Welcome

Dr. C. Bradford Chappell has over 30 years experience working with individuals, couples and families going through major life events. He has graduate degrees in Sociology and Social Work, and a Ph.D in Social Psychology and Family Studies. Dr. Brad has ran support groups for people with catastrophic illness for over twenty five years. He has been married to his high school sweetheart for 43 years. Together they have four "absolutely wonderful" children and eleven incredible grandchildren. Currently Dr. Brad is a life adjustment coach in private practice, where he works with people one on one and in groups. He has spent his time guiding people as they journey through their most trying life experiences. Including mine. I am honored to be his daughter and bring you morsels of knowledge and guidance that have been such blessed constants in my life. The purpose of this blog is to share his wisdom. And so we begin. . .

Thursday, October 4, 2012

The Healing Process

The healing process is just that, a process. I believe it always occurs beneath the surface of consciousness. It goes on without us being consciously aware of it. Rumi, in his wonderful poem describes it the best for me.
        

What you have Despised in Yourself

They are here with us now
Those who saddle a new unbroken colt
Every morning and ride the seven levels of sky,
Who  lay down at night
                                                       With the sun and moon for pillows.
 

Each of these fish has a Jonah inside.
They sweeten the bitter sea.
They shape-shift the mountains,
                                              But with their actions neither bless nor curse.

They are more obvious,
And yet more secret than that.

Mix grains from the ground they walk
With streamwater. Put that salve
On your eyes and you will see

What you have despised in yourself
As a thorn opens into a rose.

Rumi

Healing is natural. It is very much a part of nature. We make a big consciousness error when we believe we are separate from nature. We are nature. The same intelligence that created the universe is the same intelligence that created all the varieties in the universes, including us. The traditional Native Americans had it right, when they said the earth does not belong to us, we belong to the earth.

In nature, change occurs often times very quietly and without a lot of notice. One day we look up and see the fall colors and say, "when did that happen?" Obvious, but very discrete. When we practice mindfulness in our daily lives we are more aware of the changes but we still don't see the change itself. We see the result of the changes. And each change brings with it a new gift or opportunity. Something dies, something is born, the great cycle of life.


None of us like the thought or the experience of losing something we love and value.  When we have something we love we want the
love object to be permanent even when we know it is not. The love can be eternal the love object is temporal therefore subject the forces of nature. When we lose something that loss creates a wound. The wound creates an opportunity for a gift. Healing is the process of finding the gift of the wound. Time and perspective are the two variables that allow that to occur. Of the two elements, I believe perspective to be the most important. Many have been wounded and have found no peace, no internal comfort even after many years. The mind has the powerful ability to distort time, sometimes for good, sometimes to our detriment. When one focuses on time it seems to almost stop, when one slips into unity consciousness, there is no time. There is only perfect peace and joy. The ROSE.

May you have peace and joy.

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