Book excerpt: Wounds are universal. We all experience them—to our bodies, our psyches, and our spirits. According to David Knighton, M.D., wounding is nothing to fear. In fact, wounding is as essential to life as healing—the two working together in an intricate biological dance that permeates all of nature. The Wisdom of the Healing Wound offers a new view on why we hurt, how we heal, and how we wound ourselves for our own benefit. Paradoxically, wounding is probably our greatest stimulus for health. Armed with this new, positive outlook on wounding, readers can enjoy profound healing—even in wounds that have been diagnosed as chronic or incurable. Whether those wounds are physical, psychological, or spiritual, readers of The Wisdom of the Healing Wound will find many new and effective healing strategies—and renewed hope.