In the last post we saw how the reintegration of the subpersonalities within our fractured psyche is the path to psychological and spiritual healing. Yeshua ate with the diverse outcasts of His day: similarly we are to learn to embrace these broken parts of our psyches and welcome them Home.
How are we to practically do this?
Once a subpersonality is identified by observation, we can start a dialogue with it. Ideally this is done in the presence of an authentic unifying centre.
What or who is such a centre?
When the initial fragmentation of the developing psyche took place it was in response to the withdrawal of unconditional Love by a parent or significant ‘other’. If this Love had not been withdrawn then the parental figure would have fulfilled the role of an authentic unifying centre; a role that is vital for the health development of the young psyche. Unconditional Love maintains the unity of the psyche despite the pressures that it faces.
In the healing of the adult, but subpersonality – ridden, psyche such an authentic unifying centre proves vital, replaying the initial role of the adult’s parent.
Who can operate as a unifying centre?
In theory anyone who operates out of unconditional Love. Practically speaking though an experienced therapist or counsellor may be the first one to participate in the role of a ‘healing parent’.
The safety of unconditional Love enables the previously hidden and fearful subpersonality to emerge from the Shadows of our unconscious. Such love enables the little one to express its energy and pain, the core of its character and its reason detre.
How can this subpersonality manifest?
I believe such a subpersonality screams out for recognition. Prior to the Presence of unconditional Love its manifestation was that of a wounded animal, always wary of danger and further rejection, ready to attack in defense before scurrying off back into the Shadows of our pain.
In the Presence of unconditional Love, the subpersonality comes out of hiding and expresses its nature through emotion, bodily sensations and often visualisation. Under the guidance of a trained therapist the history of the survival personality can be brought into the Light without any fear of rejection. Like the gushing of a new oil well, the healing of such a survival personality can be dramatic and almost instantaneous.
Once the pressure cooker of buried emotion is released the subpersonality is ready to take its place around the psyche’s table with all its healed compatriots.
Who is to host such a meal for the soul?
The answer to that comes in the next post.