The Power of Awareness
I recently heard someone say that without awareness, one goes in circles. When I heard that said, it reminded me of a poem I read a number of years ago that illustrates that truth beautifully:
There’s a Hole in My Sidewalk
By Portia Nelson
Chapter One
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in. I am lost. I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.
Chapter Two
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I still don’t see it. I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in the same place.
It isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter Three
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it there. I still fall in.
It’s habit. It’s my fault. I know where I am.
I get out immediately.
Chapter Four
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the side walk.
I walk around it.
Chapter Five
I walk down a different street.
Every human born into the patriarchal story lives out their unconscious intergenerational patterns. In the Western world, Plato recognized the constructs of these patterns, but they weren’t named until 1919 when Carl Jung coined the term archetypes. This poem describes the path of self-discovery, and as it so poignantly illustrates, if there is not an awareness of the patterns, one falls into the same hole over and over again.
How does this happen? There are four archetypal patterns that serve survival consciousness: the Saboteur, the Victim, the Prostitute and the Child. Threads of all four of these insidious patterns have woven the human story for thousands of years. When we react to life experiences, we are reacting from archetypal patterns that have been unconsciously stored within us. We have unconsciously used these patterns to create a story, or stories, of what we want and what we don’t want, and then we want the events in our life to unfold according to our story. When it does, we feel good inside. When it doesn’t, we often feel victimized by life because life is not unfolding according to our story of what we think it should be. Two of our biggest concerns are that we are not going to get what we want or we are going to get what we don’t want.
Birth Your True Self
Now in 2023 there is more conscious awareness of archetypal patterns than there was even ten years ago. For example, most women I speak with are well aware of the Saboteur and have some understanding around how they sabotage themselves. For instance, they know that when they procrastinate they are sabotaging themselves. However, they may not be aware that when they use the word ‘try’, it is the Saboteur speaking and they are giving themselves permission to not be or do their best. They allowing themselves a way out of showing up and engaging fully in life. In its shadow expression, the Saboteur is challenged by change. It is most comfortable in the known. Does this sound familiar? One of humanity’s greatest fears is the unknown and that is why humans cling to the stories they know, even if they don’t serve their highest good.
With awareness, what is unconscious can be brought into the light to be seen, and then one can be accountable for how they think and feel, and then they are able to choose to walk down a different street. Awareness is the first step in birthing your true self.
If this post resonates with you and you would like to learn more about the Birth Your True Self process , I invite you to read my ebook, ‘Birth your True Self ‘ Weaving a Story Web of Love and Joy. If you are not not my mailing list, i invite you to sign up for my newsletter and receive a free copy of my ebook.
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