The Art of True Healing
"Healing isn't something to 'go to someone else for' and expect a "quick fix"; it's about learning how to *integrate* what comes up in our healings for ourselves.”
~ Nicole Barton
I was having a rich conversation with one of my previous guides, and now dear friend, Lian yesterday in which we were talking about what had unfolded since I had a shamanic healing with her a few months ago.
I've been in the deep work, since then, of reclaiming a lost part of my soul from young adulthood - and I have found myself being nudged back to old devotions from that time, including movement, yoga, music and horse-riding (see her post about devotion in the comments).
And what stood out in our conversation for me was something I've been saying for a while about how healing isn't something to 'go to someone else for' and expect a "quick fix"; it's about learning how to *integrate* what comes up in our healings for ourselves.
This example with going for my shamanic healing and then doing the deep work is my living embodiment of that. Of having the 'tools' to integrate healings myself, garnered from a journey of three years with guidance from Lian in the deeper art of self (soul) healing.
Often, the impression people have with 'healings' is that we go to someone to be 'fixed,' and have a one-off healing which inevitably doesn't work and leaves women chasing the next healing 'quick fix', and outsourcing their power to others.
If we interact with these commonly one-off sessions this way - where we expect the other person to do the healing for us - it will largely leave us feeling lost, disappointed and unchanged. (Likewise, if you're a healer, there's gold here, too, in the opportunities we have to begin to interact with our clients differently for true, deep healing, in a way that invites them into their own deep work).
Because the truth is, WE ALL have the power and wisdom to heal OURSELVES. 👑
This is a knowing I have had since I even trained as a homeopath, long ago, but has taken a while to become the embodied teachings of my path.
Just to be clear, I'm not making other healing modalities wrong - even traditional homeopathy, which is one of the foundational ancient wisdom bodies underlying my path, has been described as "magic pills" - I'm just exploring that often the way we can innocently *interact* with these deeply healing therapies is from the mindset of us being broken and needing someone to 'fix us' - and quickly (a product of living in a mainstream world that conditions us into quick fixes).
In reality, the truth is, these healings really only ever activate our own inner healer and open the door and invite us in to do the deeper inner work of loving ourselves in places we have rejected.
Really, the beauty of these one-time healings is that they point us to the deeper work that's needed by us. I'm recalling the numerous healing responses I've had over the years that largely got left un-integrated because I didn't have the tools to know what to do with what was surfacing.
Because we are never broken - or, let's rephrase that - we are all walking around often feeling immensely broken, and the true art of healing is to come to love the messy, shameful, fearful glorious parts of ourselves until we know that *all* of us is welcome.
THAT'S real, true healing. ✨
The reclamation of lost parts of our souls - the loving home of parts that got fragmented through shame, fear or guilt.
Deep self-love, inner child work and soul-reclamation. 🌹
And hard as we try (usually innocently) we cannot *outsource* that.
This is why I make it clear that I'm not "fixing you" in our Archetypal Apothecary healings - I'm inviting sensitive women like you (who have usually burned out from a lifetime of trying to be perfect and 'fixed') to learn to heal yourself and love yourself home.
I'm inviting you to learn to work with your own *inner apothecary* of energetic remedies so you can heal and integrate things for yourself - that no other can.
And my heart feels so full for the courageous women who one day begin to feel the deep soul stirrings to that, and tenderly lean in; because the alternative they've been trying - though it felt easier - hasn't worked.
Because that's not an easy choice in a world that widely (not even just limited to healing) offers us false promises of quick fixes.
Nor is it something most people *want* to choose, when it requires us to learn to love parts of ourselves that it's easier to numb, suppress, reject and ignore (that's why the 'quick fix' route looks so much more appealing or relieving).
When we start to make the tender first steps into this way of the deep work, so much fear comes up as we begin to realise we can tenderly step into this journey of healing ourselves - and it requires love and courage.
That's why the journey into true healing is often best done with deeper support for integration, initially - but not in the same way it's usually offered.
I realise too that it can sound a bit odd to some women (when I'm saying you're here to heal yourself), that it's best done with a guide - by the time women reach this path they are often doubting if healing even works - and doubting the need for a guide because the guides they've had before haven't 'solved' anything.
It's this impact of quick fixes on women's trust of their own capacity to learn to heal themselves magically - more than anything - that breaks my heart most deeply.
A woman asked me recently "if I keep going in this path won't I just get trapped in never ending journey of healing?"
My reply was simple - "the real truth is, our work in healing is never done. If you keep going with 'quick fixes' you will forever need a guide, yes. In the Archetypal Apothecary path, though, I'm teaching you to *heal yourself.* That might take a little longer to learn to begin with - but then you've got your *own tools* for a lifetime - and you know your power to use them."
So many women have been burned by the 'quick fix' approach, but there *is* another way - if you're willing to trust yourself to learn it, when you are called.
If you're just slowly beginning to realise you've been seeking a 'quick fix' - and you're feeling a nudge to learn to truly heal yourself, in a fully supported and held way - then know your heart is so welcome here, and will be so held.
If you desire support in learning that way, there are currently a few ways you can step into your journey of true healing, at your own pace, with me, at whichever level feels aligned, I'll share these below but I'd firstly love to hear - whether you're resonating with or resisting this important post - what comes up for you?
All my love ♥️🌹👑
🌹 Archetypal Rosa offers a low-investment group journey beginning in October which guides sensitive women into the tender first steps of opening to healing themselves and opening to their deeper more meaningful purpose - www.nicolebarton.co.uk/rosa
✨ Archetypal Soul Medicine Readings are coming soon to provide a clear map to your own inner apothecary and guide you in how to begin your healing and soul discovery, as well as help those who long to be healers to know their unique gifts. Message me directly to find out more.
🦋 Initiatrix is my fully supported 6 month 1:1 journey into deep healing and soul reclamation, for which there are 2 spaces left beginning October (all other 1:1 offerings are currently full): www.nicolebarton.co.uk/initiatrix
If you'd like support with choosing what's most aligned for you, I'm currently open for Alchemy calls - where there's no pressure to join anything, only loving support to help you access your deeper wisdom about what's best for you and your healing, whatever that might be. Message me directly and I can help you book a call.
🌿 If you'd like like to learn more about how this 'inner apothecary' healing modality works, I'll be geeking out on our technology this Thursday at 6.30pm UK time - join us to find out more - free tickets - https://SecretWitchShowRecording.eventbrite.com
All my love,
if you've any questions, send me an email.
Nicole x
