Wounded Healers

Meet Chiron:

Chiron is the archetype of the wounded healer from Greek mythology.  In shamanistic cultures (The Celts, Siberian tribes, and many American Indian tribes similarly use different images, but same overall idea), a shaman is a wounded healer who uses his knowledge of pain, suffering, and sickness to heal those around him.

When reading By Oak, Ash, and Thorn by DJ Conway, he touches upon this component of shamanism in such a way that touched me the moment I read it.  In psychology Jung had a similar idea that we shared a collective suffering that healers touched upon to heal those in the community.  While modern psychology fears this (psychologists are supposed to be perfect and realized and not have the problems their clients do), my experience has taught me (as has my supervisors) that the best psychologists are those that have endured suffering in their lives.  They are the ones that truly empathize and honor the pain of others while similarly not patronizing their suffering.  The Gestaltists had a similar world view.

I mention these because I found myself talking to my own therapist and my supervisor about my own suffering, and both agreed that I was talking healthy steps.  My therapist said I was a two-spirit and that I had an "Indian heart", a very beautiful honor I must say.  But the wounded healer is also a caveat in many ways.  For the medicine to be effective, Chiron had to give up his immortality to save others and become a good healer.  Last night I had dreams in my new space I created.  I don't remember much of them, but I remember having them which is a huge plus for me. My enneagram is a type 4, something I'm told is rare but very powerful.

http://www.enneagramworldwide.com/explore-the-enneagram/tour-the-nine-types/enneagram-type-4.php

You can read more about them there.  The more I read and learn, the more I want to embrace the creative side I had as a kid.  I wrote and drew a lot, even though my drawings and writings were often characterized by longing and pain.  I want to make my own dream catcher for my new room above the bed.  That will be my first step.  I'll write more later, I need to get back to work.