"The basic work of health professionals in general, and of psychotherapists in particular, is to become full human beings and to inspire full human-beingness in other people who feel starved about their lives."
Yes! That is what we are doing at Naropa right now - becoming full human beings. Turning towards the stuff we may have repressed before. Accepting ourselves as we are and where we are. Feeling the tough stuff, the yucky stuff, the not so happy stuff. Looking deeper, finding more, feeling whatever comes up. Getting in touch with those feelings. Noticing what arises. Being mindful. Being curious..... And after we have gone through the process and have become full human beings, we can assist others in doing the same thing.
I agree Lea. It's one of the things that I value about this program--it really does give us a good venue to explore our shadow material which, of course, then lets us be more comfortable with ourselves and hold a bigger container for clients. I guess I should stop talking in the abstract third person, huh? I feel like looking at my own shadow stuff has been essential to allowing me to be present with people. In other words, to be a guide, you have to first go there yourself.
As Moon said, I think shadow work is especially powerful within the Naropa context and context of becoming a full human being. My most powerful and unaware judgments about people were based on my personal shadow, a part of me that I was taught not to possess, but still possessed by neglecting it. It was a very powerful process to be able to acknowledge that the judgments I was placing on other people were actually projections of a part of me that I didn't want to acknowledge. And because of that process, I was able to own that part, which consequently led to me feeling more open and compassionate towards people. The journey of recognizing the wholeness within ourselves and becoming comfortable with our full humanness is an essential and incredible journey that will open our hearts to others, which will provide a safe relationship for our clients to go through this process with us.
My understanding of Trungpa's statement is that the work of reaching full human-beingness and inspiring others to do the same, are two separate things. I do not believe that we need to become a full human being before we can assist others toward full human-beingness. Becoming a full human being can be a life long process, and should be considered as an end goal. I think we need to be actively engaging in our own personal process of becoming a full human being, before we attempt to help others in their personal process. I agree with Moon's statement, "...to be a guide you must first go there yourself". I believe that engaging in the personal work here at Naropa is crucial, and doing the personal work will improve our efficacy as health professionals. I also believe it is important to continue that work throughout our professional and personal lives.
I also agree that becoming a full human is a lifelong process, but is it necessarily an end goal? What happens when we reach it? I believe we can experience true wholeness or full human-beingness even if we still have work to do. It's the process, and the engagement with this process that brings about the full human experience.
Well said Lisa! Perhaps being a full human being is continuing to grow and learn, to practice compassion, open mindedness and mindfulness, and then to grow, learn and practice: again and again. Perhaps being a full human being, being truly whole can be touched into in an instant, and then slip back into the ineffable.
I agree Emily. I definitely think that it's a path and not a destination, if that makes sense. You work towards it--maybe you even touch it every now and then--but mostly what matters is the fact that it's a goal. At least that's how I think about it.
Thanks Lisa, I agree. Maybe I should have said once we have started our own process, we can help others as well. We do not become a full human being at any one point, it is a journey.
My first thought was, "That's why embodiment matters." For me, experience may not be the only teacher, but it seems to be the deepest. It feels like those things I've lived and processed come with me into the counseling moment (well, actually, all moments). I know I feel this in others - I'm inspired and believe in folks who have come through alot and still show a tender heart. I think about that quite a bit as I move through this time of counselor-in-emergence. By the way, this is Catherine Owens; I have no idea why Sister Regina Immaculate shows up as my name, and I am a tech moron so I can't figure out how to change it. I did have a nun-stage, though.
This is a message that I live by (and explain to my family when they ask me why I’m changing so much). I am deeply participatory in my journey to wholeness and know that my hard work will become the foundation for my capacity to help others. It is not a selfish endeavor to take time to seek fullness (as some in the consensus trance might believe) rather, it is selfless. This quest requires courage, compassion, honesty, trust in the process, and non-attachment to old self constructs. What better way to model healing behavior to clients than to do the work ourselves?
Yes! That is what we are doing at Naropa right now - becoming full human beings. Turning towards the stuff we may have repressed before. Accepting ourselves as we are and where we are. Feeling the tough stuff, the yucky stuff, the not so happy stuff. Looking deeper, finding more, feeling whatever comes up. Getting in touch with those feelings. Noticing what arises. Being mindful. Being curious.....
ReplyDeleteAnd after we have gone through the process and have become full human beings, we can assist others in doing the same thing.
I agree Lea. It's one of the things that I value about this program--it really does give us a good venue to explore our shadow material which, of course, then lets us be more comfortable with ourselves and hold a bigger container for clients. I guess I should stop talking in the abstract third person, huh? I feel like looking at my own shadow stuff has been essential to allowing me to be present with people. In other words, to be a guide, you have to first go there yourself.
ReplyDeleteAs Moon said, I think shadow work is especially powerful within the Naropa context and context of becoming a full human being. My most powerful and unaware judgments about people were based on my personal shadow, a part of me that I was taught not to possess, but still possessed by neglecting it. It was a very powerful process to be able to acknowledge that the judgments I was placing on other people were actually projections of a part of me that I didn't want to acknowledge. And because of that process, I was able to own that part, which consequently led to me feeling more open and compassionate towards people. The journey of recognizing the wholeness within ourselves and becoming comfortable with our full humanness is an essential and incredible journey that will open our hearts to others, which will provide a safe relationship for our clients to go through this process with us.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding of Trungpa's statement is that the work of reaching full human-beingness and inspiring others to do the same, are two separate things. I do not believe that we need to become a full human being before we can assist others toward full human-beingness. Becoming a full human being can be a life long process, and should be considered as an end goal. I think we need to be actively engaging in our own personal process of becoming a full human being, before we attempt to help others in their personal process. I agree with Moon's statement, "...to be a guide you must first go there yourself". I believe that engaging in the personal work here at Naropa is crucial, and doing the personal work will improve our efficacy as health professionals. I also believe it is important to continue that work throughout our professional and personal lives.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that becoming a full human is a lifelong process, but is it necessarily an end goal? What happens when we reach it? I believe we can experience true wholeness or full human-beingness even if we still have work to do. It's the process, and the engagement with this process that brings about the full human experience.
DeleteWell said Lisa! Perhaps being a full human being is continuing to grow and learn, to practice compassion, open mindedness and mindfulness, and then to grow, learn and practice: again and again. Perhaps being a full human being, being truly whole can be touched into in an instant, and then slip back into the ineffable.
ReplyDeleteI agree Emily. I definitely think that it's a path and not a destination, if that makes sense. You work towards it--maybe you even touch it every now and then--but mostly what matters is the fact that it's a goal. At least that's how I think about it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa, I agree. Maybe I should have said once we have started our own process, we can help others as well. We do not become a full human being at any one point, it is a journey.
ReplyDeleteMy first thought was, "That's why embodiment matters." For me, experience may not be the only teacher, but it seems to be the deepest. It feels like those things I've lived and processed come with me into the counseling moment (well, actually, all moments). I know I feel this in others - I'm inspired and believe in folks who have come through alot and still show a tender heart. I think about that quite a bit as I move through this time of counselor-in-emergence. By the way, this is Catherine Owens; I have no idea why Sister Regina Immaculate shows up as my name, and I am a tech moron so I can't figure out how to change it. I did have a nun-stage, though.
ReplyDeleteThis is a message that I live by (and explain to my family when they ask me why I’m changing so much). I am deeply participatory in my journey to wholeness and know that my hard work will become the foundation for my capacity to help others. It is not a selfish endeavor to take time to seek fullness (as some in the consensus trance might believe) rather, it is selfless. This quest requires courage, compassion, honesty, trust in the process, and non-attachment to old self constructs. What better way to model healing behavior to clients than to do the work ourselves?
ReplyDelete