The Great Wall of Inner Space

The character structure I am singling out in this entry is one of the toughest to work with, in my opinion, though that may be because I have known it intimately as a part of myself. However, I feel that in order to become a kinder, more peaceful culture, we need to address these parts of ourselves and be kind to those that identify with this character strongly. This is the Masochist character. Yes, another friendly name. This persona is the sensitive one of the bunch. They are emotionally intuitive, highly creative and tenaciously persistent. 

Unfortunately, at some point in their development, as they tried to express their uniqueness, they were deeply humiliated or shamed and as a way to protect themselves, they built walls within that contain their big hearts and spirits. These walls work two ways. First, they prevent external energies from getting in so that another humiliation cannot reach into and effect the inner self. They also contain the person's essence which prevents the inner self from shining out. As such, those with this character structure find it difficult to express their individuality or allow their creativity to flow. Also, when one has negative thoughts or feelings, rather than being allowed to flow outward, they are turned inward to self. Hence, the 'masochism', the ability to bring pain to oneself. Here we become our own worst enemy. Here we reduce, compact, hide our free spirit and our energy becomes stagnant. In order to feel something real, these characters often provoke those around them so they can say, 'ha ha, you can't get me' and feel justified in retreating within.

I feel this is the toughest to work with because of the internal conflict created by the belief that Self must be hidden and denied though there is a longing for free expression of the same Self. There's a feeling that 'I must' express (blank), but “I won't.” Think of a caged, agitated animal pacing back and forth. It doesn't realize the door to the cage is unlocked and can easily open. It doesn't realize it's free.

These guys often create external situations that reflect their pain rather than dealing with the source. They may 'stuff' or overload themselves with negativity, unhealthy food, too much work, etc. When I think of the obesity epidemic in this country, I feel that this character and these issues need to come to the surface. We need to let our kids freely express themselves and not have them worrying about what they look like, or whether they have the latest, greatest gadget. We also need to learn, as a culture, to nourish ourselves with healthy foods and thoughts. Banging ourselves constantly into the walls of the inner fortress is no longer working. I thought this country was founded by those trying to escape repression and domination and a couple hundred years later, we've created our own version. We have forgotten we are free to make our own choices and express our unique creations.

More to come...i'll share more of how I have known this character in my own life as I re-learn the power healthy choice and expression.