Sometimes a part of us must die before another part can come
to life.
Sometimes a part of us must die before another part can come
to life. Even though this is a natural & necessary part of our growth, it
is often painful or, if we don’t realize what’s happening, confusing &
disorienting. In fact, confusion & disorientation are often the messengers
that tell us a shift is taking place within us. These shifts happen throughout
the lives of all humans, as we move from infancy to childhood to adolescence
& beyond. With each transition from one phase to another, we find ourselves
saying good-bye to an old friend, the identity that we formed in order to move
through that particular time.
Sometimes we form these identities in relationships or jobs
& when we shift those areas of our life become unsettled. Usually, if we
take the time to look into the changing surface of things, we will find that a
shift is taking place within us. For example, we may go through one whole
chapter of our lives creating a protective shell around ourselves because we
need it in order to heal from some early trauma. One day, though, we may find
ourselves feeling confined & restless, wanting to move outside the shelter
we needed for so long; the new part of ourselves cannot be born within the
confines of the shell our old self needed to survive.
We may feel a strange mixture of exhilaration & sadness
as we say good-bye to a part of ourselves that is dying & make way for a
whole new identity to emerge in its place. We may find inspiration in working
with the image of an animal who molts or sheds in order to make way for new
skin, fur, or feathers to emerge. For example, keeping a duck feather, or some other
symbol of transformation, can remind us that death & rebirth are simply
nature’s way of evolving. We can surrender to this process, letting go of our
past self with great love & gratitude, and welcoming the new with an open
mind & heart, ready for our next phase of life.
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