"I'm going to make this really hard for you today," my client Sarah declared as she slumped into the chair.
"Good. I'm up for it. What's happening?" I replied.
Out poured an angry, demoralised rail at the state of the world, her expectations for her life, health, wealth and God.
"I don't even know if I believe in any form of goodness anymore. Everything just feels fucked." I could see dejection in her eyes.
"How would it be if we gave these feelings a character and invited her to join us?" I suggested.
"OK."
We closed our eyes and invited this character in. We gave her a seat in the corner. Sarah saw an angry young punk girl flopped in the chair smoking. We welcomed her, reassured her we were here for her and wanted to listen to her. I invited Sarah to ask her punk girl if there was anything she needed? A few moments passed and Sarah began to cry. I sat with her and after a while she revealed "She told me'but I am your painter!'"
It dawned on Sarah that she had been shutting down her creativity and thinking she needed to be carving out a conventional career whilst her inner artist had been craving expression and growing more and more dejected.
Softness and sparkle emerged from Sarah as we continued to assimilate the realisation with some Psych-K.
Since our session Sarah has been painting with a fervour.
Gratitude and moving up the emotional scale can be very helpful tools but we don't always need to push away our negative apects. By opening a compassionate dialogue with these darker places we may discover gold.
It reminds me of Rumi's poem
The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honourably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
Meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.