tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593735498783507566.post5843550496261806898..comments2023-06-19T05:05:15.594-04:00Comments on Little Teaboys Everywhere: Me and My ShadowScott Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01034212655361602680noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593735498783507566.post-31137557724368443942009-08-03T14:09:15.170-04:002009-08-03T14:09:15.170-04:00As I was going through the worst phase of my separ...As I was going through the worst phase of my separation from my husband, a friend of mine gave me a very useful piece of advice. She referred to all the anger, hurt and obsessing I was doing as the demons in my head. I didn't invite them in, they were forced on me by circumstance, but it was MY choice whether or not to feed them. Every imaginary conversation with him, every moment of obsessing over why this happened or what his issues were that caused him to leave was food for the demons. By feeding the demons, I was taking time and energy away from doing what I needed to do to start healing myself, and be fully present in my own life as it was now, rather than as I had wanted it to be.<br /><br />I had to learn to chose to acknowledge the demons, but not to let them consume me. In my own religious tradition, an important element of ritual is acknowledgment of the Outdwellers, the spirits of chaos, strife and discord that are always present. As part of my rituals, I acknowledge these spirits, accept that they are always present, make an offering to them outside the ritual space, and ask that they accept this acknowledgment but not trouble the working that I'm doing.<br /><br />For me, it's a way of recognizing the shadow self, without allowing that part of my psyche to become the core of who I am.Pegalishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08752077906339966803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593735498783507566.post-32749238336274530962009-07-23T08:45:35.833-04:002009-07-23T08:45:35.833-04:00The striking thing to me about your story about th...The striking thing to me about your story about the guy in church is that you were able to get beyond your preoccupation at some point. Church, like other situations where I'm kind of stuck in my seat--driving a car, mowing grass (well, weeds), pushing dirt around the farm, etc.--, provides an opportunity for my mind to go on a little stroll. When it does, it invariably ends up in some pretty bad neighborhoods. <br /><br />I find that the very moment of deciding that a thought is not appropriate for church makes that thought almost impossible to escape. When neither ignoring these thoughts nor feeding them until they burn out gets me anywhere, you have provided a reminder of an important third option.Sean Hacketthttp://facebook.com/sean.p.hackettnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593735498783507566.post-30873483490704279502009-07-21T23:43:18.776-04:002009-07-21T23:43:18.776-04:00That's one of the reasons I keep writing--I fi...That's one of the reasons I keep writing--I figure I can't be as much of a freak as I seem!Scott Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01034212655361602680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593735498783507566.post-33937913809574607852009-07-21T23:39:34.591-04:002009-07-21T23:39:34.591-04:00Wow, Scott, I really connect with what you to say ...Wow, Scott, I really connect with what you to say in this post. It seems I have some inner work to do. Thank you for being so open with your inner life!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com