The Soul of Healing

The Soul of Healing

This a requiem for the soul of healing.

Healing is an art.
And like all great art — it begins in the soul.

Healing isn’t a procedure.
It’s a creative act.
It has essence. A spirit. A presence.

Science is essential —
but it’s the instrument, not the music.

Think of Jimi Hendrix.
He turned electricity into emotion.
Precision into poetry.
He healed hearts.

But as the system pushed him to produce, to perform, to sell…
his spirit dimmed.
He became addicted — just to numb the pain.

And we lost him.
Along with his gift.
His music.
His medicine.

That happens in healthcare too.

We enter this work like artists —
with reverence, creativity, and soul.
We understand suffering.
We listen to silence.
We try to bring light.

But over time, the system turns us into technicians.
We still hit all the right notes —
but no music comes out.

And when the healer suffers…
when the soul is silenced…
the flame goes out.

The art becomes mechanical.
The act of healing becomes hollow.

A burned-out doctor can still follow the protocols —
but without presence,
even miracles feel like machinery.

To heal others, we must protect what makes us human:
our spirit,
our creativity,
and our hearts.

Healing is born where suffering and soul collide —
not to escape the wound, but to shape it into something free,
something beautiful, something alive.

Because healing isn’t just something we do.
It’s something we are.

To truly heal others, we must become whole ourselves —
or at least, become willing to stay present in the brokenness.

What helps you bring presence to your excellence?

EVERY MONTH

ESSAYS AND REFLECTIONS

Medicine, leadership, and high performance often come at a hidden cost: silence. In my monthly newsletter, I explore the untold stories of excellence, identity, and healing — through essays that speak to the heart as much as the mind.

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Written by

Paul Fedak

Paul Fedak

Calgary, Alberta, Canada