Love Is The Root Of Alchemy

Love, I've found,
is at the root of all alchemy.
How do you heal from trauma?
How do you turn your burdens into blessings
and your wounds into lessons?
Love can do all this for us.
You may be asking,
if the answer is so simple,
why is healing so hard?

Healing can be hard
because when we are wounded
we cannot perceive love as readily;
When we are re-watching the past on repeat,
we cannot notice the love that surrounds us,
nor see the miracles around us.
If we grow up with various forms of abuse,
we begin to find compliments uncomfortable;
Further proof that, when love does show its face,
we do not believe it to be there.
We tend to, instead, associate abuse with love.
It takes us a while to unlearn the idea
that pain is love and
that love always bears the mask of pain.

But when we finally feel
the serenity within unconditional love,
we begin to realize our mistake.
True unconditional love bears no masks,
no layers of pain or anguish.
Beneath the surface of such love
is only more love.

So how can we make the healing journey
feel more effortless?
Start by identifying the lies;
the ones regarding your supposed
unworthiness, undeservingness, and guilt;
the lies you told yourself
and the lies others put in your head.
Actually,
these will often be one and the same.

We can also interrupt
the replayed trauma
with a memory of profound bliss.
If you cannot readily think of one,
take the time to imagine what a perfect day might be.
If you can, go so far as to write out
a series of joyous events.

Or you can try what I've only just started to do.
Whenever you return to the gritty parts of your past,
invite that version of you into your quiet, sacred space.
Meaning,
allow that flashback to be your cue to meditate.
Take a deep breath, and
send that version of you all the love you can,
tell them that they are ok now;
comfort them as you would
any scared and injured child.
Hold them, stroke their hair, hum a tune to them.
This can all take place in the space of a minute if need be,
but whenever possible, allow several.

Another key component
to more effortless healing
is to find a place of belonging.
If you can surround yourself with people
who show you unconditional loving compassion,
that support will be undeniably invaluable.
Allow them to love you,
and one day,
you will learn how to love yourself.

Love creates miracles and spurs transformation
as long as you can find a way to let it in.