For the past few weeks I have been reading , “The Untethered Soul”, by Michael A. Singer, New Harbinger Publications, Inc., and recommending this book to friends, family, and clients. You may even be one of them:). For me, this book is to be read slowly, digested even more slowly, and absorbed. Yes, I am loving it and loving the small group with whom I have the privilege of discussing it weekly.
As I began to read today, I only reached the second paragraph of chapter 9 (page 81) when I sat back knowing this metaphor is for everyone and I must share it! And, Yes, including in these Covid times. The Chapter, “Removing Your Inner Thorn”, begins with the familiar, “in order to grow, you must give up the struggle to remain the same, and learn to embrace change……”. Same old, same old. But then came the metaphor:
“Imagine that you have a thorn in your arm that directly touches a nerve. When the thorn is touched, it’s very painful. Because it hurts so much, the thorn is a serious problem. It’s difficult to sleep because you roll over on it. It’s hard to get close to people because they might touch it. It makes your daily life very difficult. You can’t even go for a walk in the woods because you might brush the thorn against the branches. This thorn is a constant source of disturbance, and to solve the problem, you only have two choices”. (page 81).
To paraphrase those two choices offered by the author: You can adapt your entire life to making sure nothing touches this thorn which may include thinning the branches along your [life] path so you can walk, finding a bed in which you can sleep, building an apparatus you can wear to protect you from hugging and other activities of daily life, and certainly not letting any one close enough to touch you. You must build your whole life around protecting yourself and this thorn which is running every aspect of your life. (Are you picking up the metaphor yet?…..Think fear, phobia, anxiety, stressor).
Or, since this thorn is, “so disturbing when things touch the thorn, you need to take it out”, (page 82). This “core-level, structural decision….will determine the course of the rest of your life”.
Is your fear, habit, loneliness, phobia, anxiety, stressor causing you pain and disturbance in all aspects of your life? Are you “walking around with lots of thorns touching right against the most sensitive parts of [your] heart? [Knowing] at any moment something can touch them and cause pain inside”? (page 83).
Taking control of YOUR thorn, your emotions, and identifying the root of this thorn is within your reach. Learn to manage the reason YOUR thorn exists, AND its manifestations. Taking control of your thorn is an approachable, active process that simply requires determination and a bit of help.
Let’s explore the power of Healing Waters HypnoFusion, Life Coaching, and Wellness to eliminate your thorn!
Bev@HealingWatersSolutions.com