The Sacred Path Beyond Trauma: Reaching the Divine Through Nature's Healing SymbolsOne of Graham Greene’s characters famously said, “I suffer, therefore I am,” suggesting that pain is an inescapable, and perhaps incurable, part of the human condition. But must this be so? Ellen Macfarland argues otherwise in The Sacred Beyond Trauma. Through the use of mythology, stories from film and fiction, real-life examples, and her personal history, Macfarland shows that healing trauma is indeed possible, using rich resources near at hand, in nature. The book explores major symbols of healing nature that can provide an impetus for personal transformation. One of the case studies profiles Monty Roberts, a well-known horse trainer who overcame significant childhood abuse by working with horses and eventually fostering some forty children alongside his own biological family. The key, says Macfarland, is using these and other natural symbols such as yin yang to balance the tension between trauma and numinosity (sacredness, transcendence), resulting in the creation of a new way of being in the world. Understanding this and the book’s other nature-based symbols can turn the distressed mind into a fertile field of spiritual awareness, empowerment, and lifelong growth. |
Contents
AbuseFocused Therapy in Partnership | 17 |
Horses and Symbolic Relationships | 67 |
Dolphin Wisdom | 97 |
Meeting the Dolphin Nation Through | 119 |
The Tree as Healer | 137 |
The Wolf Nation Calls to Humanity | 169 |
Epilogue | 185 |
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Common terms and phrases
ability able abuse-focused adult allow animals archetypal energy aware became become behavior believe bring chapter child abuse Child archetype childhood clients collective unconscious comes complex conscious culture dark deep deeper depth psychology developed Divine Dobbs dolphin energy dolphin nation dream echolocation emotional ence example experience experienced fantasy father feeling function film Free Willy girl Girl Without Hands healing horse whisperer human imaginal reality imaginal realm inner Jessie journey Jung Kohanov listen literal world live mare memories Monty Roberts Mother move myth Native Americans Nature numinous offer one's orca pack pain path Persephone person phins protect psyche PTSD reverie Rhiannon ride Roberts scious Shy Boy soul connection soul's species spiritual story survive swim tell therapist therapy tion told transferential trauma tree nation uncon unconscious understanding watching wild Willy wisdom wolf nation wolves wounded write young