Tomorrow will be five (5) weeks since I burnt my right foot. Healing is going well (I think), there have been no signs of infection but instead visible signs of improvement. The human body is amazing in how it can sustain such damage and repair itself.

Having an injury is a humbling experience, especially for one who works with the body. I observe that I want to continue life as usual, doing all that I know that I can do and that I have previously been able to do with my body and also at the same time, I want to pause and rest, put up my foot and dedicate all my time to healing.

It is a bit of a strange time. I am thankful for my partner who helped me through my last injury (torn rotator cuff) and is helping me through this one as I helped him through his last. We have made a pact - if we are to be injured in future we will do so one at a time.

What I’ve been using on my burn

Please note, this information is not intended as medical advice. If you have been burnt please consult with your doctor or liaise with emergency services.

• Initially Burnheal was recommended by my pharmacist and then that was combined with Supirocin as recommended by a doctor.
• Because of the depth of the burn and the fact that it is an open wound I have been cautious about using natural methods (aloe and wonder of the world). I am sure I’ll be using both in greater amounts in the coming months as I treat my injury but at present their use is limited.
• Honey - this is something I have used for all burns I have received in my life. I find that it has been more effective than the medicine recommended. Initially I used regular honey sourced from the Blue Star but have since upgraded to medical grade honey (L-Mesitran soft).

How I’ve been taking care of self

My body is injured but I am not. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. I am more fully understanding these statements as I work on healing my burn. I think that this injury is perhaps the most major that I have had and it is quite an experience.

At the same time, I am very aware that many go through such a range of traumatic experiences. From my mother to persons I have worked with and guided, I have seen a lot of injury and illness. I work at holding my own experiences in a compassionate space. A friend of mine shared words that were shared with her, that reminded me how we each have our own experiences to go through and the severity of the experiences cannot be compared.

At times I find myself thinking, “oh it is just a little burn” because in terms of size it is perhaps 2” x 2” at most. While it is a little burn, it is also a deep burn and so I have to balance the expectations of mobility and flexibility and ability that I have in my mind with the reality of my body at this moment.

I have been listening to chanting, and I have been chanting. This brings me comfort but also builds the positivity of the space I am in. There are other reasons, in line with my astrology and such but, at different times of the day and the week, I am listening to:

• Gayatri Mantra
• Shiva Mahimna Stotram
• Sri Narasimha Kavacha Mantra
• Mahamrityunjaya Mantra
• Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu | Sri Devi Namana Stotram

I have been nourishing myself with food, with movement and with breath. I’m paying more attention to what is needed to build back up the layers of my skin - protein and collagen, vitamins and minerals, water. I continue to move, through my classes and my own practice. I’m working at finding balance between doing and resting. I breathe, working with oxygen and prana.

I have been spending time in silence. Mauna and meditation. During this month of July, Prasad Rangnekar offered guidance through his email series, Silence as Sadhana. It has lined up perfectly with this time I have needed for healing and has allowed me time to be with myself. Meditation is something that I will be working on for as long as I live. My brother has recently written and published a book about it. My Guru holds regular meditation and healing sessions. I sit with them and with myself when I can.

Other thoughts

I never quite know how to end such posts - is there an end to be found? Healing continues.

Today I leave you with this lovely read from a favourite site:

• Healthcare and the Human Spirit: Walt Whitman on the Most Important Priority in Healing the Body and the Soul

I wish you well in body, heart, mind and spirit!

Renee Arundhati