Victim? Survivor? Thriver? What IS Healing?

Pleasance Shamirah
3 min readMay 3, 2022

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This month is Mental Health Awareness month.

I think this should really be a topic for every. damn.day!

I’ve been thinking about the healing vortex so much lately.

I’ve been writing in my journal about what is the healing journey anyway?

Who defines- healed? Is it when you can move in and out of regulation?

Is it when something is not as activating as it once was?

Is it long term relationship or career choices? But if change is GOD and change is good- than why would staying in something be a sign of “ healing?”

If I decided to grow and evolve and my practices keeps shifting my life and my lens, won’t that impact those around me?

In my experience, the more I change, the more activated people around me seem to get, so then I’m back to what is healing? Who defines it and what would it look like?

Are there scars? Imprints? Spirals?

I don’t know anyone who has not been touched by challenge, trouble, difficulty- I do know some people who just keep pulling up the covers over it.

I tend to rip them off- and face the chill.

This month, I’m thinking about the language used and does it matter?

If I orient myself and my life to the healing vortex and allow myself to find the right pace, and to honor my system — is that enough to count?

What counts when we are talking about emotion and mental health?

If our society looks down upon expressing emotions , but expressing emotion is the way out of the pain and helps the mind/ body/ soul actually digest the life stuff that is so hard- then where does that leave us?

I don’t think we are anywhere near being able to unpack, define or qualify people as healed or not- we are more complex than that for sure-

For now, I’m landing with the idea that turning towards healing will always be my life path and orientation. That I will continue to invite layers of healing ( b/c it feels good!) into my field of support.

Feeling into being a Thriver as a lifestyle practice as CHOICE- allows me to integrate my more challenging past experiences into growth, into purpose, into meaning- and for me, that has always felt like a better lane to stay in.

To be honest, I don’t really trust myself if I’m not-unsure of what might came back, unsure of how to process it or where to put it- staying in a place of service, spirit and soma- is the place where I feel most alive and in appreciation.

And so, this month I honor my difficulties of the past.

I release any identities that no longer serve this version of me, or my health.

I open to change, I open to blindspots and messing up, a lot.

I ask for guidance and support as I approach the days ahead- with curiosity, awe and wonder at how the mystery operates.

And I ask for stability through it all, releasing the need to know or be known.

May all those who are suffering, find a bit of ease. {here in the breath}

May all those who feel lonely, find a place to belong. {here in the breath}

May all those in pain, find relief. {here in the breath}

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Pleasance Shamirah

Elemental Healing & Trauma Resolution, Life Design, Author, Speaker, Rising Kohenet, Creatrix, Weaver, Ancestral Healing. Grief/Death Support. Community Care