Moses and the Healing Journey

There is a progression of steps that describes the disintegration of health into a state of illness. That journey into illness can be dramatized by the story of the Exodus from Egypt. A story that can be reread and retold to one who is suffering from an any illness-physical, emotional or mental- as a guideline for a complete recovery and healing. In this version, the role of the ultimate healer is assigned to G-d; the role of that place within ourselves that seeks wholeness and healing to Moses; and the role of that place within us that represents rigidity, egoism and resistance to change to Pharaoh.

At the outset, the Israelites find themselves in Egypt (a descent into a state of illness) as slaves there for four hundred years.  During that sojourn the work and the effects of the slavery (the symptoms) got progressively worse. This is analogous to any one of us who has in the course of their life engaged in any number of unhealthy lifestyle routines. This could include faulty nutrition, lack of exercise, inappropriate behaviors, unresolved emotions and faulty beliefs. It takes years for these causes to fester in the body/mind before it manifests as a symptom. The body/ mind is flexible like a tree that will sway with the wind before it gives way and breaks.
Along comes G-d (the ultimate healer) who recognizes the suffering, remembers His covenant and enlists the aid of Moses to bring the people out of bondage into the desert (a space for new possibilities) where they can worship G-d. The parallel in human life is that when the suffering becomes too intense; healing is essential. G-d perceives that it will not be an easy task to redeem (heal) this suffering people. He realizes that this will take some bitter medicine, perhaps ten plagues and so he enlists Moses to demand that Pharaoh let the people go (to let go of what prevents healing). Ten times the Pharaoh refuses so the ultimate healer inflicts the bitter medicine and upon the last attempt, one so devastating, Pharaoh finally relents.

We do the same thing. We resist with all our strength by failing to face up to our fears and all the issues that cause our symptoms. It takes a lot of work, pain and additional suffering to release oneself from the bondage of illness. It may require making some major changes in our lives that we're resistant to do. We've lost control of that part of ourselves that resists the change. It will take at least ten plagues (ordeals) to dislodge the old hurts, the unresolved baggage and start anew.

Moses and the Children of Israel are now on the shores of the Sea of Reeds. As they prepare to cross, they see into the distance the thundering of Pharaoh's chariots coming to return them to Egypt. This represents the place we came from, the comfort of the pain we're about to give up and the lament that it would have been better to stay in Egypt rather to die at the hands of the Pharaoh. Once more G-d (the ultimate healer) intervenes by parting the sea and permitting safe passage into the desert.

On the other side, the Children of Israel celebrate, but Moses realized that the work is not yet complete. The work would not be over until the Children of Israel reached the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the land of complete wholeness. It wasn't supposed to take forty years. G-d knew that more work had to be done. He kept that generation in the desert to work out the fears that encouraged them to complain about the food and water supply, their survival and the faulty belief: "how much better it would have been if we stayed in Egypt".
We can use this story as a road map when going through our own healing, using the guidance to realize where we are on our journey at any given moment. It would be a mistake to think we can continue living in Egypt (our old lifestyle), suffering the pain of bondage and trusting that a physician or psychotherapist would redeem us. The redemption of healing comes only from G-d.