The Symbolic Meaning of Wounds: Heal Your Body & Mind!

Think about the last time you hurt yourself… Maybe you dropped something on your foot, or cut yourself while cooking, or “tripped”. Maybe you were bitten by an insect on a beautiful day outdoors or you came home sunburned… Did you know that all of these scenarios contain meaning, messages about our thoughts, feelings and behaviors?

In IRSS training, students learn about symbolism not only in dreams but also in everyday life situations. When analyzing an injury, illness or even an “accident”, several factors must be taken into account. First, we can look generally at the setting: the time and place, what our thoughts or feelings were at the time of the injury. Depending on whether one is injured in the office during the working day or going out in the evening with friends, the interpretation will be different. Of course, we can always improve our safety in a concrete way, by improving certain standards at work, for example, or by equipping ourselves differently depending on the type of activity. However, even despite this, we can still understand the deeper meaning of a wound.

Here is an example based on the testimony of an IRSS student, who recently injured his calf during a group martial arts class. The fact of injuring ourselves while exercising is linked to our will, to our dynamism. As the hurt occurred in a group setting, it relates to how the student relates to others and to interactions in a group setting. This differs from an injury during individual activity, for example, which would rather indicate a tendency to push oneself individually.

Each part of the body also has its own symbolism. Some of these are probably intuitively known or can be understood, such as the connection of the throat with communication, our hands representing the way we give and receive, and the heart symbolizing the motor aspect of our vital energy (the heart actually performing the function of a pump) which can also be related to our way of loving. The Source Code Dictionary is a fantastic resource for discovering the deeper meaning of signs and symbols. But even without this dictionary, if we don't know the meaning of something – in this case, a body part – it can be useful to do some research online. We can then take what we have learned about its physical properties and apply it as a symbol, a state of consciousness existing within us.

The upper leg muscles are some of the biggest and strongest in the body, so they are tied to power and strength in how we move forward. The calf, on the other hand, is all about propulsion – it literally pushes us forward when we take a step. (This is the movement the student was making when he tore his calf muscle). So, if the legs generally represent the way we move forward in the action, the calves specifically represent our initial energy in this action. The calf muscles are also important for balance, posture and stability.

Even the left and the right have specific meanings: the left side is related to the inner world and the right side to the outer world. In this case, it was the right leg that was injured, so it is a concrete, physical action, as opposed to a more figurative interior progression.

When the injury occurred, the students stood in a circle – strengthening the bond with the group – around the teacher who had just explained a technique. She turned to our student to ask him to help her demonstrate. The student recalls that “at that moment, I threw myself at her with enthusiasm – too much – and I hurt myself. I wanted to do a good job in the eyes of my teacher, with whom I have a very good relationship and whom I admire, but also in front of the other students.”

Here we can understand the student a little better in terms of memories: the experiences, thoughts and emotions that he carries within him, even unconsciously. A part of her being was in contact with memories of seeking approval, of belonging and of needing recognition. Sometimes this very strong need pushes the student to enter into action too impulsively and too energetically. This can destabilize its progress and, paradoxically, end up blocking it.

If we can think of wounds as messages about the parts of ourselves that we need to work on, then the severity of a wound suffered corresponds to the urgency and intensity of the memories stored in itself. A simple scratch would indicate the existence of a small percentage that the injured person should pay attention to, as a little reminder to recalibrate their energy and attitude. In this case, although the injury could have been much more serious, the muscle tear handicapped the student enough that he realized the need to take stock and see what needed to be changed.

Having to go through the gradual recovery process with acceptance and patience brought to light other things to understand. “More than one of my sparring partners has pointed out to me that my body insists on resting,” admits the student. “And I'm someone who always wants to do 'whatever it takes'. Having to do things more slowly also made me realize how often I rush.”

The fact of being injured can also, surprisingly, lead us to recognize or appreciate what we were not aware of before, because the accident brings about a “forced” internalization compared to the too emissive movement which causes the injury. The student had to rely heavily on his training partners right after his injury: “I felt very well supported…it brought me closer to this particular group,” says the student. "It actually helped me understand that it's okay to rely on others, and it also felt good to share my feelings of gratitude."