Our wounds can play a big role in what aspects of ourselves get delegated to the land of shadow. As we go deeper and deeper in this exploration, it is expected that we will encounter wounds (old or new) that trigger reactions. This is natural, and coming in contact with these pain points is not a sign of weakness or failure. It is also very possible that we have been unconsciously aware of our wounds this whole time, and actively attempting to remedy them or cover them up. This can look like avoiding things that we know will irritate them, covering up our true feelings about them, or minimizing their impact on us.
“Imagine that you have a thorn in your arm that directly touches a nerve. When the thorn is touched, it’s very painful. Because it hurts so much, the thorn is a serious problem. It’s difficult to sleep because you roll over on it. It’s hard to get close to people because they might touch it. It makes your daily life very difficult. You can’t even go for a walk in the woods because you might brush the thorn against the branches. This thorn is a constant source of disturbance, and to solve the problem you have two choices.”
❂ Draw A Card Prompt: What is a wound that may be activated as I do this work?