During the time when it is in the chrysalis, it looks like nothing is happening. “Darkness” has come to mean “bad” or “evil,” when George is positing that a better word would be “misunderstood.”įor example: a caterpillar instinctively becomes a butterfly. Maiden to Mother to Crone to the void to Maiden. This process of transformation is also represented in the Tarot by the Death trump card, which signifies the transition from death to rebirth. I’ve been reading this book by Demetra George called “ Mysteries of the Dark Moon,” which is all about how we have erased or demonized the ancient goddesses of “darkness” (like Hecate, Kali, etc.) embodied in the three-day period of moonless night after the waning moon and before the new moon. You come out on the other side a different person. It would be weird if you WEREN’T upset or sad. Her point is that when something happens, like a breakup or a death in the family or loss of a job – it’s OKAY to feel feelings you guys. In general, the self-help genre seems to be all about learning to overcome and master negative emotions so that you can be happy.īut then… we also have self-help gurus like Marianne Williamson who, in her book “ Tears to Triumph,” argues that our culture is hell-bent on trying to avoid pain, when sometimes, we need to experience pain to grow. That’s the whole game.īut conversely, even those who seek Eastern-inspired modes of spirituality, focused on mindfulness meditation, fluidity and the relinquishment of control, are after an escape, it seems (I’m not trying to offend anyone – I might totally have it twisted, but I’m trying to work it out in my own head right now). Capitalism has us chasing happiness through goods and services we buy. If you think about it, that’s also Brené Brown‘s message, when she explains that people who are happiest are those who show up every day most “wholeheartedly” – willing to accept all parts of themselves and be vulnerable without shame.Įveryone is trying to be happy. I actually just read a Quartz article about this yesterday, which framed it in more laymen’s terms and didn’t mention Jung or anything: This idea is especially timely in our current culture, where happiness is currency. It is only when we accept them and integrate them into our Self that we can be whole. The Jungian school of thought says to embrace your shadow side – or your dark feelings. If you hang on to emotions or repress them, pretending they don’t exist, they can poison you from the inside and manifest as depression or like, rage blackouts.īut if you “express” them in the moment, you might act in a way that you’ll regret later. Or should I accept them and express them, and watch them dissipate? Or maybe it’s the adventure that puts a spotlight on it everything.īut after it all, as I sit here on a rainy day in Krabi, there’s the holy-shit-I-can’t-believe-I’m-doing-this feeling, which will never get old.When I feel feelings, should I remain detached, mindfully examine them, and act from a place of higher understanding? Maybe it’s because I’m not working and there’s plenty of time to think about the emotions that I put aside when I once claimed to be too busy with work to think about them. The feeling of accomplishment and newfound wisdom when I finish a museum or tour, because I’m now the smartest, most cultured person around - DUH. The puffed up sense of pride I feel when I jump into a body of water that I know has things like crocodiles and snakes in it, but I do it anyway (and then eat them at a food market later). The anxiety when a monkey growls at me, so I call the camp’s chihuahua named Susie to chase it away. The jolt of surprise when I take a shower in Krabi and rinse out my shampoo only to see two geckos on the shower stall staring at me. Then there are they day-to-day emotions that make me laugh when I reflect on them. There’s the loneliness that comes when I wish one of my best friends was at my side to enjoy the moment with me, instead of a person who I’ll never see again. There’s the exhaustion from absorbing so many new sights and smells and cultures. There’s the fear and worry of the unknown as I travel, not knowing what the next few hours or days will hope and hoping I’m able to be brave enough to handle it. There’s the sadness and regret that I’m missing important things at home, like my growing family and my best friends. There’s the overwhelming joy and pit of gratitude that has settled permanently in my stomach, knowing I’m able to take this trip that so many people only hope for. But there’s something about being away from comfort zones and knowing that I’m on this epic trip that make me more hyper aware of my emotions. Just as it would be at home, depending on the day, the answer is a mixed bag. So many people have asked how I’m feeling on this trip.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |