The Law of Opposites in Healing

By Pam Castillo

“It feels like healing, it looks like healing, the things I hear from within me sound like healing,”  said Jim. 

* But, Has Jim really healed? 

The Law of Opposites can be understood by visualizing a physical pole. The pole represents the deepest or root level of personal traits. The pole has two ends, sometimes referred to as polar opposites. We exist with many poles in our lives that represent the many aspects of our spirit/character. The mistake occurs in believing that shifting to the opposite end of the pole indicates that the same problem behavior no longer exists. With all the intellectual and rational resources a person possesses, they form a belief  based on the evidence that what USED to be their un-healthy behavior couldn’t be further from the truth now. In fact, they will claim they are behaving in the exact opposite way now and that is their proof that they are no longer operating from the same un-healthy, let’s say, emotional/psychological levels. But upon closer look at the deeper levels where real healing shows itself, one can find that the same behaviors are still occurring, indicating the need for healing.

If we begin to see the pole as a marker for balance, we can see that being on either end of the pole becomes an extreme representation of a behavior. Occasionally, an extreme expression or representational behavior is the appropriate behavior for the circumstances at a particular time, though only occasionally. Living and operating full time at one of the extreme ends of the pole is not  balanced, healthy or healed. 

Example: Jim was raised by parents who verbally berated him and consequently he accepted this as normal and grew to have little self esteem. His first wife, Jen was much like his parents and berated Jim, manipulated and yelled at him. Eventually growing tired of Jen’s treatment towards him, Jim filed for divorce. Vowing never to make the same mistake, Jim tried to heal himself, reading the best selling self help books, becoming a seminar junkie and even changing religions. Jim finally felt, looked and convinced  himself he was NOTHING like his former self and so, believed he was healed from his past.  Jim married his second wife, Jill who was quiet, listened patiently and agreed with everything Jim thought and said. Jill thought Jim was the answer to her dreams. Enjoying his new position in this marriage very much, Jim    became domineering and acted egotistical, overbearing and harsh. Over time, Jim grew to be bored with Jill  because she had no opinions of her own, depended on Jim to make all the decisions, and did not like to share Jim’s attention in casual social settings with friends or family.

The pole in above example represents a root level of Jim’s spirit/character and could be called the pole of self worth. At one extreme of the pole, Jim allowed himself to be mistreated verbally by Jen his first wife, as he behaved in the doormat role.  At the opposite end of the pole, Jim had Jill, a partner that was in need of  healing herself which is why she was always quiet and agreed with Jim. Jim did not see Jill as another poor choice because he had NOT healed his self worth pole, he had only run to the opposite extreme. Jim went from doormat to arrogant. 

Because Reiki heals at all levels of our being (physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual) the Universal life force energy re-creates wholeness, bringing us back to more pure and healthy behaviors. We can call this, our center of balance and harmony.  Healing may be measured by ones ability to find and maintain balance on their many poles.  

EXERCISE: Take a piece of paper and draw a pole like this.

End Zone (Doormat)

Balance Zone

End Zone (Arrogant)

Label the pole with one aspect of human spirit/character. You can choose from ones like, honesty, self worth, courage, love, kindness or any ones you would like to explore. Make a list of the behaviors that would be at the extreme ends of the pole and sit quietly with yourself.  Discover where your behavior may be out of balance and how much time you have spent in the end zone. Use that information as the marker for how balanced you are now or how much more balance you would like to bring back. The goal is to move towards the center of the pole. Once you discover where healing is needed, then begin the shift with Reiki treatments for healing. Those of you that are Level II trained can also send Reiki to your pole to bring back balance. Draw a new pole each week to play with. Document your healing with Reiki and be amazed. 

Healing is our aim. Anything less is called denial, disease or lack of balance/harmony. Dare to heal. Live a balanced life and then, feel how great that really is, see what wonderful things are happening and tell yourself how proud you are of the real healing transformation you decided to have. Reiki. It’s that simple!

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