How To Avoid Emotional Minefields
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The document discusses the emotional responses people have towards crying children in public and introduces the concept of 'dark energy' or 'shadow energy' that suggests our reactions often reflect unresolved issues within ourselves. It encourages self-reflection on negative feelings triggered by others, proposing acceptance and understanding of these feelings as a way to confront personal issues. Additionally, it compares these emotional 'land mines' to real minefields that inhibit growth, suggesting that addressing them can lead to a more fulfilling life.
How To Avoid Emotional Minefields
- 2. How do you respond when you hear or see a child cry, other than your own?
- 3. Many perceive it as a nuisance, especially if you're in church or at the movies.
- 4. One interesting thing to do is when you're out "watching people" in public, check out the reaction of others when a kid starts crying.
- 5. Most of the men will look quickly with a slight bit of annoyance.
- 6. Some of the women will look at the parent, depending on their own experience.
- 7. Maybe both.
- 8. There's a technique called "dark energy" or "shadow energy" whereby we assume that the things about others that bother us are really because they remind us about parts of us we are unwilling or afraid to face.
- 9. A way to dig into your own negative energy is to wait until somebody bothers you.
- 10. And then instead of getting angry at them, or wishing they'd go away, ask yourself, "What is it about me that they might remind me of?"
- 11. And then pay attention to the answer.
- 12. If you find a part of yourself that don't particularly like, or aren't very proud if, simply accept it.
- 13. Just sit with it for a while, and accept it.
- 14. Don't ignore it or change it.
- 15. Many places in the world that have seen plenty of warfare have live mines.
- 16. Meaning there's big fields where farmers can't farm, kids can't play, and people can't take shortcuts.
- 17. Since they are so expensive and time consuming to find and remove, they just put up a big fence around it with plenty of warnings.
- 18. We also have hidden "mines" within us.
- 19. Things that suddenly "go off" with you least expect them.
- 20. Somebody says something, somebody looks you a certain way, and it might remind you of something far, far back in your past.
- 21. Maybe something you'd rather not face.
- 22. Something you did, or something that was done to you.
- 23. The good news is that there is an easy way to get rid of those land mines from your past.
- 24. Which will give you a lot more space to play, grow and take shortcuts.
- 25. And the process can be a lot of fun.