What Do We Expect Healing to Look Like?
Author: Esther Sarlo, BA, Founder | CEO | Myndful Spark of Mynd Myself
Author’s Note: This is not what I expected to write about healing. The universe had other ideas…and I’m grateful I surrendered!😊
Is it possible that…just maybe…you’ve ‘given up’ on the notion of healing?
What with the inundation of outrage on all sides, the volume of mixed messages and wildly divergent information, and the continued polarization of…well…pretty much everything these days, it can be difficult to put thought or energy into ‘healing!’
But, what if that’s the very thing that could help the most? Body, mynd, and spirit.
Okay, you might say, but what does that even look like in today’s tumultuous world?
Sacred Circles
As I put pen to paper, deciding what to share with you, I had to give mention to Andrea Menard’s Sacred Circle. A Singer/Songwriter, Actor, Speaker, and Wellness Trainer, Andrea shares her boundless talent, wisdom, and heart with the world in countless ways. One of my favourites is her monthly online “New Moon Circle” where she takes us through a beautiful ritual around the “Four Sacred Bodies: Physical, Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual.” On the eve of each new moon, people from around the world gather on zoom to breathe, get present, and give space for those ‘bodies’ to speak to us. (Oh, and it’s complimentary!) It is a wonderful way to ‘presence’ and acknowledge those four aspects of ourselves and shift…if we choose. A powerful opportunity to be in the healing process.
When I checked Andrea’s website to confirm her details, I came across her “Silent No More” video and clicked play. It is a deep and important message about standing together and ending violence against women. Most definitely a powerful part of ‘healing.’
Prescient Distraction
As that song ended, YouTube, in all its algorithmic ‘randomness,’ brought up another video for me to see. It showcased a young man I’d never heard of, wearing orange overalls in front of the National Symphony Orchestra, live at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, DC. Feeling a bit guilty for ‘going down rabbit holes’ when I was ‘supposed’ to be writing, I clicked on it anyway. Who was this Jacob Collier and in what manner was he going to “improvise the National Symphony?”
By the time I was about two minutes into this almost-twenty-minute piece I was mesmerized.
Have you ever randomly and unexpectedly encountered something or someone that blew your mind? Well, this young Brit did just that for me. I couldn’t look away. Completely unscripted and unrehearsed, Jacob gave the different sections of the symphony different notes to play—with just his voice! No notes, no score, no pitch pipe. I’m certain he must have ‘perfect pitch’ but his talent so far exceeds simply that as to be almost unbelievable. (In my later research I discovered that he has ‘absolute pitch’—the ability to identify or reproduce a musical note without a reference.)
Writing abandoned, I watched the whole thing—witnessing Jacob’s purity of spirit, genuine joie de vivre, and confident delight as he directed not only the symphony orchestra but the audience as well. It was a breathtaking display of collaboration and beauty.
As the last notes ended, again YouTube presented me with yet another video of Jacob Collier. Shoving aside my guilt once more…(this video was less than eight minutes and then I promised myself I would get back to writing about healing!) I pushed play.
Wonder
This time, Jacob, solo with his keyboard, was spotlighted on a small round stage at the center of what looked like a sold-out show in the O2 Arena in London, England. Clearly, he is beloved by many, as evidenced by the expectant smiles and appreciative anticipation of the audience’s response to him. Again wearing orange—orange jacket, red pants, and multicoloured turquoise crocs—this vividly expressive prodigy wove smooth jazz piano chords around his many-octave-range and his achingly beautiful, crystal clear delivery of “Fix You” by Cold Play (lyrics.) Inviting the willing audience to join with him in song, lights began to twinkle in a fairy-light glow sweeping around the arena as they became a giant choir together. A couple of minutes in, Jacob was joined by a surprise guest and the crowd went wild. What happened next was pure magic!
The following five minutes changed my whole viewpoint on what healing looks like! I think I knew it…but now I’ve remembered it again…in a whole new way. Thank you for the reminder of what IS possible, Jacob!
I am certain that this arena was filled with people who likely encompassed an entire spectrum of diverse political, religious, medical, financial, racial, etc. views. But you know what? IT DIDN’T MATTER. Everything was set aside for this grand glorious moment of exquisite beauty.
Jacob created and shaped harmony…and everyone joined in. THAT is what healing looks like!
It’s Up to Me…and You
Let’s look for ways to create harmony and healing in our own spheres, with our own gifts and talents…whatever those may be!
Most definitely include the ‘arts’—music, dance, painting, sculpture, writing, acting, photography, cooking, hospitality, movement, being in nature, etc. Whether it’s listening, watching, participating, or creating…make it a priority to nourish your soul!
In a world so fractured, healing can be the simple miracle of togetherness—in sound, in breath, in presence.
And today…I urge you to give yourself a gift of healing. Please WATCH this eight-minute moment in time with Jacob Collier.
I’d love to hear your thoughts!♥
P.S. If you want to check out Jacob with National Symphony Orchestra, here’s the link.
