Mary had a bad infection for which she was given antibiotics. After a number of days, she happily felt she was healed. Her friend, Sue, came to visit soon after. As they discussed May’s situation, Sue felt the illness had been cured by the antibiotic. What is the difference between “to cure or to heal’? I believe mostly they are two separate ideas, although many people use these words interchangeably. .

The Four States of Being

The four states of being work together to make up who you are on your earthly journey. Your responsibility is to yourself first and foremost. Each state of being contributes to your overall health. When one or more states are ‘out of whack’, your health is compromised in some way. You may find it necessary to cure or to heal yourself on some level.

Consider the following:

1) Your spiritual being involves love of God to the highest extent possible. It is the primary reason why you are here. The negativity that you find in yourself and in the world is a turning away from God.

2) Your mental being involves an ability to think and act clearly in taking responsibility for yourself on your journey. It is an understanding that you must think and do what is best for you as you go through life. You may consider outside influences, but make up your own mind.

3) Your emotional being involves an understanding and maintaining of the health of your emotions and feelings. They are a barometer which guides you to do what’s best for you. High emotions indicate healthy vibrational energy, which feels satisfying or even ecstatic. Low emotions indicate low vibrational energy which yields dissatisfaction or worse. These unhealthy lower emotions lead to stress and illness.

4) Your physical being involves maintaining the health of your body. Eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep, and handling stress positively will all help keep you healthy.

Specific v. General

To cure is specific to a particular situation. You are cured physically from infections or diseases. They are caused when your immune system is compromised. Your body may be run down due to stress, lack of exercise, limited sleep, or poor eating habits. When this happens, a particular course of action, perhaps a medication and rest, will help to alleviate the symptoms. Over time, your body will overcome whatever is making you sick. Then, with good nights sleep, eating healthy foods, and exercising, your immune system will improve. You will return to normal bodily functions and get on with your life.

However, to heal is a broader, more general subject, which may or may not involve a cure. It is a state of mind. The body is capable of healing itself, given the proper circumstances. This may involve rest, healthy food, and exercise, but it also includes your outlook on life. Not only the physical body is involved. The emotional, mental, and spiritual parts of you play a role in the healing process, as well. Trusting that all will work out for the greatest good, regardless of the outcome, is a big part of healing. This outcome may be positive or negative, but when you feel healed, there is acceptance of the results.

Limited v. Ongoing

A cure occurs over a limited amount of time. It involves a beginning and an end. An antibiotic will help with infection over a specific amount of time. A successful cancer treatment will also have parameters, even if long term. Generally, when feeling ill, you look for a cure for the problem that is limited in scope. You want it to be over and done so you can go on with your life.

On the other hand, sometimes a cure is not possible, but a healing is. Again, this is a state of mind and it is ongoing. When ill, your immune system is compromised. On an energetic level, your vibrational state of being is low.  As it is strengthened, so is your immune system. This vibrational state of being is not only physical, but emotional, mental, and spiritual as well. In order to heal overall to a high degree, each and every level must be healed. Therefore, it is important to find a way to raise the vibration of each of the four states of being.

External v. Internal

As was mentioned, when an illness is cured, it is due to an external influence. The influence is often medicine or some type of physical therapy. If all that is treated is the physical problem, the other states of being may still exert influence on your overall well being. Unresolved lower energies of other states of being may set you up for another round of physical problems. As a result, treatment of physical symptoms may need external treatment again. Therefore, it is best to use a holistic approach, which allows for curing and healing.

‘To cure or to heal’ incorporates the external and internal, the limited and ongoing, the specific and general. This involves curing the physical, as well as looking within to find emotional, mental, and spiritual health. As you progress, your overall vibration raises, and your outlook on life becomes more positive. This process of looking within to know yourself better is lifelong. It is your journey, as is often said, which is a process of growth as a human. It can be exhilarating, frustrating, as well as difficult. However, it is worth the work that is involved.