This sense of awakening is also found in the stirring of our souls in the counseling process. At first we find ourselves asleep—isolated from relationship, floundering in the darkness, unaware of our needs and desires, and separated from reality. In the midst of the thick cloud of uncertainty we hear a gentle voice, calling us out, over and over again. In the beginning, this voice blends with our dreams, becoming another part of our unconscious reality. But then, little by little, we begin to notice a difference. The voice becomes distinct and strangely enticing. We are tentative, nervous, and sometimes afraid of what that voice may be calling us to. We are disturbed, but we want to hear more. Eventually we begin to move towards it. Something draws us nearer to the voice, beckoning us forward. Desperately we want to hear the voice, and we want to understand the language that it speaks—the possibility of a new and conscious reality. This is the stirring of our souls to awaken.
As we awaken from the dark night of sleep, we do so slowly. Little by little pieces of ourselves that were disjointed begin to fold together. The fog that enveloped our minds is replaced with a growing sense of light and clarity. And the unconscious confusion disintegrates at the sound of the voice of hope--a voice that went from being an uninvited stranger to an intimate friend. We awaken to a sense of belonging, connectedness, meaning, and purpose.
For all of you who find yourselves in the dark night of sleep, I invite you to awaken to a new reality. As the rays of light peak through the darkness on this dawning of a New Year, may you find yourselves stirring and moving toward the morning of the soul. May you find a place and a people who can help you to awaken out of the dark night of trauma, abuse, depression, grief, and suffering, to a marvelous light.
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
--Ephesians 5:14
2 comments:
This was a beautiful piece to read and to consider. All the family experiences that we force ourselves to be in at this time of year exhaust and drain me. I'm sure that is the case for many. I tell my self every year that i won't do it again, but I subject myself to the same exhaustion and frustration. What can i do to not repeat this again next year? What am i missing? Is this an issue of boundaries? Thank you for this piece. It started me thinking.
Thanks for your comment. I appreciate your willingness to share openly in order to learn and grow. What you are doing by evaluating past experiences and seeking insight about future choices is an integral part of the change process. Asking the question, "what can I do to move out of the cycle?" is incredibly important one to ask. The answer is multi-faceted. Boundaries could be a very important part of making that change. Oftentimes, there is much more underneath the surface that explains why we haven't set boundaries, or why our boundaries have failed that gets more to the heart of the matter. So maybe you could begin by asking "what has kept me from setting boundaries?" and see what arises from asking that question. I hope this helps. . .Please continue the dialogue, it is always welcome.
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