Over the years, many people I've worked with have asked me, “When am I done healing?” I often find myself thinking, and sometimes even saying to them, “Done? What does that even mean? Seriously! How can one possibly be done with healing?” This question often reflects a level of ignorance, or, at best, a gross misunderstanding of what healing truly entails. While we may start by addressing specific aspects of an individual's emotional wounding or physical health issues, healing is not a finite goal to be reached. Instead, it is an ongoing process that requires continuous effort to cultivate health and to develop one's body and mind.
True healing isn't just about fixing what's broken. It’s about expanding our capacity for resilience, gaining access to additional resources, and developing new capabilities. It's about deepening our emotional intelligence and strengthening our connections—to ourselves, to others, and to a higher power. Healing involves learning to navigate life's many challenges more effectively, understanding that our well-being is something we must nurture and cultivate every day.
When we view healing as a continuous process, we open ourselves up to continual learning and evolution. In this way, healing becomes less about reaching a state of completion and more about embracing the lifelong journey of becoming the embodiment of our best selves.
The Problem with Getting Comfortable
There’s a tendency among so many people to want to reach a place where they feel comfortable in their lives. This yearning for comfort is deeply rooted in our desire for stability and security. After all, comfort often equates to safety—a place where the unpredictable challenges of life feel distant, and one can exhale without fear of what’s coming next. To some extent, that’s understandable because many are fearful of change and want to feel secure. Change, by its very nature, introduces uncertainty, and for many, this can be daunting, even paralyzing.
However, the problem with this idea of getting comfortable is that you cannot sit still for very long. Comfort can quickly become a trap—an illusion of peace that subtly encourages complacency. You’re either growing, or you’re contracting and stagnating. Life itself is dynamic, always in motion. Just as nature is in a constant state of flux—trees growing taller, rivers carving deeper paths—so too are we meant to evolve continuously. When we settle into comfort, we may unknowingly begin to resist this natural flow, leading to stagnation.
Comfort often tempts us with the idea that we’ve “arrived,” that there’s no further need to strive, to question, or to push beyond our current boundaries. But the reality is, true growth happens when we step outside of our comfort zones, confronting the very and fears uncertainties we’ve been avoiding. It’s in these moments of discomfort that we discover our true potential, that we break free from the confines of the familiar and explore the vastness of what’s possible.
Moreover, staying too comfortable can dull our senses, dampen our creativity, and limit our capacity for empathy and understanding. When we stop challenging ourselves, we risk becoming disconnected not only from our own potential but also from the world around us. We might begin to see life in narrower terms, losing sight of the opportunities that lie just beyond our current state of comfort.
Ultimately, the pursuit of comfort can lead to a life half-lived, where the richness, depth, and nuance of a fully engaged life are sacrificed for the sake of avoiding discomfort. Instead, embracing growth means embracing the unknown, welcoming the discomfort that comes with it, and understanding that true security doesn’t come from standing still, but from knowing that we have the resilience and capacity to navigate whatever comes our way.
Our Ever-Shrinking Attention Span
One of the greatest impediments to healing today is our shrinking attention span, largely due to our excessive consumption of digital media. We live in a world where information is consumed in rapid, bite-sized pieces, conditioning our minds to expect quick fixes and instant gratification. This mindset carries over into how we approach our healing journeys. Many of us start a practice or therapeutic intervention with enthusiasm, but soon find ourselves bored or disinterested. The novelty wears off, and rather than pushing through the discomfort or deepening our commitment, we stop.
Or we may jump from one practice to another, searching for the next quick solution, never sticking with anything long enough to experience true growth or transformation. This constant cycle of trying something new, only to abandon it when it no longer feels exciting, lends itself to a superficial engagement with our healing process. While this skittering along the surface is better than doing nothing at all, it prevents us from diving deep into the practices that could bring about real change.
This shallow approach to healing not only limits our progress but also engenders a sense of restlessness and dissatisfaction. True healing requires time, patience, and a willingness to stay with the discomfort that arises as we work through our deeper issues. When we continuously move from one practice to the next without giving ourselves the opportunity to fully engage, we miss out on the profound benefits that come from sustained effort and commitment. Ultimately, this lack of depth prevents us from making any real, lasting progress in our healing journey.
Skimming the Surface
When I first traveled to Boston for work in the early '90s, my schedule would be largely booked in advance of my arrival, and any remaining openings usually filled quickly. It would take me two to three weeks to see everyone before I could get out of town. Many of the same people continued to work with me for years, long after their initial issues had been resolved. As I worked with them, their self-awareness and connection to their inner state of being grew stronger. They became more attuned to the changes resulting from the sessions, and, understanding that healing is an ongoing process, there was a greater sense of continuity and commitment.
However, as the distractive technologies like smartphones and digital media became more and more ubiquitous, this connectedness has diminished, and the shift has become more dramatic over time as these technologies have continued to become ever more sophisticated. Nowadays, so many people are less aware of their physical bodies, feelings, and other aspects of their internal state of being. It’s far more common for people to do just one or a few sessions, maybe even five or more, and then disappear.
I'm very cognizant of each of the individuals I've worked with—their emotional wounding, their level of development, the resources they possess, and the cognitive, emotional, and interpersonal deficits that impede their ability to function in various capacities. I'm also aware of the range of physical health-related issues they’re dealing with, many of which are serious concerns that need continued attention. Yet, when they discontinue the sessions, their healing and development will, in many instances, abruptly stop. It's troubling because, without sustained effort, they’re no longer making progress, and the underlying issues remain unresolved.
Now, if these individuals were working with other practices or therapeutic modalities that were adequately addressing their emotional wounding, facilitating the healing of their physical bodies, and supporting a continuing process of evolution, I would say, “Okay, fine. Good to see you're progressing there.” Yet rarely do I ever see these individuals working with any practices or making use of therapeutic interventions that are affecting true healing and growth.
Letting Ourselves Go to Shit
People internalize the stresses of daily life along with the more upsetting events and traumas they experience—breakups, divorces, and other relational drama, the death of loved ones, the loss of a job, financial struggles, and other hardships. Most people are not thoroughly digesting these lived experiences or their subsequent cognitive and emotional responses. Whatever they fail to digest remains trapped within their bodies, and it all continues to accumulate as more stressful, upsetting, and traumatic events occur along the way.
Most people are not getting adequate rest or exercise. Their food choices are not all that great, and many are eating way too much. As people age, they often suffer from a range of health-related issues with greater frequency and severity, including serious illnesses that may require surgery or other invasive medical procedures. Additionally, much of the population takes medications with a range of side effects. Many people also smoke tobacco, use weed, drink considerable amounts of alcohol, and make use of other recreational drugs. The combination of physical toxin and the undigested residue of all the stresses, emotions and trauma that accumulates has a profound effect not only on their physical health but also on their cognitive abilities, emotional state, and overall sense of well-being.
Scanning the Body and Mind
As a result of all the intensive practice I've done, various therapeutic interventions, and the many vision quests I've undergone over the years, I’ve developed a heightened sensory capacity. This has enabled me to observe the various processes taking place within people's bodies and minds. I gather a lot of information while speaking with people and can also observe much of what's happening when I'm in someone's presence. I’m able to get a more in-depth reading as I scan their bodies and minds while they stand in front of me. Whenever I run into people I've worked with who have dropped out, after talking with them for some time, I'll say something like, “I'm noticing something here… Can I check this out?” and then I'll do a scan of their bodies and minds.
Whenever I do this, I can see the challenges they're currently facing in their lives and their cognitive and emotional response to them. I can often see and feel how they're contracting around stresses, distressing issues, and at times, traumatic events that have occurred. I can see and feel the stresses and unprocessed emotions accumulating within their bodies and how that's affecting their outlook on life, their emotional states, physical health, and brain function. I can also see and feel the toxicity that accumulates as a result of their poor diets, the medications they're taking, their smoking, use of weed, drinking, and other recreational drug use.
Stresses and emotions that people fail to process, along with physical toxins from poor diet, medications, and pollution, accumulate in the body. Another consequence is that the subtle bodies, consisting of the chakras and layers of the aura, break down over time. The subtle bodies play an important role in maintaining the structural integrity and functioning of the body as a whole, including its organs and systems. As a result, people's bodies break down at an accelerated pace, and they age more rapidly.
Self-Realization
For thousands of years, Indian yogis and other adepts from the Hindu-Vedic traditions who have attained extraordinarily high levels of development have often dedicated their lives to intense practices, including pranayama, meditation, asanas (postures), and other forms of sadhana (spiritual practice). Through this disciplined and sustained effort, they transcend ordinary limitations, tap into deeper realms of consciousness, and attain heightened awareness, profound insights, and ultimately, self-realization.
Self-realization, as described by Indian yogis and saints, is the realization of one's true nature—understanding that the self is not merely the physical body or mind but a part of the divine consciousness that pervades the universe. This state of awareness brings liberation (moksha) from the cycle of birth and death and the realization of oneness with the divine.
One prominent example of this level of development is Shirdi Sai Baba, a Hindu saint known for his wisdom, miraculous powers, and profound compassion for all beings. He often emphasized the importance of self-realization, encouraging his followers to look beyond the material world and seek the divine within themselves. Despite living a simple life, he attained extraordinary spiritual heights, demonstrating mastery over the mind and body.
The discipline of Pranayama and other yogic practices facilitates self-realization by systematically purifying the body and mind, removing obstacles to spiritual growth, and allowing practitioners to experience the true nature of the self. Through consistent practice, one can realize their connection to the infinite, leading to a profound sense of peace, clarity, and purpose.
Rooted in Taoism
Many systems of martial arts have developed around the world, particularly in China and other parts of Asia. In addition to various fighting techniques, the internal martial arts—such as Xin Yi Quan, Baguazhang, Tai Chi, and Chi Gong—place enormous emphasis on developing internal power. I trained for seventeen years with Shifu Li Tai Liang, starting in 2002. Shifu would often describe the training he underwent with his father and other highly developed masters, beginning at the age of five. This training involved long hours of intensive daily practice, learning various forms and their fighting applications, along with holding specific postures to develop core strength and practicing Chi Gong to continually build stronger internal power.
Those who attained mastery in these arts often developed to such high levels that they possessed extraordinary capabilities. They were able to take down multiple attackers in a matter of minutes, if not seconds. When an attacker attempted to strike, these masters could redirect that force back into the attacker’s body, causing internal injuries. When they struck, they were capable of rupturing internal organs or sending an attacker flying some distance.
Taoism, an ancient esoteric system that dates back thousands of years, places great emphasis on the continual development of one’s body and mind, as well as on aligning oneself with the forces of the heavens and Earth. The internal martial arts, deeply rooted in Taoism, embody these teachings. These arts are not just about physical combat; they are a pathway to cultivating internal chi power, the vital life force that flows through all living things. This chi power is meticulously developed through many hours of intensive practice. While it can be a formidable force in combat, it also serves multiple purposes. The same internal chi power is used to heal and strengthen the body, sharpen the mind, and facilitate spiritual growth.
Living in Harmony with the Forces of Creation
Ritual practices among Native American tribes varied greatly throughout North, Central, and South America. Among the tribes of the Great Plains and the Southwest, it was common to go through intensive practices such as the Sun Dance and Vision Quest. Those who participated in these practices would, in many instances, have visionary experiences in which other forces or beings came to them, offering healing gifts and other forms of power that Native people commonly referred to as “medicine.” The forces or beings that worked through the traditional Native doctors facilitated the healing of specific kinds of health-related issues. Some possessed a kind of power, referred to as “war medicine,” that would protect them in battle. There were also individuals who possessed powers that enabled them to change the course of a tornado or bring rain in times of drought.
I was extraordinarily fortunate to have the opportunity to train with Horace Daukei, one of the last surviving traditional doctors among the Kiowa Indian Tribe. Horace transmitted portions of his own healing gifts to me and then had me go on the vision quest to earn the right to work with these gifts of healing. The vision quest typically involves fasting alone in the mountains for four days and nights without food or water.
Some aspects of the vision quest have, for me, been in many ways like a near-death experience. At times while I’m on the mountain, I can feel an extraordinarily powerful presence descending into my body. As that happens, impressions and emotions from past traumas and more recent events begin to flash rapidly through my awareness. I can feel these beings working within, helping me to digest these lived experiences, along with the highly charged emotions attached to them, while simultaneously building a much stronger and healthier new foundation.
Making Time for Practice
Finding time for practice can be difficult if we're caring for young children, working long hours, commuting, or some combination thereof. And it often leaves us feeling like there are just not enough hours in the day. Yet, if we take a closer look at how we’re spending our time, many of us might be surprised to discover that we have more available time than we realize. One of the biggest time drains in our lives is our addictive relationship with digital media, which consumes hours of our day.
Moreover, the influence of our market economy, with its emphasis on consumerism and consumption, has further distanced people from their own internal state of being. In a world where one's worth is often measured by material possessions and external success, the deeper, more esoteric practices utilized for centuries by those who have attained mastery are frequently overlooked or dismissed as impractical—or, even worse, as fufu nonsense, or a complete waste of time. The market-driven focus on acquiring more, doing more, and being more has led many to prioritize superficial achievements over inner development. Yet, a lot of these folks eventually come to me when their lives are blowing up, they're overwhelmed emotionally, and their bodies are going to shit.
I suffered terribly in my mid-twenties when I found myself reenacting the traumas of my childhood and adolescence in my attempts at relationships. The all-consuming pain I was feeling at that time led me to develop a series of intensive meditation practices that awaken the innate healing intelligence residing within the body and mind. These practices have played a huge part in healing my traumatic wounds. Even though these wounds have healed, I continue to do several hours of intensive daily meditation practice because, for me, it facilitates an ongoing process of evolution. In addition to the meditation practices, I continue to do the martial arts and Chi Gong practices on a daily basis.
While I was suffering so badly, reenacting the traumas of my childhood and adolescence, I was willing to try out any therapeutic intervention that held promise, including acupuncture, craniosacral therapy, breathwork, and sessions with a number of gifted healers. To this day, I continue to do lots of deep tissue bodywork and, more recently, I've been spending lots of time in sensory deprivation flotation tanks.
Although I missed a number of years in my twenties, I began to reflect on the conversations I had with my mentor Horace and other native elders about how the traditional native doctors received the powerful gifts that enabled them to facilitate truly miraculous healing within people's bodies and minds. I started returning to the Wichita Mountains in 1993 to go on the vision quest and have been going twice a year since. Not only have I healed the traumatic wounds of my past, become much more resilient, gained access to many additional resources, and developed new capabilities, but I’ve also received additional gifts of healing that have enabled me to assist people with a wider range of health-related issues.
The vast majority of people will never go on a vision quest, yet with the right preparation, one can work up to it. For most, the individual sessions facilitated by a gifted healers like myself are sufficient. Those who work with me individually experience many of the same benefits that I do when I’m on the vision quest.
What Happens When You Work with Me Individually
Some people do experience profoundly powerful results in one or a few sessions, yet many have so numbed themselves, their bodies holding so much stagnation—in the form of stress, suppressed emotion, and physical toxins—and have become so armored that they may not be fully aware of the healing that is just beginning to take place during the early sessions. That's why I emphasize that healing is a process and encourage everyone to do at least ten sessions to give themselves the opportunity to fully benefit from this work.
The presence working through me during the individual sessions facilitates healing within the physical body, addressing a wide range of health-related issues such as respiratory and digestive disorders, neurological conditions, stroke, heart disease, and injuries from sports or automobile accidents, including traumatic brain injuries. During these sessions, the body’s cells, tissues, and organs are cleansed of toxicity, and the organs and systems of the body become more resilient.
As I mentioned previously, the subtle bodies, consisting of the chakras and layers of the aura, help maintain the structural and functional integrity of the body, including its organs and systems. I also see the subtle bodies as a crucial aspect of our mind that plays a determining role in our sensory capabilities, our ability to think, to process our lived experiences and emotional responses, to relate with other people in various contexts, and to function in many other aspects of our lives. Yet, in many people, the subtle bodies fail to fully develop, often as a result of neglect or due to emotional, verbal, physical, and sexual trauma. Over time, they also break down as people age and can become damaged as a result of serious, protracted illnesses, surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation, or injuries such as those from automobile accidents.
When the subtle bodies are underdeveloped, damaged, or deteriorate, it results in a lack of resources that impedes our functionality and effectiveness. This not only affects our mental and emotional capacities but also hinders the functioning of the body's organs and systems. The presence working through me during individual sessions repairs damage within the subtle bodies and further develops them, which contributes to improved functioning of the organs and systems, greater mental clarity, an enhanced ability to “digest” our lived experiences and becoming a more active and engaged participant in life.
Similar to what I experience during the vision quest, trauma and other distressing events that have been internalized, along with the highly charged emotions associated with them, are transformed in such a way that they can be digested and utilized as fuel for growth. This transformation not only frees you from the weight of your past but also empowers you to move forward with greater resilience, clarity, and a renewed sense of purpose.
This is only a brief description of the healing process I facilitate. Reach out to me through my contact form when you're ready to take the next step on your journey. https://benoofana.com/contact/
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1. Click here to grab your free copy of my eBook – The Essentials Of Getting Over Your Breakup And Moving On
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3. Work with me individually: Are you experiencing chronic health issues that no one has been able to help you with? Are you dealing with persistent emotions that are taking you out of the game of life? Are you in the midst of a breakup, struggling with patterns of abandonment or unrequited love, or facing challenges in your current relationship? Ready to break through existing limitations and unearth the inner resources you need to overcome challenges and realize your true potential? If any of these resonate with you and you're seeking personalized guidance and support, and would like to work directly with me, email me at ben@benoofana.com. For a faster response, call me at (332) 333-5155.
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