What does it mean to heal? Physically speaking, healing infers closure, a resealing of skin and a resetting of bone and relief from the pain of injury. But what if healing is not so simple, not so straightforward? For some, pain is chronic, persisting long after a wound has healed; physical therapy, medication, and dietary changes are undertaken in the search for a possible cure, and are changed and rearranged until the patient finds a combination that provides her some relief and increases her quality of life.

Psychic healing is a similar process, but its causes, conditions, and treatments differ radically. First, a psychic wound must be identified–since it cannot be seen, one must plumb the depths of the mind to find it. Once found, one must address its causes, and once the causes are fleshed out, one must determine the best method to treat it. Psychic pain is much like chronic pain–it seems to persist long after treatments have been administered, and it tends to flare up when least expected. When we’re overcome by a wave of psychic pain, it’s important to address it, make space for it, and treat it before its adverse effects begin to eat away at us.

When I’m in the midst of a shadow resurgence, I consult the tarot using this spread.

It reads in a circle to reflect the cyclical process of healing, ending much where it begins.

The first position is illustrates the source of your psychic pain. The second sheds light on the trauma(s)/event(s) associated with that pain. The third explores your triggers. The fourth explores the ways in which your pain influences your behavior. The fifth gives a suggestion for processing the pain. The sixth illustrates actions you can take to move forward. The seventh demonstrates ways that you can hold space for yourself while you heal.

As you work your way through your trauma using this spread, don’t be afraid to deviate or disagree. As previously stated, healing is a process, and we can learn as much from our negative reactions as our positive ones. Spend as much time as you need to reflecting on the feelings that the reading evokes, and don’t forget that your emotions are valid, no matter what they are. Happy August healing, my loves.

Jessi