You’re going on a cross-country trip. Airplane, train, bus, car, or bike?
A Journey of Discovery: Developing the Image of Healing
You’re going on a cross-country trip. Airplane, train, bus, car, or bike?
Well, I would venture that the mode of transport you use is less important than the reason for travel. What motivates a person to spend time away from their safe environment and seek new experiences?
Is it escape? Are you running—not as a mode of transportation, but as a means to distance yourself from pain? The direction of travel, away from the source of suffering, momentarily brings relief. However, it’s not long before you realize that no matter how far you go, the painful memories tag along, just a few paces behind. And when they catch up—as they always do—you find yourself in unfamiliar terrain. The cycle repeats: suffer, run, rinse, repeat.
But one day, something shifts. The compulsive traveler realizes that the happiness and comfort they seek are not waiting in a distant land but have been deep within them all along. The journey shifts direction—not outward, but inward. They stop running and begin the real, more meaningful journey: A travelling into the past, revisiting childhood wounds, trauma, and long-buried emotions. The sights may be difficult to take in at first, but after pausing to observe, taking snapshots, and examining the details, patterns emerge. Connections are made. And this is where the magic happens.
Healing, like photography, is the process of developing a negative into something clear, meaningful, and whole.
The first stage is to examine or Expose the Initial Wound
In photography, the film captures an image by exposing it to light. At first, this exposure remains invisible, a hidden imprint waiting to be developed. This stage is invariably painful as the realisation of how our past affects our present slowly creeps into view.
In a similar way, our emotional wounds appear as imprints—moments of pain, trauma, or neglect. Sometimes we don’t even recognize them at first. They are stored deep in the subconscious, shaping our thoughts, behaviours, and fears without our awareness.
In the metaphoric ‘Developing Bath’ we start to recognise and potentially face the Pain
As with the exposed film that is submerged in the developer solution. This stage reveals the latent image of pain, bringing out the details that were previously hidden.
This is a stage of self-reflection, we stop running and start examining. Therapy, self-inquiry, and emotional processing act as the developer bath, allowing us to see the past more clearly. It’s not always comfortable. The image may appear distorted, blurred, or unfamiliar. But it is the first step toward understanding.
The ‘Stop Bath’ acts well as a metaphor for ‘Grounding Ourselves in the Present’
After developing, the film is placed in a stop bath to halt the chemical reaction before it over-develops.
In healing, this represents grounding. When we unearth painful memories, there is a risk of becoming overwhelmed. The stop bath reminds us to pause, to breathe, to find moments of safety in the present. Mindfulness, self-care, and connection with others help to arrest the flood of emotions so we do not drown in them.
The Fixer bath or the ‘Letting Go’ of what no longer serves us.
The fixer bath dissolves unexposed silver halides, stabilizing the image so it becomes permanent and light-safe. Without this step, the image would continue to react and fade over time.
Emotionally, this step represents a release and an acceptance of a past we cannot change. It is the process of letting go—we are unable to erase the past, but we are able to fix it in a way that no longer harms us. Forgiveness (of self and others), reframing experiences, and integrating our story into a larger narrative all help to stabilize and fix our emotional world.
The next stage in the photographic process is to Rinse Away the Residue of chemicals. we can do this to our past chemically toxic memories by Cleansing and Healing
Healing requires us to cleanse ourselves of toxic patterns, unhealthy relationships, and limiting beliefs. This stage might involve setting boundaries, creating new habits, or choosing different perspectives. The rinse cycle is a purification process—making space for something new.
Printing the Image – Creating a New Narrative
The developed negative is projected onto light-sensitive paper, and the image is finally brought to life. What once was hidden now becomes visible in full form and disconnects its previously powerful ability to inform our nervous system. This is the transformation stage.
The healing work now done in the darkroom of our subconscious is reflected in the way we live. We create new meaning from our experiences; we are able to choose how to frame our story. The past no longer defines us—it informs us, strengthens us, and adds depth to the image of who we are becoming.
Seeing Life in Full Color – Living with Awareness
To complete the journey of discovery, the image can be processed in full colour, bringing out its potential vibrancy.
Healing is not just about understanding our pain; it’s about rediscovering joy, love, and purpose. The world takes on richer hues when we no longer see it through the lens of suffering. Every detail—light and shadow—adds to the beauty of the picture we are now able to see.
Healing is not a destination but a journey—one that requires patience, care, and trust in the process. Much like developing a film, the outcome is not always clear at first. But as we go through each stage, what once was hidden comes into stark focus, revealing something deeply meaningful.
Then maybe, just maybe, we realise that the image we were looking for was always within us, waiting to be developed. May your journey bring joy and peace and much happiness and love.
for all travellers on the road far less travelled…ultimately be kind to yourselves.
Written with much love from me to you.
Happy Days xx
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Living on the Edge 