Pitfalls of the Spiritual Path: The Lion and the Dove

There are many flavors of being, different aspects of the self that want expression. The wise one , the warrior, the hero, the shadow, the inner child, the inner parent, the mother, the spouse, the spiritual teacher, the adventurer, the bold one, the compassionate one, the lover, the magician...

We may have an inner Buddha, with its bigger picture wisdom. An inner mother, with her kindness and compassion. But there are also more fiery aspects, such as the inner warrior or the inner hero, who thrive on the boldness of the quest.

For wholeness all aspects of the self need to express and be integrated. You cannot repress your aspects. It always results in illness or projection. That is, you hold it in and go off balance, or you start seeing it outside of yourself and you fight with it. Jung called this Shadow Boxing.

We all do this to some degree and part of the journey of growth is to make this process conscious. And as part of this we also need to become aware of the belief systems within the spirituality that we embrace, which encourage one mode of expression and frown on another. As what our spiritual framework frowns upon, we will tend to repress. However, we need all the flavors for a balanced psyche soup.

In the old days it was considered not ok to be sexual and spiritual at the same time. Or to be wealthy and spiritual. People took vows of chastity and poverty when they took their religious commitment vows. Some still do. And, deeper conspiracies aside, we can all see what this has done in manifesting sexual abuse and pedophilia within the old models of church. Repression always seeks expression. And what is repressed, if not worked on in an integrated way, most often ends up acted out.

In the new age spirituality, there is a great emphasis on only the soft archetypes. The loving one, the compassionate one, the mother, the Buddha, the healer, the teacher, the nurturer. But the new spirituality disowns two fundamental groups of aspects. The Aspects that have to do with Power. Warrior style power. And the Aspects to do with Truth, no matter how negative.

This leaves these stronger aspects censored, who then fester below the surface, seeking expression, forgetting that sometimes even a bit of poison can be a cure. Its all in the dosage. While we don't need to be running around fighting with everybody, a touch of warrior does wonders for one's boundaries. True power does not even need to fight. People just don't dare to cross that line when they smell true power. Its ultimately a knowing of presence within one's own mind.

Many new age people however are taught to disown power. As a result many therefore become sweetsy sweet, always smile, never complain, always seek to be positive, even when it hurts, and do not say no when they should. They disown their power and allow for others to hurt them in the name of spiritual goals, not understanding that there is nothing spiritual in allowing bullies to run the show.

Others instead become the thought police, running around all day telling others not to be negative, or fearful or to not focus on bad stuff, reprimanding them for being not loving enough or fearful. And whenever anybody around them embraces power/truth aspects, they attempt to silence them. Its the way in which they reinforce within themselves the teachings they have embraced as true, which however shut part of their own energy down. They will not allow you to say the emperor has no clothes, just in case their own power aspects may pop out, unbridled, which can be a scary thing. Many people in the new spirituality seem to take on this role.

Furthermore, astrology teaches us that there is an innate signature to each being. We are not all the same. We are of the same substance, yes, but we do not all hold the same dominant quality of expression within our vibrational patterns. As as Souls we are here on different journeys with different intent and purpose. And as Souls we choose different personality vehicles for the manifestation of that different purpose and journey.

So if someone incarnated with a strong Pluto in their chart and has a dominant power/warrior aspect, they have to be true to that quality. They need to not repress it, but express it in its highest form...power with love instead of power over. Power in service to a higher mission, instead of at service to the ego. However they will still have to do power, because that is what they are here to do. For a Pluto person to be all soft is the same as a Lion trying to be a Dove. Doves are great, but Lion's don't pull off a good impression of them. They are meant to be Lions and only being a Lion will do.

We need to let our Lions be Lions and teach them to be healthy Lions, instead of asking them to always purr.We all have different purposes within the bigger puzzle. And some Souls were meant to do power and warriorship. And they get a ton of opposition in the current new spirituality paradigm, that wants then to always speak softly and not roar.

It is important as we go forward spiritually, that we find expression for all parts and that we understand who we are and our calling. And that then we find ways to express that calling, our signature expression, in its highest way. People with strong power signatures, the spiritual warriors of this world, need to find ways to express that power in its pure form, which is done without harming others, but learning how to stand ground. As guardians of truth. Protectors with love. And trailblazers on the risky path. So they may create the safe container in which the Doves can sing their song.

Embrace the power within and honor both the Lion and the Dove within you, as well as without. Embrace the wholeness of your being and find a way to find the highest expression for all the qualities your hold within, even the ones that pack a little punch. And allow others to do the same.Remember that we need all the colors to make a good rainbow.


Much love and happy trails



Katie


Copyright 2011. Katie Gallanti. www.reclaimingthelight.com.com ; http://cosmicperspectives.blogspot.com. All rights reserved. Feel free however to share this link as you wish, in its entierty and with authors name and website links included.