A Place of Healing

The phrase "a place of healing" struck a chord in me when I first heard it in 1973, and in many ways, it's what led to my lifelong career in hospice and palliative medicine. Let me explain. I was a medical student in the early 1970s, or, should I say, a disillusioned medical student, and about to leave medicine to pursue an interest in movie making and the humanities. One day, I was sitting with a mentor figure, whom I'd just told of my decision. He listened carefully and then replied, "Before you leave your medical studies, please do me a favor. Visit St Christopher's Hospice in London." He then paused for a few moments before adding, "It's a place of healing."

The following year, I visited St Christopher's, and by the end of my stay, I understood the meaning of that phrase. Even though some of the people I met there were just days or even hours away from dying, I sensed that the peace and warmth they radiated came from a profound inner wholeness. I realized then that it's possible to die healed. I realized that healing, in the sense of becoming more manifestly whole, was why I wanted to be a doctor. I returned to Ireland and completed my studies.

In 2000, I published a book called "A Place of Healing." In essence, it's a book about how each of us has within us an extraordinary healing potential, a fact that has been recognized since ancient times, and about how working with our dreams is a simple, accessible, powerful, and beautiful way of realizing this potential.

"A Place of Healing" has been out of print for several years, but I'm happy to announce that it has just been republished. Here's the book's cover, which captures the central idea in the book- working with nature for the healing of suffering:

"A Place of Healing" is available on Amazon as an ebook or a hardcover. All proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the non-profit Mindful Heart Programs' scholarship fund.