Gifting Words and Healing Through Symbols
I desire to give my gifts because they are the result of gifts having been given to me.
I open myself to the world and step into trusting vulnerability through my writing for two main reasons. One, writing is a process by which I am able to construct a framework of understanding in order to better grasp and integrate my experiences. Much of my life does not fit into the ‘default world’ box as defined by our culture. Experiencing the extra-ordinary can often leave me feeling more isolated and alone when there is no community with which to share and acknowledge the validity of such occurrences. This is the second reason for my willingness to share as honestly and openly as I can through writing. Through sharing, if another person is able to resonate with my own experience, if they are able to receive a piece to their emerging story, then I am happy to give back in this way. Words are some of the most powerful and transformative gifts I have ever received.
Writing creates an external ‘mirror’ to reflect truths back to me as particular combinations of symbols (words) spark various reactions within. It is these reactions (often emotional or contemplative) that can guide me deeper into uncovering hidden wounds and passions.
The Gift of the Word
The emotional state fluctuations that accompany my writing process also occurs when I read works compiled by other individuals. Because written words are disconnected from an author’s cues that support spoken word (i.e. tone, body language, etc.) there is often more opportunity for miscommunication and alternative interpretations on the receiving end. I do believe that there is a subtle invocation of emotional intention present in the written word – I experience this when tears are shared between writer and reader across the span of time ‘separating’ them. It is because of this ‘author-word’ disconnection that I strive to communicate in as clear and concise a manner as possible.
This written word miscommunication curse also contains a gift. Because the written word is disconnected (in a sense) from the author’s ability to ‘read into’ a present moment interaction with another being, the symbols on a page are open to the readers’ personal definitions, projections and interpretations. Perhaps the reactions we have to what we read are more pure representations of our own inner landscape, psyche, and narrative.
Navigating the Mental Filters
Our brains are constantly filtering information coming in through our senses and we are consciously aware of an extremely small percentage of the totality of our perceptions. What does enter our awareness is then “passed through” our present mental associations and we can then experience a reaction to our external world. Observing a young couple in love, laying in the park on a sunny day fills me with joy, happiness, and love. Another individual could observe the same interaction and experience pain or a feeling of loss, if their associations to that image are more strongly linked to a past experience of hurt. Reading the words I write can spark a multitude of different responses to various combinations of symbols depending on who is reading. The reader becomes a participant to the process of writing. An observer is just as important as the observed, for it is the observer who implants their own subjective meaning.
Healing Through Triggers
When we respond to a particular ‘trigger’ – be it a combination of words or witnessing a particular behaviour – with an emotional reaction, can we turn that trigger into a gift? Our reactions bring the light of awareness to the shadows of our past wounds. What is the difference between my reaction of anger to a particular behaviour and another’s reaction of compassion to the same experience? The emotions that tempt us into closing ourselves to the flow of life, or those associated to ‘negativity’, are teachers that show us where we are wounded. Embedded under cynicism is a wounded idealist. Buried under greed is an existential wanting for connection. Cloaked beneath jealousy is a loss of love. Integrating this understanding not only helps me with my own healing process, it provides me with the groundwork for a compassionate understanding toward individuals experiencing such emotional exposure.
Healing these past wounds do not necessarily require us to specifically identify the ‘when’s and where’s’ of our woundings, although the opportunity to do so can greatly accelerate the healing process. All that is required is full awareness to our present experience, an observation without identification or attachment. It is an understanding that this too, shall pass and that at my core, I am the silent, inner stillness that observes the constant change of life within and without me. The waves continue to rise and fall throughout our day, we simply learn to let go of the shore and play with them.
On the flip side, our positive and heart-opening responses can serve as guides along our life path. I feel as though they are indications of being ‘on track’. Learning to follow and trust my excitement has empowered and guided me into a more open and fulfilling expression of my gifts. Allowing my inner excitement and inspiration to direct my passions reconnects me to what I love and reminds me of the pure, innocent joy that accompanies the play of life. As I observe, reflect, and adjust my experiences openly and freely, I am able to heal where I am wounded and create more of what I love.
I desire to give my gifts because they are the result of gifts having been given to me.
Namaste,
Skye