Woman and Child First

Shadow In All Of Us

Not all of counselling and therapy is about feeling good about yourself.

Sometimes you have to look at the dark spots within, the things you'd like to keep secret and hidden. The things that only you have responsibility over. Once taken, such voluntary ownership can set a good woman (oh and man too!) free. Once taken, such responsibility can make you all grow-ed up.

The Shadow Self.

Carl Baby Jung coined the term.Shadow is not the pretty social face we put on, but the real crappy stuff that once owned and accepted, can make us fully and wholly integrated human beans.

Dealings of the shadow self are difficult at the beginning. Please note the "beginning" may comprise 3 decades of complete denial.  But after that, it's all good. Such dealings can lead to very-ok experiences of acceptance, release and then freedom. Drugs? I don't think so! Gimme the dark stuff lassie!

Photo from Color Me Katie's art project on shadows here.

Dreamings From Bluecray

Motorcycles, Music and Wisdom in the Land

I dreamt of a billabong, still water clear
a tiny brown platypus sitting so near
hidden by reeds and tall growing sedge
I watched him dive freely away from his ledge.
As he entered the waters all bubbles and glee
I became that dear platypus and he became me
Then waking quite quickly, a smile in my mind
I “knew” what it meant to be one of his kind
A blessing a story a picture a song
this vision stays with me
tho’ the dream is long gone.

Thanks to al @ bluecray for this sweet interlude!

Not Everyone's Obsessed With Their Darling Money

You are looking at a picture of a man who, instead of giving his ancestral land over to a French mining company so they could mine billions of dollars worth of uranium, has given it to the Federal government so it can become part of Kakadu national park.

Described as "extremely shy and humble", Jeffrey Lee is senior custodian of the Kongarra land. He may well have become one of Australia's richest men but he chose something filled with heart, soul and a billion dollars worth of responsibility.

He's decided to look after the land instead. 

''Jeffrey Lee has put country and culture ahead of personal profit and his vision means this magnificent place will be protected for all people and all time''  - Dave Sweeney (Aust. Conservation Foundation).

Full story here.

The Stuff of Dreams

          

            The center that I cannot find is known to my unconscious mind.

W.H. Auden

  I enjoy working with people's dreams. Whenever they appear in a session, they always present rich inner material for that person. Dream dictionaries are never used in my office. (They can be helpful but they are limited).

 The main reference point, or interpretation base is that person. I simply ask the guiding questions. What is that related to in your waking life? What do you really feel about the person in your dream? What do you feel the dream is about? And etc.

I kept a dream diary myself over many years, the style of writing still intrigues, delights and yes - informs. It still reminds me of how completely insane I am...Oh but in a good way.

 A dream diary holds a personal history that can be helpful down the track as well as the morning after your dream. What are your dreams telling you at the moment?

Women Get Stronger As They Get Older But Sometimes They Can Just Get Weird

Take my mother for example...

But then there's this: It's said by some (see Christiane Northrup), that the perimenopausal years (those that come just before the menopause itself) are ones in which a woman's sense of herself, the truth as she knows it and what needs to happen, come into a sharper focus.

At these ages, many women have spent the majority of their adult lives looking after other people. Those "others" may be their own children, their parents, husbands and a host of others too. They are used to being nice, nice and nicey nice to others and generally being fan - frikking - tastic on everyone else's behalf. 

Oh, but however. At this age, many women start to say things like, "Do it yourself".

Or "Go away".

Or "Gee you know, I don't like you anymore after all".

Etc.

I have no doubt these facts contribute to the weaker members of the male gender running for the nearest under 30's bar/porn site/bloke's bonding area (that would be the pub).

But there are others. Real men who have a good strong spine, a big heart and a twinkle in their eye. They can stay the distance. The strongest who can gently point out where a woman might have stepped over the mark but they love her and snuggle her at the end of that difficult conversation. 

So then it goes like this...That good strong women must necessarily be with good strong men.

Photo of a bunch of suffragette Japanese women having a few things to point out - found here.

Buddha's Brain

Rick Hanson's book has a lovely slant on the new brain science and it's a Buddhist one - a great read from a therapist's point of view.

I have a great respect for Buddhism, mainly because it's teachings are so complimentary to a peaceful life and therefore helpful in my office and also my head.The absense of a rigid religious grasp (think stranglehold) on life is continually refreshing as well.

While I've never waved any particular banner in therapy, I like this book and where the philosophy comes from. There's some great techniques which lend themselves beautifully to getting the brain to behave itself and be a happy chappy more often.

Good science, good spirit. Buddha's Brain is a timely publication in the area of raising happiness levels whilst being scientific and spiritual (Buddhist) at the same time.

A New Lease on Life

At first, I'm talking about the revival of Woman and Child, this blog. It's been underground for sometime now and I'm bringing it back for a new lease of life.

I'm also talking about how often we all need to resurrect our own lives after some loss or "death". It's happens over and over and throughout all the years. The death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, marriage or friendship, the loss of a home or job: dashed hopes, lost dreams.

The good news? That for all the pain of loss, the self doubt and the hurt, there is after midnight, after dawn...the new day. There is never only death. It is always, always followed by new birth.

So here's to the reborn Woman and Child First - one of my great loves has been re-ignited! And here's to the nature of life - beginnings always follow endings.

Please enjoy. I know I will.

Photo from Wit of the Staircase- of course.