As children, not all of us grew up with ideal role models or mentors for parents. Does this mean that we will be less than ideal "adults" ourselves?
Psychological and spiritual adulthood does not necessarily come with age or experience. It requires a willingness to work on ourselves and a combination of understanding, compassion and courage to look beyond the surface of our issues and childhood history.
David Richo, author of HOW TO BE AN ADULT , A Handbook on Psychological and Spiritual Integration, describes his work as a brief notebook of observations on the process of attaining emotional and spiritual health through unconditional love.
My role as healer, facilitator, counselor, is to help bring awareness to the client and create more consciousness for each of us. As Carl Jung wrote late in his life, "The sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being."
Psychological work is experienced as a linear effect -- taking us from problems to solutions, from imbalances to harmony. Spiritual counseling involves addressing the neurotic or ego self and the Higher Self or core essence of who we are. The integration of both of these processes, psychological and spiritual is the shedding of the light onto our challenges or shadowed ways.
In order to grow as human beings, individually and in relationship, it is necessary to become as fully awake and aware as is possible for us, given the circumstance.
The vision, mission and values of The Healing Vessel exist to bring more of this work - consciousness raising - into our lives.
