•  
Support crystalwind.ca with your donation and help spread spirituality and positivity. Blessings!

This article was posted by CrystalWind.ca

A+ A A-

The shadow twin of courage

The shadow twin of courage

What I’m learning more and more along the spiritual path is that nothing exists, or indeed can exist, in isolation; everything has its complement. So when you open to something intentionally, you need to be aware that you’re also inviting in something else that you may not be aware of, or quite so willing to embrace!

At the beginning of this year, I made a choice to open to courage, to taking risks and refusing to play small. Immediately the opportunities for expansion into this intention arrived. I was offered a fantastic role in a brilliant play, as a character which would stretch me into exploring areas I just don’t go in my own personality. The hospice where I work as a healer decided to do a sponsored zipwire at the longest and highest facility in Europe. As the very idea terrified me, and the photos did nothing to assuage the fear, I knew I had to sign up. Great, bravery here I come!

And then the universe calmly turned over the bright courage card to show me what was written on the back. One word; vulnerability. I went down with a horrible flu virus that kept me in bed for a week, and feeling devastatingly low on energy for about a month. I hadn’t been that ill for 15 years and it was a shock to feel so weak and low. I remember one night venturing to our downstairs bathroom and having to sit down on the floor to avoid passing out.

I had to drop out of the zipwire fundraiser as I simply wasn’t strong enough to make the journey up to the site let alone fling myself down the mountain. I absolutely hate letting people down and not following through on commitments but there was nothing I could do about it. I hated feeling that I had failed to live up to my promises to other people.

At home, I couldn’t cook for several days or clean the house for a number of weeks. My usual efficient house-keeping in which I take pride went out the window. When I was well enough to see clients, but before I had the energy to clean, I had momentary pangs of worry about them spotting the dust and dog hair collecting in the corners of the room and quietly tut-tutting in their heads!

Four out of the small cast of five in my play were blasted by the same flu virus, along with the director and the backstage crew, and we had to miss a full week of rehearsal even though we were getting critically close to performance time. Even when we were back in the theatre I was foggy-brained, not able to focus properly, and extremely tired after a couple of hours of work. Some props and costumes were added in at the last minute as everyone had been too ill to get them organised earlier, and I can honestly say that I’d never felt so unprepared for an opening night in all my performing life. I’m normally absolutely solid on lines and know exactly what I’m doing, but this time? I wasn’t even sure I’d remember all the lines! I felt so exposed and vulnerable in what is usually a sphere of confidence for me (aside from the obvious on-stage nerves that I always experience).

Needless to say, everything went ahead anyway and it was all ok. The zipwire group raised a fantastic amount for the hospice without me and totally understood my absence, the play was a triumph and we received rave reviews, and my clients didn’t bat an eye as they walked through the untidy kitchen to my healing room.

A week after the play was over and I was finally feeling back to full strength, a friend posted about the newly released documentary with Brene Brown on Netflix – The Call to Courage. As I watched, I realised with increasing “aha-ness” that the universe had, as always, set up the perfect teaching for what I’d just been through. Courage and vulnerability are two sides of the same coin, she says in her brilliant talk, and you absolutely can’t do one without being open to the other. By issuing an invitation to courage and risk-taking, I had also (if less knowingly and willingly) set a place for vulnerability at my table.

If you want to step into the big courageous You, it’s a certainty that you’ll first have to welcome the small and vulnerable (and far less popular) you. There really is no other way, because the unrecognised shadow is also where your power is hidden. As Leonard Cohen sang, that crack is how the light gets in.

Semele Xerri is a psychic intuitive Tarot reader, spiritual healer and teacher, and Reiki Master Teacher. To find out more about her and her services, go to her Welcome page.
Credit: here

Pin It

© CrystalWind.ca 2024. All content (articles, imagery, fair use) & design protected. Written permission required for copying. All rights reserved.

Join the Conversation Now! Comment Below! arrow down small 11

CrystalWind.ca is free to use because of donations from people like you. Please help support us! 
Blessings!

Follow this blog

Spirit Animal Totem Of The Day!

CrystalWind.ca is free to use because of
donations from people like you.
Donate Now »

CrystalWind.ca Donation!

Unlock Your Light: Join Lightworkers Worldwide on CrystalWind.ca!

 

 

Follow Us!

 

Who is Online Now

We have 34101 guests and no members online

Featured This Month

Page:

Sweet Violet

Sweet Violet

Sweet Violet Read more

The Vine: September 2nd - September 29th

The Vine: September 2nd - September 29th

The Autumnal Equinox ( Alban Elfed ) Celtic Symbol : The White Swan Read more

Mabon Magic: Ideas For Fall Decoration And R…

Mabon Magic: Ideas For Fall Decoration And Ritual

Welcome (almost!) to Fall! We’re turning the Great Wheel once again, toward ... Read more

Birth Totem - Bear

Birth Totem - Bear

Birth Totem Bear Birth dates: August 22 - September 22 Birth Totem is: Bea... Read more

Sun in Virgo

Sun in Virgo

An Overview of Sun Sign Characteristics for Virgo The ruler of Virgo is Mer... Read more

Watermelon Tourmaline

Watermelon Tourmaline

Synonym: Rainbow Tourmaline The watermelon tourmaline is a rare variety tha... Read more

Virgo

Virgo

VIRGO Aug 23 - Sept 22 Spirit: To follow opportunity and serve Ego: Analyti... Read more

Mabon

Mabon

Mabon Ritual Celebrated on the Autumn Equinox, around September 21-23 each y... Read more

Amazonite

Amazonite

The Stone of Perfect Expression The colour of amazonite aligns to the heart a... Read more

Mabon Modern Style

Mabon Modern Style

The Mabon season begins somewhere around the 21st-22nd of September and cont... Read more

Peridot: The Healer's Stone

Peridot: The Healer's Stone

Peridot has been used as a Power Stone for centuries. Peridot fosters emotio... Read more

Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon

Brown Bear – Amethyst – Violet – Purple August 23 to September 22... Read more

Sapphire

Sapphire

The Self - Sufficiency Stone Sapphire has a calming and regulating effect o... Read more

Virgo's Featured Stone - Sugilite

Virgo's Featured Stone - Sugilite

Sugilite Birthstone: Virgo Planet: Mercury Element: Earth Chakra: Crown ... Read more

Virgo Mythology

Virgo Mythology

The Virgo Myth In all of constellation mythology, few legends are as misund... Read more

© 2008-2024 CrystalWind.ca. All rights reserved. Site Creation by CrystalWind.ca.
Web Hosting by Knownhost.com

 

 

X

Right Click

No right click