The first and basic approach to Relational Energy Healing addresses the unconscious forces are at work in our lives, and in our relationships. We must deal with our personal and family issues systemically in order to truly solve our problems. Otherwise we keep repeating our personal or family patterns. Along with the psychological uncovering of these forces we must actively address -and change – the energy body (auric body, chakras, chakra cords) that is the underlying mechanism of human consciousness. The second layer of relational energy work is to understand that our personal and spiritual growth is evolutionary: that our lives proceed through earlier stages of development and build upon previous successes, while mitigating choices that have led to failure. In other words, that we learn and grow through our mistakes, and begin to weave those life lessons into the fabric of our soul growth. The third layer of relational work may appear more philosophical, but is essentially practical and deeply meaningful. It looks at the the elements of emotional slavery existing in an individual’s life, and how the unconscious acceptance of that slavery may color our relationship to self, to others, and to the outside world.
“None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.”
-Goethe
The common definition of slavery is anyone physically and socially confined, or denied the fundamental rights of all human beings. in other words, a slave is the property of the master. The slave is not free to embrace their chosen expression or to make life-style choices differing from those around them. Societies that have slaves use and discard them when they are worn out. Slaves are denied education and are subject to fear-based and irrational propaganda to maintain the trauma of the slave condition. The slave is regularly terrorized by thug “handlers” masquerading as police or military forces. Slavery is one of the lowest forms of primitive consciousness existing deep within the human psyche. Two of its commonly manifested options are either the unconscious acceptance of slavery (masochism), or the unconscious desire (entitlement and sadism) to enslave others. Individuals may take on the role of either a slave or a master, or develop a combination style. A third option is to confer less-than-human status upon others, to demonize, or scapegoat, groups and individuals by acting savagely towards them.
We can often see elements of these extremes in our personal and business relationships. An individual may bring a certain power to the relationship (or they claim a privilege) to which the other must either accept, reject, or re-negotiate. This power may be that exercised by a manager over his or her workers, it may be sexual in nature, a desirable social role, or a financial agreement between individuals. In personal relationships, for instance, if a man grants power to a woman over her willingness to include sexuality as part of their personal relationship then that man enters into a form of emotional slavery. Conversely, if a woman grants power to a man over her willingness to exchange sexuality for some form of personal commitment (such as having a family) that woman also enters into a form of slavery. Many of our common social relationships hold unconscious contractual agreements in the Master/Slave pattern, agreements that often break down years after the wedding day, or once the children have graduated college.
Most people automatically consider themselves “free” and fail to take into account the trade-offs in authentic freedom that have been made by following their natural desires and socially programmed relationship needs as younger adults. Our assumption of freedom, as Goethe points out in the quote above, is a terrible mistake. Only by growing our awareness to the point where we clearly see any emotional slavery in our relationship to another, or recognize our desire for power and privilege over them, can we begin to take steps in gaining (or granting to another ) authentic freedom.
So,what is freedom? Is it the right to be able to do what we want, when we want? Of course not: that definition comes from the young parts of ourselves, the Infant Mind, based on narcissistic vision and selfish pride. An authentic or adult freedom always takes into account the needs and rights of the self as well as the equivalent needs and rights of others. Adult freedom is non-abusive social freedom in balance with the maintenance of individual rights, while actively countering the natural predatory nature that lies within all human beings.
If the acceptance of the unconscious forces that drive us is the first step to awakening, then the insight of evolutionary stage development is the second. But the third step in our spiritual evolution is to allow the shattering of our preconceived notions of freedom, and to support the process of being aware of our – and the others – right to be fully human. Together, these three forces can lead us to fully embracing our social and spiritual potential, and truly become an evolving adult.
© 2013 by Dean Ramsden. All rights reserved.
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