I recently responded to a post by a fellow Soul counselor whom I don’t know. The post was in response to the 2nd part of an audio conversation of Tami Simon and Ken Wilber on the Sounds True site.
1. Comment by Jo-Ann Triner — December 8, 2009 @ 8:25 pm
Thank You! I am fascinated and thrilled by this integrative process, yet come away from it with many unanswered questions.
For example, an individual may have a high anxiety that is his so-called “monster”. Putting Mr. High Anxiety in the chair and taking a look will not result in the dissipation of that anxiety. So where is the transformation?
As you say, introspection isn’t enough. To be conscious of this problem is not enough. Meditation is not enough. A person may be keenly aware and acutely conscious, yet unable to overcome it.
Such practices may bring us to the tipping point of transformation, but what actually effects it in your opinion?
I understand the 1-2-3 process, but it seems to fall short of true transformation. It merely objectifies our shadows, or so it seems.
Thank you Ken and Tami. Hopefully we will hear more from you on this important work.
In deepest appreciation!
2. Comment by Adam Gainsburg — December 10, 2009 @ 10:33 am
Greatly appreciate your question Jo-Ann; it’s one i’ve been intensely focused on for many years as a counselor.
For what it’s worth, my current understanding is that what pushes us past that tipping point into actual transformation (whatever that looks like and wherever it occurs within the person’s body/mind environment) is the cellular recognition, or vague sense, or even subconscious a-ha that the old way doesn’t work anymore, that the familiar path is now boring, that there’s no juice or evolutionary orgasm-potential. “The Divine Juice has left the building.”
Developmentally, I see this as the ego’s prior need to perpetrate its inexhaustible thirst for safety has become 51% or more extinguished, used up. So naturally there will be more space in precisely those places in the body/mind which formerly housed egoic beliefs and systems of reaction.
In my practice with clients, I’ve greatly benefitted from Ken’s emphasis on the need for authentic post-postmodern shadow work. Lots of material available from Ken and others on their sites. Maybe integrallife.com would be where to start?
Just as the shadow in this context is referencing a whole dimension of self (albeit a thoroughly rejected one), there are large numbers of techniques and expressive exercises which are just waiting for each of us to discover, in that harrowing and intensely-refreshing way that only our shadow offers.
Great blessings!
