what was your question?

It has been said, 

"We touch heaven when we lay

our hand on a human body."

~Novalis~

As healthcare providers, this reminds us there is something spiritual about the study and practice of medicine. Something sacred that has been sacrificed in favor of pride, power, and profit among our corporate taskmasters. After all, we invoked all the gods and goddesses as witnesses when we took the oath that sealed our commitment to healing.

The Hippocratic Oath

We pledged:

"I will comport myself

and use my knowledge in a godly manner."

The ethical, moral, and humane practice of medicine is our sacred duty. As Stephen Cope puts it:

"Sacred duty is the thing that,

if you don't do it,

you will feel a profound sense

of self betrayal."

~Stephen Cope~

I was reflecting on this recently in view of the unrelenting onslaught of cruelty, injustice, hatred, and suffering that are all around us. War. Gun violence. Racism. Human rights violations. A still smoldering pandemic. Climate change. The anger and sorrow we bear. How hopeless things appear. How helpless we sometimes feel...at work, at home, in our communities, and in the world at large.

And then the answer appeared. A vision for healing.

If you do not read anything else in your lifetime, hop online right this minute, and order this book:

You don't have to read the whole book, unless, of course, you're interested in somatic psychotherapies, grounding vs. transcendence, and the nature and practice of embodiment. But if you're interested in how to survive in this world, just read the last chapter, "Call to Action!"  

"Your sacred purpose maybe be subtle and calm...

or it may be the fiery path of the activist."

"We need you to endeavor to make

our medical system more heartfelt and wholistic."

"We need awakening men to rise up defiantly

and stand down those men still locked inside patriarchal 

and sexist ways of being."

"Don't be fooled by the shopping mall, 

the suburban malaise,

or the numbing addiction 

to our phones, screens, and virtual realities."

"It's one thing to pray, meditate, dream, and visualize

the sacred possibilities for our planet;

it's quite another to ground our expansive intentions

in lived action."

"It should not be women's work, alone,

to shift patriarchal paradigms--

men must boldly rally for their female counterparts."

As healthcare providers--doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, EMTs and first responders, and therapists in every field--we are called to live out our sacred calling every day. Indeed, as human beings we are all compelled to seek the truth, and to defend our right to live according to what we learn. In this book, Jeff Brown encourages us to confront our sacred purpose consciously. He teaches us to overcome the obstacles that prevent us from discerning our unique calling in life and to live according to our own deep truth.

He suggests we ask ourselves:

What are you here to learn?

What are you here to overcome?

What are you here to offer?

What does your authentic face look like?

Who are you beyond the inner static of inauthentic voices?

jan