When I was a therapist I did a lot of work with trauma survivors and people experiencing deep grief. I was frequently asked if I believe they can heal from PTSD or bereavement and be whole again.
Now, as a meditation teacher, I sometimes encounter the same question.
I absolutely believe people can heal. I choose optimism. It’s a choice. I choose to believe people can heal their lives.
Some years ago I had an opportunity to travel to India with John Travis, a senior teacher in the Vipassana Meditation movement in California. John took us to the eight holy sites in the life of the Buddha.
One of those places was Srvasti, India, the location of one of my favorite stories of the Buddha's life. I thought I'd share the story of Buddha at Svrasti, because I think it offers a valuable teaching as an illustration the human capacity for healing.
As Buddha was walking through the Srvasti area, he came upon a road through the woods. The villagers warned him not to go down that road, because there was a psychotic killer who lived in those woods. Buddha chose to ignore their counsel.
The killer's name was Angulimala. He was a spiritual seeker who had become psychotic. Now he lurked in the forest, where he would kill anybody who came by and cut off their pinky finger. Angulimala wore a necklace of 999 pinky fingers. He was looking for his thousandth finger when Buddha came walking down the path.
Angulimala chased after Buddha, intent on the kill. Buddha continued to walk at his slow, steady pace. Yet Angulimala was unable to overtake him.
Frustrated and exhausted Angulimala finally yelled to the Buddha, "Stop!"
Buddha stopped.
As Angulimala approached, Buddha said, "I have stopped, Angulimala. When will you stop?"
Angulimala was stunned. And standing before sheer strength of Buddha's compassion and loving kindness, he returned to sanity and paid homage to the Buddha.
Buddha taught Angulimala about the Path to extinguish suffering. From that moment, Angulimala, took up robes, and became a monk and devoted follower of the Buddha.
Angulimala’s story is just one of scores of stories from myriad traditions about the healing power of the spirit.
The Twelve Step Program, pioneered by Alcoholics Anonymous, advocates a spiritual solution to suffering.
There's a line in the text of Alcoholics Anonymous that says, "No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others."
I believe Angulimala's story speaks to this point.
I have seen, known and worked with people who have experienced breath-taking trauma and suffering - people who feel broken and damaged beyond relief. I have seen many of those people reach into their deepest grief and trauma, and discover how good they are, discover their own inner compassionate Buddha, and heal their lives.
Those people don't simply carry the message of healing and wholeness. They are the message.
Nobody is sure where Angulimala encountered Buddha. But just outside Srvasti, there's the ruins of an ancient monument to Angulimala. Some believe those events took place here and he built that monument.
Standing and chanting and praying before that site, I thought, of the people I know who are suffering. I thought of the people who came to me for help. I thought of all the times I have been privileged to watch people reach into their deepest pain and find their way to wholeness. I thought especially of someone close to me who seems lost deep in the woods. And I offer you all, and hope that you will find, the grace and healing of this place. I believe you will. I believe we all have the capacity to heal.
May you have happiness and the causes of happiness.
May you be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.
May you never be separated from sorrowless joy that is beyond suffering.
May you be at ease and at peace.