A Single Prayer

I did some more inner child and gestalt work over this past weekend. Gestalt Therapy was developed by Fritz Perls and his wife Laura, in the 1940’s; their work emphasized a phenomenological and subjective approach to therapy.

Perls noted that many of us split off our experience (thoughts, sensations, emotions) that are uncomfortable. One goal of his work is to move people into owning their experience and developing into a healthy gestalt (or whole). In addition to helping the client overcome symptoms, the objective of Gestalt Therapy is to enable him or her to become more fully and creatively alive and to be free from the blocks and unfinished issues that may diminish optimum satisfaction, fulfillment, and growth.

I felt a shift in my body as my 15 year-old spoke, confided, and sobbed to her older self, the current me. Who else could she talk to who would so know and understand what it was like living in the family? It was also helpful having that child hold a conversation with her mother over an upsetting - and revealing - childhood incident.

This work brought freedom to my soul. It’s not over yet, but it is a huge step towards wholeness, being all that I was created to be and express, and living from my true essence.

I am so very grateful for the loving and wonderful teachers and counselors who are a part of my life these days. Bless them! Most of them I’ve only recently met since moving to Sedona 5½ months ago, but it’s clear that we are not strangers - we are f-a-m-i-l-y. I feel like we are from the same wonderful tribe, helping one another heal and awaken.

So this morning, with a great enthusiasm for life and the people in it, my conversation with God is a simple prayer: Thank You, God - Thank You, God - Thank You, God!

Loved and Protected

Yesterday I reconnected with this little girl, my inner child.

When I first saw her, I just wanted to hug her and hug her and hug her. She is so precious. We took a walk through a park, holding hands, swinging our arms, both with wide smiles on our faces and eyes twinkling. We had a grand time.

We had a photograph taken of us, the adult Joyce with the child Joycie snuggled together on the park bench clearly each full of joy and love.

And then it was time for us to part. She had a hard time with this. I reassured Joycie that I would be there for her in the days to come, apologizing for neglecting her in the past, as her parents had done. It was difficult to split for each of us, but with enough reassurances and plenty of hugs, Joycie was okay about going back to her house. She knows of my commitment to her now and that I will be there for her.

This morning during quiet time, Joycie and I met up briefly. This time I told her that not only could she count on me, but she also had God to rely on. She can’t lose now! She’s got me, and God, and her own strength, courage, and love too.

We are God's beloved today and always. We are in the strong and protected presence of God (adapted from Daily Word, Friday, February 26, 2010).