Healing Is Like Peeling an Onion

When we’re born, we come into the world as pure light. There’s no confusion about who we are, no masks, no second guessing. Just being; open, curious and alive.

That light never goes away. It doesn’t disappear when life happens; it just gets covered. As we grow up, we start to learn things, some helpful, some not. We learn what makes people proud of us, what earns approval, what keeps us safe. We learn to adjust, to shrink a little here, to hold back there. Bit by bit, we start to dim our own light so we can fit in or stay protected.

None of that makes us broken. It’s just part of being human. But after a while, we might notice that we feel disconnected from ourselves like we’re living behind a few too many layers. That’s where healing comes in. 

Healing, for me, has been like peeling an onion. Each layer I peel back isn’t something bad, it’s just something I don’t need anymore. Maybe it’s an old story about who I’m supposed to be, or a belief that kept me small. Letting it go can feel uncomfortable, but underneath every layer, there’s more light waiting. 

The thing is, that light, the one we were born with, never fades. It doesn’t depend on what we achieve or how well we handle things. It’s steady. Always there. Healing isn’t about finding that light again; it’s about realising it was never gone. It’s about remembering that we were whole from the very beginning. And as those layers fall away, that light starts to shine more naturally not because we force it, but because it’s finally free to do what it’s always done, glow.

When that happens, it doesn’t just change how we feel inside, it changes how we move through the world. Our light begins to radiate outward. The people around us can feel it, even if they can’t name it. Just by being grounded in our own light, we remind others of theirs.

It’s not about fixing anyone or trying to inspire them. It’s simply that light recognises light. When yours shines freely, it can stir something familiar in someone else, a quiet nudge that says, “Hey, that light you started with? It’s still there too.”

That’s how healing expands. One person remembering their own light helps another remember theirs. And little by little, the world gets a bit brighter.