The parable of The Blind Men and an Elephant describes a group of blind men encountering an elephant for the first time. Each touches a different part—such as the trunk, tusk, ear, or leg—and forms a distinct understanding of what the elephant is like. Their conflicting descriptions lead to disagreement, as each believes his perspective is the absolute truth.

In a spiritual context, the elephant represents God, divine truth, or ultimate reality. Each blind man’s perception mirrors how different religions, philosophies, and individuals grasp aspects of the divine. If one insists that their understanding is the only truth, they ignore the vastness of the divine and hinder unity and deeper insight.

By recognizing our own limitations, respecting others' experiences, and seeking wisdom beyond our own, we move closer to true understanding—whether of faith, life, or the universe itself.

Seeing Through the Eyes of the Elephant

From the moment I first heard the parable of The Blind Men and the Elephant as a child, it resonated with me in a way few stories ever have. It wasn’t just a metaphor about perspective—it was a guiding principle, a way of seeing and understanding the world that has shaped my journey in relationships, healthcare, education, and spirituality.

Each of us, in our own way, is like one of the blind men, reaching out and grasping only a part of the whole. At different times in my life, I’ve found myself holding onto a single "truth," believing I understood something fully, as I was taught—whether it was my Christian concept of God or my medical knowledge. But time and experience have humbled me. The more I learn, the more I realize how much more there is to see.

I have come to believe that no single belief system, philosophy, or healing practice holds the entire answer. Whether in healthcare or spirituality, when we operate in silos—addressing only symptoms, only the body, only the mind, or only the soul, only one set of teachings—we fail to see the human being in their wholeness. We treat the leg but ignore the heart. We see the ear but dismiss the breath. We attempt to "fix" something singular, forgetting that nothing truly exists in isolation.

This realization didn’t come easily. Like many, I was taught a specific way of seeing the world, a belief system that offered rigid lines between right and wrong, truth and falsehood. Yet, something inside me always urged me to seek—to remove the blindfold and look beyond the limitations of what I had been handed and taught. At times, this search filled me with fear. Fear of judgment, fear of rejection - by others, by God - of stepping outside the boundaries of what was expected. But what I found when I allowed myself to explore was not contradiction - but connection, not judgement - but grace. There is wisdom in all teachings, all disciplines, all perspectives. There is love and good intention at the heart of most beliefs.

Perhaps the greatest lesson of the parable is this: True understanding comes not from clinging to a single viewpoint but from seeking the higher wisdom that exists beyond our limited grasp. The elephant—the great whole—sees all perspectives, holds all truths, loves all and does not judge the blind men for their limited understanding. It is from that higher view that we find compassion—not just for others, but for ourselves as we fumble through life, each of us grasping at pieces of something far greater than we can comprehend. The good news is - that Higher Power is always within us and around us - always ready and willing to share wisdom, guidance and healing with us - when are ready and willing to ask.

This journey of seeking, of savoring wisdom with an open heart, is one I am committed to for life. It is my passion to share this healing, this joy, this deeper perspective with those who seek it, those who are ready to remove the blindfold and look beyond the part they have always known.

Because when we learn to see ourselves and others through the eyes of the elephant—through the eyes of the whole—we find not just knowledge, but truth. Not just understanding, but love. And not just healing, but wholeness.