The Gift of Self-Acceptance
There’s a huge amount of material online about the benefits of self-acceptance yet this is hardly a new subject to ponder. Long before Dr Carl Jung taught about integrating all aspects of the personality in order to create a better-balanced individual, ancient philosophers discussed the need to explore all areas of the human psyche with courage, honesty and respect. It’s a theme that could serve us well today as we recoil from the negative thoughts that often bubble up unexpectedly within our stream of consciousness.
If you’re ready to explore the potential of self-acceptance, you’ll need to be prepared to plunge into uncomfortable depths where the light doesn’t shine. This can be disturbing, to say the least. When you take the time to examine the uglier aspects of your thoughts and feelings, it’s hard to imagine that they could even belong to you. Yet, they do indeed exist within the darker recesses of the subconscious and it’s only by accepting them and claiming ownership over their unpleasant and often repugnant qualities that you will be able to integrate their energies into the broader spectrum of your psyche.
领英推荐
Mindfulness helps us to create the space where we can feel comfortable enough to confront these chaotic, destructive forces without feeling attached to their disturbing array of images and emotional energy. When we ignore these hidden aspects of ourselves, they tend to emerge unexpectedly and in an eruption of harmful words and actions. The key to this exercise in personal development is to be prepared to face everything without fear or judgement. The more disturbing the energy, the closer you are to integrating these diverse and often-ignored elements of ourselves. There is no shame or guilt associated with these thoughts and feelings. By accepting them and acknowledging their presence in your heart and mind, they lose their power to dominate your emotional landscape. Integration channels their power towards healthier and more positive outcomes. The result is an increase in personal empowerment, creativity, inner balance and confidence. The sooner we begin the process of integration, the better.