Recently, I had the very lucky opportunity to spend some time with Claire Ryall and her horses (and donkey!) of The Healing Herd in Somerset.

This was my first experience of working with horses in a mindful, spiritual and healing way - and it was simply amazing.

The work that I (and many others do) is of a spiritual nature, addressing healing at a soul level and working with subtle energy in the body.

Emotional, mental, physiological and nutritional health states are addressed also, but I think there is more widely accepted understanding that for these aspects of life change takes place over time.

Why then would there be a magical cure-all for aspects of the soul, spirit or subtle energy?

Healing is a concept that is often romanticised. Dreaming of complete and total recovery without anything remaining of the original hurt and trauma.

This is too idealistic (and I say that as someone who is an idealist). Too perfect to be truly human.

I think the truth is more like scar tissue.

Optimal functioning of the Heart meridian includes feeling deep love and warmth for yourself and life, and being able to offer and receive this from others.

However, we will all have experienced some form of hurt where our protective instinct is to close off the heart to guard against future hurt.

It's a cliché that just happens to be true.

When you are a good friend to yourself then you can ride the waves of life's ups and downs while maintaining an anchor to the core essence of yourself. Committing to yourself, your path and your life with loyalty, kindness and engagement.

I feel a rising in the feminine energies in the world, within each person and in the consciousness of humanity as a collective. 

This is also a potent time of year (in the Northern hemisphere) for the Earth element in Chinese Medicine -  a time to connect to our roots, come into harmony with nature, and honour the rich food sources available to us when we look after the environment.

Engaging in the process of healing is a deep, and often long, journey.

The psychological resources you put into your own journey, will reap plenty throughout your therapeutic process.

The healing journey is not easy - not if you are a human being reading this that is.

In previous blogs, I have written about the left-hemispheric shifted culture we find ourselves immersed in - with many of the messages we receive outside of our conscious awareness, yet forming and shaping who we are and how we behave within society.

We can find balance when we lead from the right hemisphere's perspective, with support from how the left hemisphere of the brain likes to do things.

Creative Kinesiology has such a right-hemispheric leading approach embedded in the culture of its practice, in the facilitation of healing work, and in a different way of being in the world.

Shame is a difficult emotion to be with.

My aim here is to shine some light on what shame is, which you might apply to your own inner life and use it to shine a light into the dark places that have felt shamed.