Saturday, August 12, 2006

Mirror Coincidence: Hyde and Hare

I've read and noticed personally that synchronicities seem to happen more during times of change or emotional distress. I've had nothing to say for weeks and now the synchronicities just keep popping up. The book I am reading and recommended earlier today, Meeting the Shadow, has multiple references to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Tonight, I went to the local theater to see the Wizard of Oz on the big screen. Prior to the movie there was one Bugs Bunny cartoon, "Hyde and Hare," which is, of course, about Bugs Bunny's encounter with a Dr. Jekyll who turns into a green monster.

Weird, weird, weird.

Required Reading: Meeting The Shadow

I love to read. The more I read, though, the more disappointed I am. I will pick up these books with great concepts and then feel empty as if the author didn't fulfill the promise.

On the other hand, sometimes I come across a book that resonates so deeply with me that I'm in awe. I'm in awe that I found the book, and I'm in awe that the book has the power to enlighten me to a new way of thinking.

This is one of those books. It is 15 years old, but I just found it in a used bookstore. The full title is, "Meeting the shadow: The hidden power of the dark side of human nature" It's an anthology of stories about 'the shadow' or unconscience.

Carl Jung is heavily referenced in this book as is Robert Louis Stevenson.

Carl Jung once said, "I would rather be whole than good." As someone who is constantly striving to 'Be good', I did not understand that concept. Fortunately, an editor of this collection (Connie Zweig) has a metaphysical p.o.v. and she said the same thing, but explained why.

Connie says, "My mother pointed out some twenty years ago, in the height of my spiritual grandiosity, that I was good at loving humanity but not so good at loving individual human beings. With the gradual acceptance of the darker impulses within me, I feel a more genuine compassion growing in my soul."

I am only on page 35 of 305 pages, but here's what has resonated with me:

When you're a child, your self is whole - good and bad. As you're growing up, parents are correcting you, friends are shaping you, and you learn what behavior and feelings are not acceptable and you move them into your unconscience.

You deny the 'unacceptable feelings'.

As an adult, the people who irritate you the most are the people who have the traits that you yourself have but that you've denied. You recognize it in others but not in yourself.

On a personal note my BIGGEST pet peeve is highly critical people. They can't just say 'good job' - they always have to note how you could've been better. When I started reading this book, it was like the light went off and I realize that I am the same way- I just haven't noticed it in myself. I think to myself that I'm just being 'helpful'... This book helped me realize my own shadows. I can now understand why I react so harshly to criticism and I am more aware of when I'm being unnecessarily critical of others.

The danger of not being aware of your shadow is that eventually it will catch up with you... you have to know it's there to restrain it...

of course the essays in this book are much more poetic about it... If you click on the link above, you can read an excerpt.

Indigo and Crystal Children

Last night I was watching television and came across a show about psychic children. I had heard of the term "Indigo children" before, so I was intrigued. My husband, quite the skeptic, was not convinced of any of it & I think the show could have done a better job with the examples. For example, a child who was sick the day before 9/11... coincidence? They claimed it was a psychic prediction, but they really didn't have anything more to say except that she was sick.

Incidentally, the main character of one of the stories had my name and her mother's name was the name of my mother...that was a little wake up for me.

But I digress... I enjoy reading about Indigo children and Crystal children - which are even more powerful... but a lot of websites out there are full of advertisements for someone's book or paid psychic reading. I understand these people have to make a living, but I also find it distasteful for psychics to profit off of their gift.

So I'm looking for a good recommendation of information about Indigo children - I did find one website that I liked, but I want to read more...Please don't recommend any books or websites that you have not read yourself. I can google with the best of them, but I'm looking for the 'best' that you've found. Here's a website I liked: http://www.metagifted.org/