As I grow older, I find myself less fearful of experimenting with using my life to express values in which I believe. Sometimes these behaviors might make me appear less conventional and perhaps less than perfect in my expression of these ideals, but one has to start someplace. If one doesn’t at least try, then these skills would have no stage upon which to be perfected.
The key ingredient for this activity to proceed is a faith that my intention is good. Even if the execution is improper, inappropriate, or, at worst, counter productive, the attempt, however poor, will eventually lead to progress. It is this strategy that has allowed me to proceed in many endeavors that I would not have attempted in my earlier years. Indeed, it is still difficult for me sometimes to “wear my heart on my sleeve” and express myself in ways which are sometimes misconstrued. In order to proceed, sometimes a less than perfect attempt needs to be acceptable.
Example
I believe that people are beautiful, and that there shouldn’t be anything wrong with telling them this. Reminding them that they should feel good about themselves, that there is much that they have to give to the world, and that they are appreciated for what they are, is very powerful medicine that the world needs more of. However, some skill is needed to discriminate when this information can be expressed without being misconstrued and perceived to be a precursor to an attempt to manipulate or “sell” something, as it is often used in, say, the advertising to which we are constantly subjected in the media.
Ram Das (Richard Alpert), in Be Here Now, once said “If you wear shoes, the whole world is covered in shoe leather.”
The Shadow
Carl Jung’s archetype of the shadow, used to denote unconscious mechanisms by which powerful sources of behavior can originate, may be a useful way to describe some components which can come into play when we attempt to engage in interpersonal interactions. Even with the best of intentions, when I offer praise, encouragement, or aid to people, sometimes they might mistake this, my attempt to share my passion for life, as a manipulative energy. In this case, a very functional protective process may mistake praise for shoe leather.
Using the shadow within us to generate passion, a good use of a very powerful energy source, may often be read in this way. There is a fine line, the razor’s edge, here, which sometimes requires both courage and integrity to walk well.
