"One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light but by making the darkness conscious.” —Carl

Connecting to every aspect of your existence is critical to healing. This is particularly true of survival reactions meant to protect you, but that are intentionally unpleasant.

The need to be and feel safe is a deep, driving force of all life. However, it is not by any means a given that you’ll be safe. Life is competitive, and living creatures are always on alert. Dolphins and whales sleep with one eye open. Many animals live in caves or burrows. Horses and giraffes can sleep standing up. Countless creatures communicate warning signals and form groups to defend themselves against predators.

We humans share the same basic needs of sheltering and defending ourselves from external threats. One trait that sets us dramatically apart from other species is language. While language extends our communication skills far beyond those of other species, it also creates an extra level of complexity and vulnerability.

Your body’s alert system is like a personal brain scanner, and it cannot be turned off. Don’t think that solving a given problem is going to decrease your anxiety for any length of time. Your mind will quickly find another target of worry.

When you don’t feel safe,........

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