A Different Kind of Healing.

Over the two months, I’ve been rejigging with my faith.

For many years I was an active Buddhist. I attended temple regularly, had ongoing sessions with my monk teacher, and honestly loved every part of it. I’ve always said Buddhism isn’t a religion to me—it’s a lifestyle. A way to live happy, connected, and grounded while giving back to others.

But even with all of that, something still felt like it was missing. I’ve always acknowledged that there has to be a higher power, but I never really believed in God or even the Buddha sitting up in the sky. The closest thing that made sense to me was “the universe.”

I’ve always asked questions about God—some deep, some random, some just plain odd. I did technically go to church once with Nonna. Was I actually interested, or did I just want to make her happy? That’s a secret I’ll keep to myself.

Fast forward over 10 years, and now I’m willingly attending church—and it has been great. It’s been grounding to finally feel like there is something bigger than myself. Having that belief has taken a weight off my shoulders when it comes to my mental health, the stressors of life, and just day-to-day living.

Church has also become something I genuinely look forward to each week. Not necessarily for the “God talk,” but for the environment. I can be having a rough day—physically, mentally, or both—and simply stepping into that space filled with support and positivity is incredible. Again, this has very little to do with God directly and more to do with being surrounded by people who genuinely care and don’t pretend to be perfect.

I’m only at the beginning of this journey and still have a lot to learn. I wanted to share this—not to push God onto anyone, because I will never be that person—but to highlight the power of realising that there is something bigger than the human I am. Taking the pressure off yourself and sharing it with a “higher” power genuinely feels like a weight lifted.

A good example of this is AA. AA is based on finding that higher power. They teach that if someone was strong enough to beat alcoholism on their own, they already would have. The higher power is like someone sitting on your shoulder, cheering you on no matter what.

Another message I want to share is this: even on your worst days, surrounding yourself with positive, caring people makes a difference—Godly or not.

We are pack animals, and pack animals need each other.

If you want to learn more about God, higher powers, or Buddhism, I’ll be honest: I’m not the right person yet—I’m still learning myself. But reach out to community leaders in whatever space you’re curious about. There are plenty of great people out there.

Written By Joe Horvat

Recovery Coach & Complex Care Manager