Beloved reader,
I've been thinking a lot lately about spiritual re-parenting. This might sound hokey in a way that sits heavy on the mind, but let's talk about it. Let's talk about what it means to spiritually re-parent yourself.
I grew up in a home where abuse and insults were presented as love, and I filtered that bad-mindedness through my psychic lymph system in a desperate attempt to make hatefulness and hurt feel like care.
In later years this abuse manifested itself as profound post-traumatic stress, and I found myself being stalked by phantasms every time I went to sleep.
Reader, did you know that cruelty is a lot easier to practise than tenderness? It's easy to be mean-spirited, but to love and nurture someone without submitting to, or dominating, them requires time and patience and, yes, tenderness.
Despite this, abuse can never fully camouflage itself as love, no matter how much gaslighting is involved. Abuse is abuse, even when it comes gloved in silk.
If you've been through the fire like I have, I would encourage you to seek out someone to talk to. This could be your priest, your rabbi, your psychotherapist. Take your energy to folks who can light the way in a kindly manner that won't make you feel like a burden.
Surround yourself with friends and loved ones who won't diminish your sense of delight in living, and won't delight at your distress. You will heal in unquantifiable ways, and you will find the entire world opening itself up to you.
I hope you know that you are pure love and, as such, are worthy of kindness and appreciation.
I wish you nothing but joy and wondrous energy.
With love,
Diriye
Image by DIRIYE OSMAN
Song to uplift and elevate: 'High' by LEDISI.