Leprosy

Published on Skin.

In cases of leprosy, the skin develops holes and the nerves of the dermis hide away. The person loses sensibility. This hole in the skin symbolizes separation between people. More than actual separation, it symbolizes fear of separation.

It reaches the dermis, which indicates that there is also a conflict regarding something dirty, something that disgusts the person. It hurts.

Leprosy represents the fear of permanent separation. Leprosy must be understood in the historic context where church wanted to unite human and divine. Church imposed itself as the mandatory passageway. This became unacceptable to people who possessed medium or paranormal qualities. The risk of being burnt at the stake was high. That was a great fear. There was great anxiety regarding the possible deep separation from God and the community (since priests claimed they represented God and were part of the mandatory passageway) through death.

Leprosy almost always ended in amputation (actual separation).

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