I am your symptom.

I have many names: knee pain, pimples, stomachaches, rheumatism, asthma, snot, depression, migraine, hemorrhoids, and the list goes on and on.

I have volunteered for the worst possible job: being the bearer of unwelcome tidings.

Nobody understands me. They all think that I want to annoy them, slow them down, hurt them or restrict them. This is complete nonsense.

I simply try to speak with them in a language they understand.

Would you go negotiate with the barbarians at the gates with a flower in your hand and a “Peace” t-shirt on your back?

However, most people don’t understand me. They hit me with a sledgehammer—the largest they can find.

“Shut up!” they say, and “Will you be quiet!” This is what I have to hear time and again. Then they put me on drugs: sleeping pills or antidepressants. They try and tape my mouth shut. Some people can get really creative in their responses.

Meanwhile, all I want is what’s best for them.

Imagine I am the alarm siren on the Titanic warning about an iceberg . . . and everybody who hears me just complains that I’m keeping them up.

Does that make it any clearer?

You think I am “THE ILLNESS.” Nonsense. Do you know what THE ILLNESS really is? It’s you and your way of life.

This must come as a shock, I know. It’s OK if you’re feeling a bit upset right now. I can handle your process quite well. In fact, it’s part of my job. The good news is that it’s up to you to no longer need me.

When I enter your life, what you really should do is put your angry reaction on hold and ask yourself: “What is this telling me? Why am I getting this now? What do I have to change so that I no longer need it?“

If you leave the work only to your mind, the response won’t get you any further than it has in years past. However, if you ask your subconscious, your heart, and also use the arm-length test, you will get very clear answers that truly help you move forward.

And if you take care to stay in balance, you can shorten many of my visits or do without them.

Put me out of a job! Or do you still think I really like this kind of work?

Excerpt from the book “A Course in Healing” by Uwe Albrecht.