Sometimes it is necessary to reteach a thing its loveliness, to put a hand on the brow of the flower and retell it in words and in touch, it is lovely - until it flowers again from within, of self-blessing.... ~ Galway
Kinnell ~
As professional helpers, we are doubly blessed. First is the blessing of our vocation: we are called upon to be havens of hope. Each time a client comes to us, places his or her life in our hands, thirsts for the miracle (great or small) that an encounter with us can bestow, we are invited to be a gift of good fortune. Our calm surface can reflect a deep soul connection. Our attention can soothe. We can be wellsprings of healing energy. The second blessing is the gift that each client brings to us. It is not only we who are called upon to reteach a client their loveliness. We relearn how beautiful we are, in beholding our own image as seen through the eyes of that client. That reflection sustains us, spurs us on to be excellent providers of hope, and become the inspiration for practical change. This mutually sustaining cycle of healthy mirroring is further reflected in the larger cycles of nature. We are interdependent with the natural environment. And our place in the office must therefore be mirrored by our place in the universe. A social movement called "deep ecology" seeks to describe and implement a way of living on Earth where the beauty in all things is fully respected. Its principles invite an attitude of humility: we can bow our heads in awe, even as we stand tall in celebrating the magnificence of life — and of our place in its circle. Deep ecology teaches a healthy balance between intervention and restraint. We discover how to "tame" the elements, when that is necessary for our survival... or pleasure. We learn, too, how to "keep our hands off" when that is appropriate — allowing and celebrating the unrestrained wild-ness of nature. In fact, there is no "we" and "they." We interrelate with the whole natural world — indeed, the entire cosmos — through a pliable, reflective boundary. At that interface we dance with "the other" as ourself. And we are "one" with our "environment." The principles of deep ecology describe the "nature" of a healthy practitioner-client relationship, and a way of being a physician that supports healthy living on Earth. They can inspire us to a deeper calling, which I believe is our destiny as 21st century physicians — to be "gardeners" who cultivate practical change throughout our living planet. Here is a brief exploration of several of the key principles associated with deep ecology:
This is the principle of non-interference: when in doubt, don’t do… or look for a less invasive approach. (And remember: "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!") Whether the "patient" shows up as an out-of-control perennial garden or as a resistant case of hypertension, the "cure" may be the same: in finding just the right balance between wildness and domestication. The attitude here is one of working co-creatively with (that patient’s) nature. An essential part of the approach lies in balancing what we do with what we don’t do. We must keep an eye on the broader context. Shall we view the natural environment as a store-house of resources put here primarily for human use? Do we then justify plundering it, wantonly clear-cutting old growth forests, and fishing all of our lakes to extinction? Likewise, do we read a high diastolic blood pressure as an aberration, to be eliminated or forced into submission by the chemical scythe of some antihypertensive? Or do we look for an alternative — forge an alliance with nature’s rhythms, apply a more gentle stroke? (use self-regulation via breathing, physical exercise, foods {e.g., garlic} and herbs {e.g., linden, mistletoe}, homeopathy, flower essences, etc.)
Deep ecology beseeches us to look below the surface, to ponder the mystery of our interconnection with all life. The investigative spirit of 21st century medicine gives us a friendly nudge, too — and asks us to be willing to look more deeply into ourselves, and the nature of our mission. The purpose of "right questioning" is not just to dig up answers. More important is to recognize each question for what it really is: an inner travel guide, a finger pointing at the moon of our own unconscious......deepening our capacity to imagine what the next level of questioning might be....as we go ever deeper.
We are coming to a time of coming to our senses, re-educating ourselves to see (hear, taste, smell) again, with increasing clarity. We will be trusting more fully our capacity to discern what is right in front of us. With that clear vision of the present moment, we’ll be able to diagnose more accurately — by complementing that objective view with a healthy dollop of intuition. This way of seeing will naturally restrain us from abusing the living world. As we perceive aliveness (in ourselves, in others, in rocks, oceans, and forests etc), we naturally become shepherds of all life. Life appears to be too precious to destroy. Navigating the 21st century will mean flowing more gracefully in the confluence of technology and nature that has carried us to our present level of understanding. We’ll think twice before sending single-hulled oil tankers on a cruise too near to pristine beaches which are home to aquatic wildlife. By analogy, we’ll be less likely to use potentially destructive therapies without adding safeguards, such as nutritional and herbal support.
In the ’60s and ’70s, Marshall McLuhan taught that "the medium is the message." In the ’00s, we’ll come to understand that "the environment is the cure." Where we practice is how we practice. We will be honoring traditions such as Feng Shui, which teach that our "fit" with the environment, even the specific shape of our office and its placement in relation to its surroundings determines the flow—even the success or failure! — of our work. The way we conduct our lives is a broadcast having vibrational impact on everyone, and every-thing around us. As we live in harmony within our own microcosm, we offer a unique gift to the world. We become a fortunate blessing upon the Earth.
It will be fortunate, indeed, when we routinely see through the veil of symptomatology to the core of astonishing beauty that greets us. In that way all life, both human and non-human, can then flourish, being framed by our ever growing enlightened perception and awareness. The suffering patient is a work in progress. We are the assistants of the Great Sculptor. The bottom line is this: health is the natural expression of a thriving planetary community. It will take all of us together to build a vital community worldwide. But, that possibility is on the horizon… When that time does come, we will all flower from within, of self-blessing… and we will share that blessing with all, by affirming that blossoming in one another.
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