17 Sep Not Afraid of Anything Inside
“You’re still angry with your father,” I say.
“I don’t think that will ever go away.”
“It has to, if you want to become free.”
Many people are afraid of what’s inside them. They’re afraid of silence, of being alone. Afraid of an unscheduled moment with nothing to do. If it gets too quiet, they’re stuck with the contents of their own minds. Mostly, even though they don’t consciously know it, they’re afraid of the buried feelings inside they have never dealt with.
When you have hidden stuff inside such as still being angry with your father, it may surface when something occurs reminiscent of the original trauma, such as arguing with your lover. You find yourself responding in a much bigger way than the current situation warrants because you are reacting to historical injury rather than to what’s happening in the present.
One of the goals of psychotherapy is to clear all unresolved trauma out of the mind and body (although mainstream psychology does not know about this goal or possibility). In sessions, we work to clear thoughts, beliefs, energy patterns in the body, breathing, blockages and stuck places by the use of empathy, witnessing and being witnessed, counseling techniques, and by the client being in the presence of someone who has cleared her past and the inner silence that ensues.
Once you know it’s possible to not be afraid of anything inside of you any more, wouldn’t you want the freedom it offers? Imagine the places inside where you are no longer afraid to go, the conversations you’ll no longer be anxious to have. A great deal of self confidence comes from knowing there’s no longer anything shocking, shameful, horrible, or embarrassing to discover inside – it’s all been dealt with.
Working through your hidden feelings is a significant investment in time and money. It’s a tough road, but worth every bit of effort. Ignoring the hidden feelings won’t work, thinking positively won’t do it, pretending it’s not there, nor just talking or thinking about them without actually clearing them out of your mind, body and energy field. This is how many addictive behaviors are born.
Once you are free and clear, life will still bring challenges, but you will be able to handle them in the present rather than from a place entangled in the past. How long will it take? That depends on how difficult your early years were and how dedicated you are to resolution. You can make it though. It is possible for you to not be afraid of anything inside any more.
© 2014 Catherine Auman This article is an excerpt from Catherine’s book Shortcuts to Mindfulness: 100 Ways to Personal and Spiritual Growth
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