The term healing crisis was never on my radar until I cleansed myself and my home with sage for the first time. I was so enthusiastic about this new and exciting spiritual experience that it never occurred to me that it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. 10 minutes after cleansing my aura I began to feel… strange.
I felt lightheaded and dizzy, like I was floating out of my body. Waves of anxiety washed over me and my stomach roiled with nausea. My thoughts circled rapidly, trying to make sense of it all. Was I having a reaction to the sage? Is this what healing feels like?
What is a Healing Crisis?
Little did I know that a healing crisis can sometimes occur after a healing session. From time to time, things get worse before they become better. It is a sign that your body is releasing that which no longer serves you including outdated patterns, attachments, entities, past wounds and other metaphysical toxins. It’s kind of like when you take an epsom salt bath and the water is murky and clouded from expelling bodily impurities. It may not be glamorous, but it is remarkably cathartic.
I experienced another healing crisis when I took my reiki master certification course and received my final few attunements. I was overwhelmed by the inexplicable anger that rose to the surface. I was frustrated because I had pictured this moment as being special and sacred, but instead I was processing an uncomfortable well of emotion. I look back now and I am very grateful for that experience because it enabled me to finally confront the anger I had been holding onto since my childhood.
What Does This Mean for Your Spiritual Development?
If you are a member of the spiritual community it can be easy to fall prey to well-meaning mantras such as “love and light” and “good vibes only.” Yes, these are positive sentiments that can feel resonant in the proper context, but they can also lure us into the trap of spiritual bypassing if we are not careful. Love and light, Nirvana or Oneness for example, may be an ultimate goal, but how can we hope to attain them without first doing the necessary work to heal ourselves and face our shadow?
My intention here is not to tell you how to avoid or even cope with a healing crisis. You have all the tools you need inside of you should the situation arise. The experience can provide a valuable role in allowing you to shed old layers and uplevel to the next version of you even if there is some fleeting discomfort in the moment.
Sensitive heart, keep pursuing self-care such as auric cleansing, energy healing, tapping, acupuncture, etc. And as you walk ever closer down the path towards wholeness, keep an open mind and cloak yourself in bravery. Even if a healing crisis occurs remember that we are never given more than we can handle. It is usually a sign that a powerful transformation has taken place.
