The Shaman’s Dilemma

.
In earlier times, when the shaman was the ‘go to’ person when healing was needed, this could present him with a dilemma ~ it might have started as follows:

The shaman is called to a sick person. The person has not been feeling well for a bit, but as time goes on, instead of getting better, the person seems to be getting more ill. Seeing the person, the shaman might start cleansing the energy around the person. He then might do a healing ritual, casting out the illness, and replacing all the areas where the illness had taken hold with a light and healing energy.
Sometimes this would be enough. The cleansing of the energy combined with the healing ritual would have the person up and well really quickly.

But then there were those times when more was needed...

The shaman might have meditated; traveled through the other worlds only he has access to ~ and he may have found the medicine that will cure the person. The shaman, being well versed in healing and herbs, knows that this is a dangerous cure.
He also knows, that it is exactly what the person needs in order to get healed.

And here is the dilemma:
When he gives this cure, will the person recover from this illness; find the greater balance of body, mind and spirit in healing and wellness? Or will the cure help the person to pass over, and will the soul find greater balance on the other side?
The argument can be made that either way, the person has found the required healing.

In those days however ~ and really, they weren’t all that long ago ~ the consequences for the shaman could have been severe. Where, if the person were to recover and heal, his fame (and probably fortune) would grow; if the person were to pass over, it could mean death to the shaman as well...

The question, for the shaman of old as much as for us today, is ‘What is best for that person?’ Not just from a physical perspective, but also from a spiritual perspective.

And as we truly do not know what is best for the other person and the path they are walking, the lessons they intend to learn, how far they are in that process ~ we tend to focus on the part that we do know: the physical perspective.
And we assume that what is best for the person, is to recover from whatever is ailing him; considering it a medical failure if the person passes over in spite of the treatment given...

And yet, who is to say that making that transition might not have been the healing of the soul?
.
.