In the metaphor about the banquet cloth people had different reactions at the first unfolding, there was terror, freezing, and staying with the experience unfolding and or pressure can cause real fear , fear of losing control and in plain language of going mad. The truth is we are all a bit mad especially at times we move in and out of madness but for the most part we do not lose a sense of reality and are able to re centre ourselves.
The affects of the pandemic has caused so much loss, restriction stress and fear that there is an ongoing fear for some people that they will crack up, such unbearable fears and pain are not something that are easy to discuss but something folk like to hide or unconsciously project them into other people so unfolding our cloth needs to occur in a safe place inside us and outside of us.
Lets discuss the creation of this safety, and we’ll begin by stating that if you are mentally unwell and in the care of Health professionals do not undertake any of the following exercises without seeking their advice.
Find a safe place reflect on a mantra or scripture verse, this gives you support and a sense of reality. Seat yourself comfortably and close your eyes,use your favourite relaxing music. Begin your breathing, following it through every part of your body each area where you connect with pain or disturbance stop and breathe into it before moving on,travel through every part of you inside and out. As you do this you will begin to feel a depth of knowledge as to what is going on within you and in the stillness and safety of your safe place allow your creative imagination to roll, this exercise will allow you to access your core strength and eventually your shadow parts.
As you relax into it you may sense a presence with you this is your spiritual guide and is nothing to be scared of rather you might imagine you are going together for a walk in a place of great beauty , a place in which you may find strength and comfort and a feeling of connection. Imagine you are sitting on a seat side by side sharing your thoughts experiences and needs, absorb the support and beauty of this experience rest in this. Open your eyes and look about you possibly you will see and hear things more clearly, take this with you as you leave the safe place knowing how to go there anytime you want and need to.
Meditation will help you unfold your specific cloth with your strengths and shadow parts, use it with wisdom so that you can eventually balance and transform the black and hurting parts of you, do not use it to over inflate your ego rather to learn to manage your personality like a well tuned orchestra, so all of you can dance together in a powerful and balanced coordinated and harmonious way.
Could it be the best way to live is gently and with loving compassion?
DANCE IN HARMONY!
aoibheann thoughtful reflections 