"Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darknesses of other people." ~ Carl Jung When I speak of darkness, I refer to various experiences and psychological states such as unexplored recesses of the unconscious mind, repressed emotions, hidden desires, and the shadow—the aspects of ourselves we deny. Darkness is a realm of potential, harboring both creative energy and psychological wounds. It serves as a mirror, reflecting the hidden dynamics that influence our[...]
1. **The Shadow is Only Negative:** Contrary to this belief, the shadow encompasses both negative and positive aspects of the unconscious, including hidden talents and unexpressed potentials. 2. **Shadow is Purely Personal:** The shadow is not solely composed of personal experiences; it also contains collective and archetypal elements shared by humanity. 3. **Conquering the Shadow Means Eliminating It:** The goal isn't to eliminate the shadow but to continuously integrate the aspects[...]
The crux of my career began in darkness; a powerful dream unveiled the radiant endowments hidden in dark places revealing a significant opus (purpose). The dream constructed an alchemical vessel, illuminating the psyche's conscious and unconscious aspects and the descent into the darker side of my psyche. As a secret keeper and highly empathic child, I held the darkest memories and moments of other people’s psyches from a young age. The dark side of human nature rarely intimidated me until I[...]
19 years, that is how long I lived in Arizona. I reflect on this as I sit among the mossy forest of my new-ish home in New York. I remember the old familiar earthy, and magical land from long ago before I was lost and completely cut off from my soul. Interestingly, although enormous shifts occurred from those times, revisiting circumstances, people, and places activated buried feelings and thoughts. The person I am today will not run or hide from discomfort. Therefore shit got really hard, a[...]
This morning, the sound of pouring rain broke my sleep,I could feel the movement of the water, cleansing, purifying, and nourishing the land. It sounds funny to some to say “feel” instead of “hear”, yet this is how I perceive the natural world; it is closely held to my body and always arrives with a felt sense amplifying sound and color. Most people who are highly empathic are also hypervigilant and dialed into the world in this way. They feel the soul of the world- the anima mund[...]
Empathic people are the sensitive ones, the people who feel very deeply and can struggle to be in this world. They feel between words, especially those unspoken. They feel the intention and will remember how something or someone made them feel, regardless of how the energy is presented. The unkind look in someone’s eyes can feel like slivers of glass entering the heart, piercing through a cool exterior. They are continually seeing, feeling, and tuning into subtle levels of sensory infor[...]
Tending to the soul requires patience and compassion towards self, in ways we are quick to dismiss. It is a movement of ‘down and in’. To struggle or find oneself in perpetual states of drama is a doorway into greater awareness. Yet we slam the door and remain in the perceived ‘stuckness’ of the moment; sometimes, this deepens the cavern of feeling we find ourselves held in. There might be a tendency to retreat or to avoid being with the sensations, thoughts, or feelings arisi[...]
Many of those who are drawn to my work, or appear in my world arrive with an archetypal split. A divide between who they are and who they know they could be, the latter usually involves a more magical, prosperous, generous, loving, and creative identity than the life they have found themselves living. The split likely emerged long ago as a response to life, a circumstance, or a situation- regardless, it is a constant reminder that nudges them to seek out more. Unfortunately, the s[...]
My soul asked me to walk the cemetery... The silence was filled with a myriad of sensations. My body dialed in to peace, rest, comfort, and wisdom beyond anything my human nervous system could hold all at once. A few times I felt pulled toward a particular grave- caught in ethereal waves, stories began dropping in to consciousness, one by one. I’ve always had the gift of knowing without knowing how I know. These precious gifts are to be respected with reverence, appreciation, and[...]
It's ok to be knee-deep, mid-swing, in the thick of it.... and change your mind. DO NOT let anyone convince you to go against your gut and follow through to honor a commitment when your soul is urging you to reconsider! I have made some horrible choices in the past because I wanted to 'do the right thing', well guess what? The right thing might be the fawning response disguised as the desire to follow through to make yourself feel honorable and trustworthy because your people-pleasing[...]