Peter Levine one said that what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness can end up being trauma. We are social creates and need to belong to a group, to be seen, heard or fully witnessed. Even in silent this conscious presence holds validating and healing qualities.
Being held in the presence of an empathetic witness is a valuable experience, more than money can buy. It can save us from unhappy relationships that go on for years without thriving, it can save us a lot of cash otherwise spent on numbing us out or stimulating us to distract us from uncomfortable feelings.
For the unpracticed, looking inward seems a thwarted attempt to see meaning in a barren space.
But with an experienced guide and an optimal environment, new sprouts will certainly grow each time you look in. One can build a language for one’s inner landscape and become not only familiar, but friendly and curious about it.
Whether we use mindfulness, meditation, movement or other forms of enquiry, our inner landscape becomes a more dynamic place the more often we look in.
My experience of holding space for others in all types of situations, is that looking inward is challenging and we need to use the most comfortable methods available. Comfort, curiosity and willingness are key.
A desert today can be a forest in an instant. That is the power of the mind-body. Deep mysteries can reveal themselves and we stand in awe at what is possible for our inner life to thrive, and how well we managed during the drought.