Artichoke Analogy: A New Vision of Healing
Photo by Magdalena Raczka via Unsplash
Healing is layered & Prickly like an Artichoke
When I first began my journey to eventually become a Reiki Master, Reiki and the wellness world was new. But a common analogy became old — fast.
“Healing is like an onion.”
Peeling away the layers of an onion — yes, I get it.
But it made me cringe. I enjoy cooking (a lot — I even have a podcast project of quiet recipe readings to help people sleep). However, I don’t enjoy raw onions… or their layers.
Onions are pungent. They stink. They make you cry. And what do you get when you’ve peeled away all the layers? Onion.
It has layers too. From the outside, an artichoke is prickly, unapproachable. It’s guarded by thorns at each layer — promising pricks to reckless fingers. What brave and curious soul first decided to try eating the artichoke?
I’d like to propose a new analogy for any healing journey you’re on: Enter the artichoke.
Developed over time, those layers of thorns are a warning for those who might tread clumsily in search of easy entry to the heart. The thorns remind us that the journey to the heart is not always easy. There are no shortcuts. You have to be willing to do the work. And there may be pain in pursuit of pleasure.
But as you peel them away, each leaf is a little edible bite. They encourage you to keep going, and enjoy the fruits of your labor along the way. Motivational morsels fuel the journey — tiny tastes of what’s to come.
You have to want to really eat an artichoke… and you have to put in the effort to transform it into something delicious and even nutritious (low calorie and rich in antioxidants and vitamins!). You have to be willing to go there and invest the time and energy — as well as brave the perils.
The thorny thistle is a delicious delicacy. But it requires heat, water and time. Basic, essential elements for survival become tools for transformation.
And when you peel away the layers, you arrive at the delicious delicacy of the heart — so tender, earthy, unctuous and nurturing. It’s unique and divine.
So much like the transformations I’ve seen in my Reiki practice and other healing practitioners see in theirs. The layers of thorns our clients don’t realize exist within them often emerge as painful reminders of what once served them as protective layers of survival in the past. Now those same thorns no longer serve them and they are willing to do what is necessary to get to their own heart.
Each of our brave clients peel away the layers. They are willing to do the work required — to put in the time, heat and water — often in the form of tears — to get to the transformed heart. Such a beautiful and nourishing treasure. It’s a true honor to witness.
Please feel free to enjoy and share the artichoke analogy as you travel along your own healing journey. And if artichokes aren’t your taste, there’s always the onion.
This is also available on Medium.