Pentacle of Healing

by Selena Fox

Previously published in Fall/Winter 2005 issue of Circle Magazine

Healing is a journey from illness to wellness. Healing is rebalancing and renewing. Healing is transformational and multidimensional.

The multidimensionality of healing is also known as holistic. Holistic healing recognizes that restoring well being includes more than treating physical disease. When there is physical illness, other dimensions of self and life also are impacted, including mood, thinking, activity, and soul.

As a priestess, psychotherapist, and counselor, I serve as both a catalyst and a guide in doing healing work with others. Drawing from my background in Wiccan spirituality and Paganism, and my Psychology studies and practice over the past thirty-five years, I have developed a holistic framework that I call the Pentacle of Healing. The Pentacle is a five pointed interlaced Pentagram within a Circle. Each of the five points of the Pentagram represents a dimension of healing, and the Circle represents the harmonious integration and functioning of these dimensions.

I use the Pentacle of Healing framework for assessment as well as for considering treatment options. I share here some of the questions to ask in working with each healing dimension. I also include several examples of healing modalities that might be used in treating problems in each.

Physical. The Physical dimension of Healing, associated with the Element of Earth, pertains to both the physical body and the physical environment. How well does your physical body function? How clean is it? How balanced and aligned is your posture? What foods, beverages, medicines, and other things do you consume? What lotions, soaps, fragrances, and other substances do you put on or around your body? How clean and comfortable are the clothes that you wear? What toxins are you exposed to at home, in your neighborhood, at work, and other places you frequent? How strong is your immune system? Physical healing modalities include improving nutrition, taking medicines, getting vaccinations, internal and external cleansing of the body, massage, decluttering living and work spaces, and reducing or eliminating exposure to toxins.

Mental. The Mental dimension of Healing, associated with the Element of Air, pertains to the mind and cognition. How well is your mind functioning? How good is your memory? How well do you listen, focus attention, and absorb information? How healthy is your self-talk? What do you take into your mind? What studies are you engaged in? What kinds of things do you read and view in print, online, and in the mass media? What do you talk about with others? Mental healing modalities include journaling, counseling, repeating affirmations, reading thought-provoking works, solving and engaging in other types of mental exercises, and education.

Behavioral. The Behavioral dimension of Healing, associated with the Element of Fire, pertains to actions and lifestyle. How healthy is your lifestyle? What habits are enhancing your well being? What habits are destructive? What stressors are in your life? How well do you man- age stress? What is your balance between work and play? How much time do you spend with others and how much do you spend alone? What is the quality of time you have for yourself? What quantity and quality of sleep do you get each night? Behavioral healing modalities include walking, stretching, dancing, swimming, other types of exercise, time management, creative expression, travel, hobbies, career development, volunteer service, and stress management exercises.

Emotional. The Emotional dimension of Healing, associated with the Element of Water, pertains to feelings and relationships. How emotionally fit and mature are you? How healthy are your relationships with others? How happy are you? What upsets you? How do you process anger and frustration? How do you deal with sadness and loss? What do you fear? How honest are you with yourself? How well do you accept criticism? How honest are you with others? Who do you trust, feel close to, and call on in times of need? Who calls on you? What are you doing to improve your emotional and social well being? Emotional healing modalities include gestalt therapy, rational-emotive therapy, music therapy, art therapy, laugh therapy, other expressive forms of psychotherapy, peer counseling, emotive journaling, and support groups.

Spiritual. The Spiritual dimension of Healing, associated with the Element of Spirit, pertains to the soul and sacred forces. How healthy is your spiritual life? What is your religion, spirituality, or philosophy and how does it help you? What form(s) of the Divine do you honor and connect with? What type of spiritual practices do you engage in and how often? What affiliations do you have with spiritual communities, groups, and paths? What places are sacred to you and how often do you visit? How do you work with intuition and spiritual guidance in your life? In what ways are you developing spiritually? Spiritual healing modalities include meditation, ritual, prayer, altar work, sacred site pilgrimages, spiritual studies, vision questing, divination, dream exploration, and spiritual healing work.

The Circle that surrounds and connects the five points of the Pentagram in this model signifies an integrative approach to healing and wellness. It is important that approaches selected for the various dimensions of healing, as well as healers and health care professionals guiding those approaches, work in harmony with the one needing healing, in order to restore balance to each dimension as well as to the whole.