Forgotten Feelings: Self-growth and Self Acceptance
Posted by Hannah Braime on Mar 9, 2010 in Authentic Emotions, Blog | 3 comments‘How could we forget those ancient myths that stand at the beginning of all races – the myths about dragons that at the last moment are transformed into princesses. Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are only princesses waiting for us to act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something that wants our love.
So you must not be frightened if a sadness rises before you larger than any you’ve ever seen, if an anxiety like light and cloud shadows moves over your hands and everything that you do. You must realize that something has happened to you; that life has not forgotten you; it holds you in its hands and will not let you fall. Why do you want to shut out of your life any uneasiness, any miseries, or any depressions? For after all, you do not know what work these conditions are doing inside you.’
- Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet
How do you view your ‘negative’ feelings?
Are they acceptable? Are you comfortable with them?
We are what we are: the sum of all our parts. Feelings are not ‘good’ or ‘bad’, ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ – they are simply feelings.
Image: Pink Sherbet Photography
As my favorite philosopher once said: the heights of joy we are able to rise to, is visible in the depths of sorrow we are capable of bearing.
In other words, you can’t really have one without the other. When you drive away the negatives, you drive away the positives as well, and life becomes a kind of waking death.
Learning these lessons late in life has been a huge struggle, and an incredible gift.
Great post, Hannah.
Thank you.
You are really good at this Hannah!
In addition to reading I use songs to help me experience emotions associated with negative episodes in my life. This one by Tears for Fears speaks volumes to me: The dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1Nq086QB1Q
Thanks
Steve
Thanks for reminding me of that song Steve, it always struck me as very sad – like a kind of lament of the true self being stuck in a world of false selves.
Great quote Greg, it’s a tough lesson to learn but so totally worth it.
Thanks for the comments!