiting to tell your hidden story. The truth is, there is no right or wrong way for your story to be told. It may be the written word or a painting. You could sculpt your story of clay or you could sew it into a quilt.

If you give your messengers a voice, and let them roar, your body symptoms will quiet and you will be more at peace with yourself and the world will be more at peace with you.