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Healing is an Art

Woman exuberant on a stone on a beach_healing power of natureIt was a simple question from a good friend, but one I seem to get asked a lot. In an effort to understand how I healed myself, she asked me to explain: โ€œHOW did you heal yourself?โ€ She went on to say โ€œno matter how much I hear and read of your background and story, it still is not clear to me how the healing happened.โ€

Where to begin! Although Iโ€™ve written about my health journey many times, I understand that people are often looking for very concrete answers to what I believe is a more esoteric process. Imagine healing as a creative process, as an art.ย 

How We Heal

As far as how I healed, I know there is no pragmatic explanation. At least not one that has a neat and tidy 10-point list. Or a โ€˜if you do this, this result is guaranteedโ€™. For me at least, it has been a culmination of all the things I did over the years. Especially in the years since my last and most serious health decline when I flew off to Germany, looking for healing.

It was in the serendipitous way I found Arscura – School for Living Art and the therapeutic art work I did there. Art is soul work and because of this, it has the power to heal. Not just on the physical level, but on the emotional and spiritual levels too. Art has the power to heal the world too! I developed a larger more wholistic view of what it means to be a human being. And it was in that inner recognition on my part, that hearing about Arscura was a destiny moment for me. Intuitively I knew it was something to say โ€œYesโ€ to.

The Path to Healing

There were a wide variety of other modalities I explored as well. Acupuncture, therapeutic massage, homeopathic remedies plus many more. Having done years of research and trial and error relating to food and nutrition and the value of an organic diet, I learned what works and what doesnโ€™t, ending up with a wealth of knowledge and understanding to share with others.

Iโ€™m also a firm believer in high-quality nutraceutical grade supplements to support optimal health. This is why I chose to become a health and vitality consultant. To use my personal experiences to encourage others to live their healthiest selves. It was imperative that my choice of product partner had to be a company with high integrityย and be the best of the best when it comes to research and cutting-edge science.

The Thing About Healing

The thing about healing for any of us, is it requires a readiness to heal. Maybe thatโ€™s a surprising thought for some people. Another key, is a belief in the choices we make to heal. For example, I know I would not do any of the traditional treatments people do to treat cancerโ€ฆI would look for anything alternative and because I believe that it would work, it would be more likely that it would work for me. Make sense? There is no one-size-fits all when it comes to health and healing!

Ultimately healing is an art. When someone is ready to heal, they find the ways that will work for them. It is why faith healers sometimes get amazing results just from laying on of hands to an ill person. And maybe some people heal on a spiritual level, but not on a physical level. Healing often transcends the physical realm alone. In my own experience, healing doesnโ€™t happen from outside of ourselves; it doesnโ€™t happen to us. It happens because of us, from the inside out.

For much of my life Iโ€™ve been considered a trailblazer, taking the unlikely or less traveled path. Iโ€™ve learned to ask questionsโ€ฆa lot of questions. If I didnโ€™t like what one person or professional told me, I’d thank them and forge on to find someone who had answers that made sense to me. That is why I believe I am still here. Had I listened to EVERYONE (family, doctors, friends) during my last and most severe health crisis, I don’t think I would be here.Healing scene on a beach_woman staring at the water

Saying “Yes” to the Unknown

Health is a key thread that weaves through my life story. Writing, communication and conversation is another. So when I was asked by Reba Linker of โ€œPaint Yourself Into The Pictureโ€ to do a video interview with her for her โ€œHealing Outside the Boxโ€ series, I was delighted and said, โ€œYesโ€. What happened is a perfect example of how life can take you on an unplanned journey and how sometimes you just have to be willing to go with the flow. To let go and let come. Not so easy for this fixed sign, Aquarius.

Excited to discuss much of what I wrote about above and about my healing journey, as we began the interview, I realized two things. One, I could not see myself on the screen and was flying blind as far as any comfort I would have with the visual portion of my interview. It required me to trust what was happening. After all, what matters most, is what someone has to say, their message, not how they look. Right?

This is something I have my own issues with. As a highly visual person, I am keenly conscious of how I look and how the world around me looks. It also has to do with losing my โ€˜beautyโ€™ for the years when I would have been aging gracefully. Instead I looked like a walking skeleton and people would turn away when they saw my emaciated face and body.

SHE-roes & Pathfinders

Secondly, when Reba introduced me, it was apparent I wasnโ€™t speaking as a โ€œHealing Outside of the Boxโ€ guest, but as a โ€œSHE-roes & Pathfindersโ€ guest. Hmm. Deep breath. Remember to smile. Not much else I could do but keep going, keep listening and speak from an authentic heart space.

Although it didnโ€™t end up being the conversation we had originally planned, it became the conversation it was meant to be. See what you think as Reba and I discuss forging your own unique life path, health, healing plus a lot more! Thank you so much to Reba for her patience and gentle encouragement even when I had my doubts. Look forward to your thoughts on the idea that healing is an art, once you listen to our conversation HERE.

Beverley Golden

Beverley Golden is a writer, storyteller, peacenik and health & vitality consultant, who loves testing unconventional ways to shift paradigms in the playing fields of health and wellness, storytelling and creativity as a path to world peace. Her passion is turning the โ€œimpossibleโ€ into the possible, using her own experiences with a lifetime of health issues, to inspire and support others to live their life to the fullest. You're invited to a Complimentary Health Consultation, starting with the True Health Assessment that offers a customized personalized snapshot of how healthy you are in the areas of lifestyle, heredity and nutrition. Contact me to get started!

56 Comments

  • Nice Article! Very good tips on healing art!

    Thanks for sharing this information!

  • Suzie Cheel says:

    Beverley I love this and speaks right to my soul- I know that we do have to be ready to heal, we also can in a heartbeat make that decision to heal, with a big dose of love or stay in the poor me mentality xxx

    • So happy this resonated with you so deeply, Suzie! Art is a soul process and both of us have lived that and healed using art. It truly is a personal choice, with lots of support, love and help from the world around us. xo

  • Kimba says:

    Up here in Club 50, health and staying healthy has become about much more than just looking good. The days of junk food and late night tequila shots are not gone, but are definitely NOT a weekly Friday night occurrence. Physical and emotional health cannot be taken for granted.
    Kimba recently posted…Hey, I Know That Troll!My Profile

    • Sounds like you have some wise insights for yourself, Kimba! It’s interesting how as we become Club 50+ members, we get very wise about what is important and what we have to ‘give up’ when it comes to maintain our emotional and physical health.

  • Sue Kearney says:

    Beverley, thank you for sharing your story. I am finding myself fascinated โ€” this is the third time this week I’ve had someone I am connected with talk about going to Germany for healing. I may be approaching you to find out a bit more about this.

    Blessed be.

    • How interesting to hear from three people within a week that they went to Germany for healing, Sue. Germany is advanced and proactive when it comes to health. People at the clinic I went to weren’t all ill, but the government gives them a ‘wellness’ leave every year and they take advantage of it by getting away and rejuvenating. I’m happy to discuss anytime if you want to know more.

  • Millen says:

    Amazing journey, beautifully shared – thank you, Beverley! I love what you said “Art is soul work and because of this, it has the power to heal. Not just on the physical level, but on the emotional and spiritual levels too.” My daughter is using art (painting, writing poems) as a form of healing her soul and it’s amazing how it transforms her… Thank you for sharing and it was lovely to see you live! ๐Ÿ™‚
    Millen recently posted…What Is Your Worth? Hint: It’s Not What You Think!My Profile

    • Thank you so much Millen! I appreciate hearing that you resonated with that particular quote and that your own daughter has found art as a way to heal on a soul level too. It is amazing for all of us who have had that experience of healing and it is hard to explain it to others, as it becomes only a concept until you immerse yourself in the process. Thank you again for watching the interview and I am so happy people have been so welcoming and accepting of seeing me live! ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Wonderful post and interview Beverley! I especially like your point about how we need to be ready to heal. I believe the right attitude and willingness are an unbeatable combination. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us.
    Marquita Herald recently posted…The Ripple Effect of Small ChoicesMy Profile

    • Thanks so much Marquita! I appreciate knowing you enjoyed my article and my conversation with Reba. Yes, the only way to heal is to be an equal partner in the process. It is hard to heal when you don’t have complete belief that healing will happen. Attitude and willingness, indeed they are an unbeatable combination.

  • Our body’s capacity to heal requires our being open to healing modalities which might not appear plausible to others because it’s not part of mainstream medical science, Beverley. I’m so glad you shared your story with us.

    I’ve often channeled Divine Energy for healing both my pet Miss Coco as well as to help heal my Mom’s arm ligaments after a near fatal accident on an escalator a few years ago. In both cases, it worked because the subjects were open to the energy.

    Big hugs for your birthday month!
    Vatsala Shukla recently posted…Is Your Resume Positioned for Job Interview Invitation Success?My Profile

    • Thank you so much for your insights, Vatsala! I know that you truly ‘get’ that healing can only happen when the person is ready to heal. When they are somehow the therapies they choose work! This is one reason I continue sharing my story, as there is no one-size-fits all in health and healing.

      I love hearing how you have channeled Divine Energy to help heal your beloved Miss Coco and also to help your mom’s arm. Very powerful! I appreciate you sharing your experiences too. Thanks for the big hugs for my birthday month too!

  • I love how clearly you explain that healing is a choice and something that happens through us for us.. Great interview..

    • Thanks Jonita! I appreciate hearing you enjoyed the interview and that you also believe that healing happens through us for us. My experiences show this to be very true.

  • What I so love about this, Beverley, is how open you were to try whatever was before you, common-sense wise! And how you just kept seeking. That’s it, no? Be willing. Follow the open doors. Do the internal work as well. Because so very true–healing “happens because of us, from the inside out.” LOVE that!
    Susan Mary Malone recently posted…Be Honest, Do You Really Want To Listen To People?My Profile

    • Thanks so much for really getting this, Susan! Yes, healing happens because of us from the inside out. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if more people embraced this and allowed healing to happen? I appreciate your support of my many, many choices to get to a place of healing. What I’ve learned is to keep saying yes to the things that resonate and make sense! Sounds so simple, yet it is something that needs to be practiced.

  • Sabra Zay says:

    I really enjoyed this article and fully believe that a person has to be ready to heal and to believe in the healing modality that they are using. Not everything works for every one.

  • Joyce Hansen says:

    Beverley, thank you for opening up a conversation about the multi-dimensional aspects of healing. There is no one path, but being the seeker of your own healing and finding it within yourself is where the healing begins. May you continue to share your story to larger and larger audiences.

    • Thanks so much for your support for this conversation, Joyce! Yes, healing is not just one thing and is different for each of us. I love how you say ‘being the seeker of your own healing’, as that truly is what the healing journey is about. And as long as there are people who might be helped or inspired by what I have to say…I will continue sharing it!

  • Great article and video. Belief is indeed everything, and how fantastic that you managed to heal with alternative processes. Regarding fear of not looking good on video, you just need to go with the flow, with live video I have realized people want to see the real you not the perfected you. ๐Ÿ™‚
    Katarina Andersson recently posted…How To Get Started With Your Instagram Wine StoryMy Profile

    • Thanks so much Katarina! I appreciate your support for the video and my article. Thanks for the insight into not being too concerned about looking food on video too and although I know people want a more real and authentic person, sometimes I still want the perfect lighting and sound and visuals too. ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Gill says:

    What an interesting article Beverley! You did super in your interview and explained well about your experiences! I completely understand what you mean when healing yourself within that it is different for each one of us and our beliefs. If I became ill, I know I would be pushed to go for the conventional medicine… I definitely would start within.
    Gill recently posted…How to Start Running ConsistentlyMy Profile

    • Thanks so much Gilly! I appreciate you taking the time to listen to the interview and to also read my article. Glad you enjoyed it too! I’m happy to hear that you are a ‘start within’ person as well, and I find people often default to the traditional medical world, sometimes out of fear and sometimes out of a belief that they have all the answers. I think when we trust ourselves and our choices, it leads us on our own journey and hopefully healing is the outcome.

  • Alene Geed says:

    An amazing story Beverley. I agree that we have heal from within and WANT to be healed. Many years ago I had an experience with my brother that confirmed this for me. He had pancreatic cancer and of course I was inconsolable. I had been studying Reiki and was convinced I could help. I flew to his home ready to proceed. He kept putting me off..delaying the treatment. At some point I realized that he did not want to be healed at all. He had made his peace with dying. It took me many years to accept it..long after he had gone. I applaud your journey and am happy you decided to live
    Alene Geed recently posted…Reflections on the Tucson Gem ShowMy Profile

    • That’s quite a profound experience you share about your brother, Alene! Thank you. I know how frustrating it can be to offer our help to others and they don’t want it. I feel that much of the time with people who say they want to improve their health, yet won’t do anything to heal. How unfortunate for you that you felt so strongly about being there and helping your brother and he wouldn’t accept it. And like you came to acknowledge, he just didn’t want to be healed. It is such a unique path each of us takes and I am learning that we are being asked to accept someone else’s choices, even if we don’t agree.

  • Natasha Botkin says:

    Wonderful sharing ladies!! Thanks xoxo

  • Healing is such an incredible journey. One that is scary and liberating all at the same time as we have to break ourselves open. Healing is definitely an art and you addressed it so beautifully xo

  • Julia says:

    I’m really looking forward to listening to this interview between two women who I consider real powerhouses for personal growth and positive change in the world. I’m sure the words that came through you were the ones that were meant to and can serve the most people ^-^

    • Thanks so much for your lovely and supportive words, Julia! I really appreciate hearing that you see me as someone who is a powerhouse for personal growth and positive change in the world. And yes, the words that came through me were exactly the words and the message that was meant to be heard by others.

  • Hello ladies, I really enjoyed this interview and the blog post. I resonate with so many points here: I had trouble staying in my body for many years–yoga and art have helped me stay grounded and eating nourishing and organic foods. I know from my own experience as a Reiki Master that healing is like an unfolding, an unpeeling and definitely a creative process! Thank you for an inspiring interview ๐Ÿ™‚

    • Thank you so much for sharing your own experiences with healing, Eleanor! I think many people, even though they don’t realize it, have challenges actually being in their body. In fact, it probably sounds strange to most people too. Like you, it was an ongoing trial and error for me. Keep what felt like it was working and try new things as they resonated. I’ve also included Reiki throughout my healing journey, in fact it was a key component of my healing journey I described here. It’s so great to hear that you also included art in your practice. I cannot say enough about the healing power of art…yes, to organic foods and being highly conscious of the part that plays. Thanks again for listening and for resonating with my journey and seeing parallels in your own!

  • Really enjoyed your post and your wonderful interview with Reba, Beverley! Thanks so much for sharing your story of healing in your own life and what worked and did not work for you ๐Ÿ™‚

    Very inspiring!

  • Reba Linker says:

    Yes, it must have been kismet, dear Beverley, that ‘SHE-roes & Pathfinders’ came out of my brain and mouth, rather than the initially planned ‘Healing Outside the Box.’ It was meant to be, and there is so much to learn from your journey of discovery as you found your own pathway to healing. Many blessings! Thank you for trusting me, and for sharing your story on Paint Yourself Into the Picture!
    Reba Linker recently posted…Life is Golden: Interview with Beverley GoldenMy Profile

    • Thank you so much too, Reba! It was quite an adventure, from scheduling a time to talk, to finally revealing our conversation to the world! I sincerely appreciate the wonderful way you hold the space for your guests and appreciate that you asked me to share my ‘journey of discovery’ with your tribe. Thanks for seeing me as a SHE-roe & Pathfinder…as it turns out, somehow that seems to fit me perfectly!

  • Robin says:

    Very thought provoking. I am in the process of giving someone advice that is helping someone heal, and this has me pondering. Always good to cause one to pay.

    • Thanks for sharing that you’re helping someone else on their healing journey, Robin! Yes, it is good to sit up and pay attention to what others around you have experienced…you never know when a tidbit of information will offer the perfect tip for someone else.

  • Teresa Salhi says:

    How amazing Beverley that you have paid attention to your intuitive abilities. We all have them yes, but we don’t all listen. Especially when it comes to our health – we are bombarded with how we must live with an illness, take a certain drug, what we can no longer do – blah, blah, blah. What an inspiration for others that you demonstrate on going outside the box in how to heal yourself.
    Teresa Salhi recently posted…When Life Falls ApartMy Profile

    • Thanks so much for your enthusiasm, Teresa! I know you truly get this perspective and have adopted it in your own life. Yes, we can buy into any belief and that becomes our reality. When it comes to health, I really have experienced both sides of what is available and now know myself well enough to choose what ‘feels’ right for me.

  • It is amazing that I have never really thought of it this way. But after reading through your article, I firmly believe that the healing process starts from the mind. When your mind is convinced that it will work, miraculously it does. Also, I am a visual person and care much about how people see me, but that is attributed to my introverted nature.

    • Thanks for letting me know you gained some new insight from this article, Apolline! I am not so sure that being a visual person, we both share, is tied to being an introvert, (which I am), but just a way of being in the world that has our visual sense being predominant. Make sense? And I have seen wonderful and miraculous things happen when people have a strong belief in something, even when no one else sees their perspective!

  • Anne says:

    I completely agree with your approach on healing. It has to be a “whole body” experience. I also would think twice about traditional treatment to cancer as I watched my Dad and now my aunt succumb to the disease where chemo had zero effect, and even negative effects.
    I just finished a book called Thin Within that said medical students are now studying prayer, meditation and generally positive thinking and how it relates to healing because they have real, documented cases now of people who have healed with very little medical intervention. It is definitely a real thing. Thank you for your insight!
    Anne recently posted…10 Benefits to Business CoachingMy Profile

    • Thanks for sharing about your personal family experience with cancer, Anne. I know that so many people have utmost faith in the medical system and unfortunately that system is infallible and often fails them.

      I’ve heard of the book and love the premise you describe. Yes, there is a big world of possibilities outside of the allopathic health world and for me it shows that the idea of ‘healing’ is taking on a new identity and new possibilities. It is an exciting time in health and healing as it offers us all so many options to choose from.

  • OMG so true… healing definitely takes work and time to do… and you are so right… we need to do the work on the inside before it truly shines on the outside.
    Kristen Wilson recently posted…Social Media Etiquette 101My Profile

    • Thanks so much for confirming that you also believe that healing has to happen from the inside out, Kristen. For any of us, the only way anything happens from the inside out!

  • This is beautiful Beverly. We need to be kind to ourselves. Happy Birthday to you as well!
    Christy Soukhamneut recently posted…Pearly’s New Pad – Let’s Do It TogetherMy Profile

  • Tamuria says:

    First off, just wonderful to hear your voice and see your lovely smile, Beverley. I truly believe healing comes from within as the physical is tied up with the mental, emotional, and spiritual. And like any true art form, it takes creativity, courage, and patience. Wonderful advice to be open, curious, and to consider all opportunities and also to do your own research for answers, You are a shining example of a trailblazer who found a way when there appeared to be none. That takes great courage and creativity.
    Tamuria recently posted…AWESOME AUSSIE CRAFTS TO MAKE WITH A PAPER PLATEMy Profile

    • Thank you so much for listening to my conversation with Reba, Tami! I appreciate hearing that you really get that healing is a multi-layered process and that it has to start from within. I also appreciate that you understand that healing is an art and takes an openness, creativity, courage and yes, patience. I so thank you for your kind words and your support!

  • Lori English says:

    Beverley,
    A great article on Healing and it does take time to heal from whatever you have went through. I Appreciate this article and feel that everyone heals on their on time.

    Lori English