Wynne Renee Brown, MD, LAc

Original Medicine

“The opportunity to heal occurs within the context of relationship. No matter what career path you choose, what you think about and how you treat yourself and others is the most important medicine you can offer.” Wynne Renee Brown, MD, LAc

 Like many children, I knew my life purpose until the memory was erased by the challenges of growing up in the south. Racism, a fear-based belief system, was (and still is) the way that people conveniently stereotyped others so that they could feel like there was something predictable in life, and perhaps feel better or worse about themselves. I considered it a concept that perpetuated an ego-based interpretation of me that had nothing to do with me or who I was.  Even a loving mother, father and extended family could not protect me from the effects of racism that permeated all aspects of my life. This southern way of relating created internal conflict in me that led to a love for reading and studies as an escape from my reality.

The combination of racism outside of home and diseases in my family members created fear and anxiety that I channeled into sports, time outdoors and dysfunctional coping mechanisms. Being an only child resulted in times of loneliness with little opportunity to commiserate with anyone. My trust in people had eroded when I was young and with the passage of time, the stories I told myself about why I needed to be afraid grew exponentially.

To further complicate matters, I was exploring my sexuality as an adolescent without realizing the full meaning of what was happening. Growing up in a Christian home, I had never heard the word lesbian and had no idea what coming out was about. The process of coming out was delayed as a result and I did what most “good” girls do. I got married and started my own ideal family.

By the time I was in college, my life purpose was forgotten until I met an advisor who understood that encouragement, stimulation, and structure are valuable assets for young people. I was so absorbed in my studies that when my advisor suggested I apply to medical or dental school I did not question the choice. Becoming a physician was not something I had considered as a career. As a “minority”, I couldn’t not go to medical school after being accepted. So I simply did the next right thing.

Over the years, my life unfolded in fits and starts that looked like I had my foot on the accelerator and on the brakes, sometimes at the same time. Below the surface of the day-to-day events ran a current that told me that I could heal from past transgressions if I would choose it. Healing became the pursuit and my career became the vehicle. The two became intertwined by the desire to find myself and to be the best person I could be, releasing the chains of my past and finding joy.

My commitment to finding, or more accurately, remembering my life purpose became the reason to get up in the morning. Fueled by a desire to make a difference in the world and to be of service, people, animals, and even insects and plants came into my life to answer my call to remember. The lessons that emerged from my journey have been unexpected and are the same whether my career had been medicine, landscaping, teaching, construction, or being a stay at home mom.

I learned that each of us carries within the access to powerful medicine that can heal the deepest of wounds. With Nature as my friend and a strong faith, the veil that clouded my vision lifted. Every day is a blessing to be experienced by practicing balance and learning to walk with an open heart. And with the opening of my heart, the circle of my life is complete. Simply turning to look inside the circle, inside myself, has revealed the answers and inspired growth.

You too can find your medicine, your purpose and the sacredness of life within. Accept your history as it is and use it to fuel the opening of the treasure chest that is who you really are. With courage and a sense of adventure, be willing to be yourself and delight in how what seemed unexpected is really the perfection of the essence of life.