Lost in the mists of time are legends of dragon-slaying,
dragon-slayers and fire-breathing creatures of magic and awe. Myths of monsters
and men are deeply entwined in cultures and histories around the globe.
Although we may now feel that such days are behind us, it seems that the
dragons are alive and well, living in the recesses within, snouts steaming and
wings outstretched ready to soar...
During this time of continued inner unrest there is an
increased awareness of the ‘monsters’ within; the monster in the wardrobe lurks
ominously in the corner and even though we intuitively know that fear feeds it,
we still tend to do everything within our power to avoid getting too close or
to face that fear head on.
As a result, by avoiding the fear and trying instead to keep
on keeping on, we create a kind of mental dungeon which stops us from feeling
connected and unified with the universal whole. Our vision becomes narrow and it
is hard to see the wood for the trees (or the wardrobe) in terms of the bigger
picture of our lives. Instead of seeing solutions and resolutions, we see
challenges and mental paralysis.
Of course, for many it is easy to cling to the sinking ship
of what we know, as the familiar can somehow feel reassuring regardless of how
life affirming it actually is. At the same time, when we gaze into the water
below, it is understandable to have doubts as to whether or not it is safer to
stay on board or to leap free into the unknown depths.
Whilst we all know that the monster in the wardrobe is a
representation of fear, and that ‘there is nothing to fear but fear itself’ (FD
Roosevelt), embracing this concept in the real world can be somewhat harder to
master as fear can shape and define our lives in so many ways. Fear can be
powerful and it can literally suck the life force out of us if we become
consumed by it, yet when we are consumed by it, taking a deep breath to become
free can feel nigh-on impossible as it can feel as though there is no air.
Combine the mental dungeon and the monsters within, and we
can find ourselves trapped in a kind of spiritual paralysis where on one hand
we can feel the love, interconnectivity and unity of the universe, but on the
other it can be hard to take a deep breath as the fear keeps the breathing
shallow and light. We want to bathe in the light of the Divine and live the
best life possible, but we feel trapped in current circumstances that hold us
back and prevent us from expanding into the unknown.
Yet, why do we fear the monsters within? Are the dragons truly something to fear or slay? Perhaps the dragons of myth and legend present us with an important lesson now and with the need to make a choice: friend or foe.
Of course, we naturally fight and resist mental dungeons and
spiritual paralysis, but what if these only result because of the struggle?
What if it is our natural tendency to be that knight in shining armour to
rescue ourselves that creates a kind of spiritual and mental agoraphobia
preventing us from befriending the beast within? Is slaying the dragon the only
path to healing, wholeness and inner unity? What if it is the struggle to be
whole and healed that keeps us locked in a perpetual state of lack and want,
feeding the fear and keeps us away from the very thing we seek: equilibrium?
Pausing for a while to contemplate the idea of letting go of
the struggle; the vibration and energy of the moment changes considerably as
the fear subsides, the angst fades away and the inner dungeon becomes
illuminated by the radiant beams of the sun and by the glowing heart of the
dragon. It seems that it is the struggle to be Whole that is creating the
incongruence; for until we accept that we are Whole then there will always be a
gap between where we are and where we want to be.
So many of us have spent so long trying to slay the dragon
and trying to fix ourselves and become Whole that we have failed to notice our magnificence
and Wholeness. The dragons don’t diminish us, they complete us. This is not
about surrendering to ‘dark forces’ within but it is about no longer allowing
fear to suck the life breath out of our lungs preventing us from living the
lives that we intuitively know we were born to live.
If we fear the monsters, the dragons and even the
leviathans, we turn them into the very thing that we resist the most: doubt,
pain, angst...Yet, when we befriend the forces within, we do not give up and
let the pain take over, but we lose the need to fear fear as the dragon
suddenly changes shape as we no longer see a shadow lurking ominously in the
darkness at the back of the wardrobe, but we can marvel at the colour,
splendour and magnificence at this important and integral part of our essence.
We are now knee-deep in a time to open up the cupboard doors
to let the light illuminate all of the corners, nooks and crannies within. It
is important not to fight the dragon but to realise that the dragon is a part
of the complete puzzle of our lives. We are the accumulation of everything we
have been, everything we have done and everything we are yet to do. So, when we
face the opportunity to ‘jump ship’ in order to head for a new wave of
spiritual consciousness that inspires freedom within, the dragons can come
along as well, for they are a part of us; always have been, always will be.
We no longer need to see the dragons as huge anchors
weighing us down in burden and fear, but to realise that our life experiences
make us the unique, special and amazing souls that we are today. We are ready
now to take strength from the fear and to realise that the true perfection in
life comes from the imperfections (the nicks, cuts, grazes and gashes) that
life has brought our way. No one is perfect, but this is what makes us
magnificent!
As we step free from the inner dungeons of restricted
thoughts, diminishing beliefs and storylines that no longer serve a life
affirming role, the dawn light changes as we start to feel the strength rising
up from within inspiring us to soar with the dragon; to love the imperfections,
flaws, contradictions, paradoxes and nuances within and to realise that it is
these very things that give our lives and our paths shape, meaning and
context...