"Psychological/Spiritual Healing -- The Spiritual Path and the Healing Process"

[On Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8, 2005, I gave the following presentation at my former church in Rockaway Beach, New York:] Good morning! I am a member of this wonderful Church and one of this Mother’s/Women’s Day Mission speakers. As a mother and grandmother, I am honored to be a part of this special occasion. Today, the theme of our Mother’s/Women’s Day Mission is: “Women’s Voices.” You will be hearing from other speakers on different topics. Each assignment for today was to have someone from a non-traditional setting writes a brief testimony, as it relates to a particular topic. From my boss, a psychologist, I gleaned a testimony on Psychological/Spiritual Healing –The Spiritual Path and the Healing Process. James 5 verse 16 tells about the healing of one's soul by the process of confession in which it states: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.” [KJV] Dr. Reich wrote the following: “In our daily lives, we are subject to disappointments, pain and suffering. These circumstances may befall anyone of us, regardless of how righteous we may live. The Spiritual Path however, is the process by which we may cope with the pain and unfortunate circumstances to which we are often exposed. This path heals us by placing us in touch with a higher God and purpose. This view gives us the power to experience our momentary pain or tragedy, within a broader spiritual context. What at first appears insufferable gradually, through the lens of Godly commitment and higher purpose, transforms into another lesson of God’s teachings. With this attitude, we learn to forgive others for their trespasses and relinquish the anger generated by our pain and suffering. As our faith increases, we learn to live in God’s presence. Thus, it is His presence which facilitates the healing in our lives. Through this healing process, we learn to live in harmony with the unknown future.” In addition to Dr. Reich’s inspiring testimony, I include the following: To promote healing, God’s help is evident in other multiple ways, such as: emotional, mental and physical, to name a few. And that is why He deserves the Glory, even though the Glory is often given to “self.” Let us begin the healing process by: * Listening to our unconscious * Examine our dreams * Explore our pain and anger * Face up to the terror of our inner loneliness * Find strength in our weakness * Overcome our fear of losing our identity by giving it up willingly With devotion and discipline, we will discover the ability to give up our pride; forgive those who hurt us and give ourselves in pure love. And then, and only then, we will be on the path of life and healing. Thank you all for listening while being a part of this glorious gathering – on this special day – a day especially chosen to honor all mothers – from all walks of life. And to all you “groovy” mothers and grandmothers, have a terrific Mother’s Day. Thank you and God Bless!!