Northern Sydney Ascension Circle

The Northern Sydney Ascension Circle is a group which welcomes those with an interest in the ascension process now underway on Earth. Each month we will discuss a new topic, with the May meeting focusing on individuation as the personal gateway to the new age.

As someone on the road to Individuation herself, and veteran of the dark night experience, Marianne will use examples from her personal experience to illustrate the central role that the wounded healer plays in the Individuation process. The Greek myth of Chiron will also be used as a vehicle to further explore the archetype of the wounded healer.

Anyone who is going through a dark night experience will benefit from this session as will anyone seeking to understand more about their experience of spiritual awakening.

Marianne Schmidt is an intuitive life coach, student and teacher of spirituality.

 

Where: Awareness Institute

Level 1, Suite 103/28 Chandos St
St Leonards NSW 2065
Sydney, Australia

Date: 28 May 2019

Time: 6:15 to 8:15pm

Price: $12 – $15

For more information and to book, please visit

https://www.trybooking.com/BCFMB

Celluloid Messages From Spirit

In recent years I have realised that spirit communicates through to us using methods to with which we are most comfortable and to which we are most likely to pay attention. Hence, in my case, I gain many insights through the medium of film.  I have shared some of these insights in other posts, but in this post I am going to take a deeper dive into the messages I received through a particular film.

The film in question is called “Massan”.  A 2015 indie Indian film (no pun intended) which screened at the Cannes International Film Festival.  It was an unusual film for me to be seeing for a number of reasons.  Firstly I only very occasionally get to see films these days.  I also had no intention of seeing this film, and it was a film showing only in one venue on one night.  The fact that circumstances furnished the opportunity for me to see this film was, I’m sure, far from a  coincidence.  Knowing this, I paid close attention to my thoughts and feelings as the film proceeded.

I had read the synopsis prior to seeing the film, which I repeat below to provide a context for the comments that follow:

‘Benares, the holy city on the banks of the Ganges, reserves a cruel punishment for those who play with moral traditions. Deepak, a young man from a poor neighbourhood, falls hopelessly in love with a young girl from a different caste. Devi, a young student who’s gone off the rails, is tortured by feelings of guilt following the disappearance of her first lover. Devi’s father Pathak, a victim of police corruption, has lost his moral compass because of money, while a young boy, Jhonta, is in search of a family. These characters are all seeking a better future, whilst buffeted between the demands of modern life and an attachment to tradition. And their paths are about to cross…’ Cannes International Film Festival

Additional comments from the Hollywood Reporter offer an interpretation of the film’s intent:

‘Masaan, the Hindi word for crematorium, is part of the new generation of indie films whose clear intent is to set ablaze a hidebound society’s constrictions on personal liberty. Although the film’s two loving couples are hideously punished for breaking conventions, just like in classic melodramas, here the uplifting ending paves the way for change and modernity.’ Hollywood Reporter

At one level the above assessment above is entirely accurate.  The film very blatantly and painfully brings to light the gross injustices inflicted on vulnerable members of the community (women, the poor and socially disadvantaged) by a judgemental and corrupt society. As a woman and mother myself, I was outraged and deeply saddened by the treatment meted out to a young woman unfairly vilified for having broken a social taboo.  Not only that, but social prejudice made it so much harder for her to obtain the higher education which was so readily available to her male counterparts. What allowed her to ultimately obtain her goal was as much a function of the changes occurring in Indian society, as it was her personal drive and initiative.

Beyond this  interpretation of the plot are a number of other possible layers of meaning.  Could the ‘punishment’ of the female victim of social injustice have involved an element of karma for example? To my way of thinking, the treatment she received was far in excess of any punishment  she deserved for breaking a social taboo. However there are universal laws, of which many people are unaware – the violation of which can bring unexpected consequences.

Another possible ‘take away’ could be the need for harsh lessons in life to prepare us for living our life’s purpose.  It is said that what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, and this has certainly been a recurrent theme in my life.  It is also a fact that we sometimes require a ‘wake up’ call to get us on track with our mission in life (echoes of my own life here too).

The film’s name also reverberates with symbolism.  Masaan (crematorium), by definition, involves the burning of bodies.  It was therefore a poignant, if less than subtle ending to the film, when the surviving members of the two young couples were brought together on the steps of the Ganges and arose, phoenix like from the ashes of their former lives, to embark on new chapters in their lives.  The question that lingers in my mind was whether the young woman would be able to fulfil her ambitions to complete higher higher educational studies in the face of the romantic prospects that lay before her.  This question is as much a reflection of my own fears and life experience as it is my doubts about the ability of a young woman to withstand the expectations of a male dominated society and put her own career on an equal footing with that of her husband’s.

My final, unavoidable, comment relates to the miraculous role of a ring in bringing together the two surviving young people.  Whilst many film goers would be cynical at the use of such an unrealistic device , I have witnessed too many real life ‘coincidences’ of this kind to dismiss it as mere fiction.  It is with this thought in mind that I offer the following interpretation of this element of the plot.

A young man loses his girlfriend in a motor vehicle accident.  Through a miraculous coincidence he happens to be on duty when her body is brought to the banks of the Ganges for cremation.  Through these circumstances he is able to obtain the only memento of their relationship – a ruby ring that had been fused to her finger as a child.  During the course of his grieving for his dead girlfriend, he makes a half-hearted attempt to sell the ring to reduce his father’s debts, but instead ends up throwing the ring into the Ganges.  He immediately regrets his rashness and attempts to find it, albeit without success.  Not long afterwards, the small boy who had been diving for coins at the behest of the father of the compromised young woman, finds the ring at the bottom of the Ganges and presents it to his master, thereby allowing the father to pay the ransom demanded by the corrupt policeman.  Hence, due to a series of apparent coincidences (but in actual fact, divine synchronicities) the wronged family is released from the clutches of the corrupt policeman, freed from the shame of a public scandal, and saved from bankruptcy.  The young man who lost his girlfriend is in turn presented with the promise of a  new love – made possible as a result of the sacrifice made by his dead girlfriend and his own impulsive action of throwing the ring away.  Mind you, the young woman and her father don’t escape unscathed from their circumstances.  She had to spend a period of time working in a series of mind-numbingly boring jobs for the purpose of contributing to the ransom demanded by the corrupt policeman.  Her father, whilst not directly responsible for his daughter’s error of judgement, was nevertheless provided with an opportunity to learn some lessons through the process of paying the ransom.  For one, he has to confront his daughter over the circumstances of his wife’s death.  He also nearly loses the young boy in his charge when the boy almost dies when diving for coins on his behalf. Finally, he suffers financial loss until he is shocked into recognising the overriding importance of his relationship with both his daughter and his young charge. Only when he put the interests of the boy ahead of his own concerns over money, and permits his daughter to follow a path of her own choosing, does the universe provide a solution to his financial difficulties and a substitute for his daughter’s companionship.

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Breaking Free from Childhood Trauma

Until I was in my late thirties I exhibited many of the symptoms associated with childhood trauma. It was only when confronted with the decision of whether or not to have a child, that I was forced to reevaluate my childhood and why I was still utilising coping mechanisms I had developed as a child.   These mechanisms included extreme need for control to keep my world safe and predictable and unconsciously taking on the role of parent because I perceived my parents to be inadequate in this regard.  Like many other victims of childhood trauma, I also had a morbid fear of ‘re-living’ my childhood should I have a child of my own.

When my childhood was re-examined with the aid of a psychologist, I gradually realised that my personal reality was somewhat at odds with objective reality. With the benefit of hindsight I was able to see that my perception of trauma exaggerated the actual events that had taken place. That’s not to say that my childhood was devoid of challenges, because it wasn’t. There were plenty of dramas in my dysfunctional family. From a relatively early age there was disharmony between my parents, I had a sibling who required a lot my of parent’s attention due to a disability, and money was always in short supply. However, such challenges shouldn’t have been sufficient to generate the symptoms of childhood trauma.  Why, then, had this been the case?

At the time of my sessions with the psychologist I had no real understanding of the underlying causes of my sense of childhood trauma.  However, I was able gain a more realistic perspective on my childhood experience and a better understanding of the challenges my parents had faced in parenting me.  A few years later, when I had a child of my own, I could see even more clearly how distorted my views had become.  Suddenly I had the ability to experience what my parents went through when I was a child.  There’s nothing like stepping into someone else’s shoes to gain a better understanding of their perspective. It is not reasonable to expect a child to have the ability to see the world through the eyes of his/her parents however, as an adult, we are capable of doing just that. Indeed, it is a necessary step on the road to healing whatever residue remains of our childhood wounds.

Whether real, imagined or somewhere in between, my perception of childhood trauma resulted in the development of a set of coping mechanisms that had served to ‘keep me safe’ in an unsafe world.  The problem is, they had long outlived their usefulness and were holding me back from living free and full existence.

So then to the question of why I had perceived my childhood to be so traumatic. One factor was most certainly the energetic template with which I was born.  For students of astrology, my moon is in the sign of Cancer, my sun in Scorpio and ascendant in Pisces – all highly sensitive water signs. I was born wired to experience emotion in technicolor!  Not that my parents knew this of course.  However, the different ways in which my siblings reacted to the same upbringing can in part be explained by our different energetic blueprints.

I believe a second, and equally important, reason for my perceived childhood trauma was a series of past and parallel life experiences which involved really serious childhood abuse.  How I came to receive these insights into other lives is a topic best explored in another post.  However, suffice to say that I am completely convinced that emotionally powerful experiences from other lives filter through to our present life and have profound effect on our beliefs, subconscious memories and behaviour. In my case, these past traumatic experiences triggered an emotionally overwrought response to a dysfunctional, but not abusive, childhood.  A consequence of this response was the development or re-engagement of dysfunctional coping mechanisms founded in the experience of past and/or parallel lives.

Hence, psychological childhood trauma – whether perceived or real – can have lasting consequences which reverberate across many lifetimes. It can arrest one’s emotional and spiritual development, lead to mental health issues (eg. anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, anger management issues), relationship difficulties (eg. lack of trust, extreme responses to perceived threats) and even manifest as physical impairment or disease (eg, panic attacks, excessive sweating, autoimmune diseases) caused by epigenetic triggers and/or the slow burn of chronic stress.

What then, if anything, can be done to help individuals who suffer from memories of childhood trauma?  Certainly, a willingness to consciously examine one’s own childhood in the light of adult maturity can help, as can psychological therapy and/or past life regression therapy by a qualified professional. However, many traumatic memories are stored deep within the tissues of our bodies and also need to be released with the assistance of an appropriately qualified physical therapist.

Three modalities which fall into this category are Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) (practiced by a range of therapists, but particularly by chiropractors with applied kinesiology training), Bowen Therapy and Myofascial release.  I have extensive personal experience of the first and, while the therapeutic results can be unsettling, its veracity is assured.  In my case at least, it also appeared to work just as effectively with past/parallel life memories as with current life experiences. I was told by my therapist that studies have shown this to be true for others as well providing the patient believes those past/parallel life experiences to be true. My limited exposure to the second technique suggests it may work better for individuals who may be further traumatised by confronting the reality of their past. It works by releasing memories stored in the muscle facia (a fibrous connective tissue which is present throughout the body).  The third therapy, Myofascial release, is not a modality I’ve experience firsthand. However, I understand that it helps release traumatic memories stored in facial tissues.

Finally, I have observed that anxiety associated with childhood trauma can be reduced through the consistent support of a respected role model who has successfully overcome the same challenges as the victim of trauma and thus serves as a role model to emulate.

When the symptoms of childhood trauma are recognised, and the root caused addressed, steps can be taken to alleviate or eliminate the symptoms, thereby freeing the victim to pursue his/her life with greater freedom and confidence.

 

Resources

Neuro Emotional Technique (NET)

https://www.netmindbody.com/more-information/for-mind-oriented-practitioners

Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) Australia

http://www.netaustralia.net.au/

Australian Kinesiology Association

Home

Bowen Therapy

http://www.bowtech.com

Myofascial Release

https://www.myofascialrelease.com/

 

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What is Individuation?

Individuation is most famously associated with Carl Jung’s process of Individuation, however there are many others that have expounded on what is essentially a journey to return to wholeness through discovering your true self and your soul’s intentions for this lifetime.  It is the bridge of transformation which leads to self actualisation. Along the way comes the realisation that, while we have a unique offering to make the world, we are also an expression of the underlying force which connects all of life.  A wave upon the ocean which rises up to take its own form but, ultimately, returns to the ocean from whence it came.

The individuation journey requires us to find and accept the broken, rejected and repressed parts of ourselves, to recognise past trauma for what it is and heal the wounds that are holding us back from moving into a more expansive, authentic existence.  By bringing the unconscious to light we can blend intuitive knowing with our conscious minds in order to achieve wholeness. Only then can we tune into our soul’s calling and fulfil our greatest potential as human beings.

Joseph Campbell likened the process of individuation to the hero’s journey and, indeed, there are many parallels between the two.  Both involve courage, tests, allies and enemies, ordeals, transformation, a reward and return to the ordinary world with a treasure.  In the case of individuation, the journey takes you inwards in a quest for self discovery and growth.  Paradoxically it is by journeying into our inner centre that we are able to escape the confines of our limited existence.

As we bring the subconscious to light and discover our true identity, we leave behind the need to follow the herd and consensus views.  We stand apart and think for ourselves.  We go our own way, irrespective of what our friends, family and others might think.  When this happens we know we have received the call to individuate. The inner longing of our soul is seeking to balance its needs with the yearning of our ego, and we sacrifice the life we have known to date in order to realise our higher purpose.

The journey is not for the faint of heart, but borne more easily if we understand that, in heeding our soul’s call, we will find greater fulfilment and meaning in life.  The path of individuation is driven by spirit and, as such, our contribution will also be of benefit to others (whether we realise it or not).

We will all receive the call to individuate at some stage in our lives.  Whether we choose to heed it or not is one of personal choice.  However, the call to transform and adapt to new ways of being grows more urgent as we approach the dawn of  a new age.  We need to act now if we are to be ready to meet the challenges it presents.

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Transformation for the New Age

What changes need to be made to our way of thinking in order to successfully transition to the new age?  Do we need more technology to help us find meaning and purpose in life?  Despite my IT background, I would have to say NO, this is not the way.

What we need to do is find our true and authentic selves.  To acknowledge and embrace those aspects of ourselves that have remained hidden and repressed for many lifetimes.  It is time to reveal the broken, rejected and repressed parts of ourselves, time to recognise past trauma for what it is and heal the wounds that are holding us back from moving into a more expansive, authentic existence.  It is time to bring the unconscious to light and blend intuitive knowing with our conscious minds in order to achieve wholeness. Only then can we hope to fulfil our greatest potential as human beings.

Using my own journey as an example, I hope to shed some light on the process for achieving the integration of soul and mind.  Jung called this process ‘individuation’, Joseph Campbell likened it to the hero’s journey, others have experienced it as shamanic initiation.  I have experienced it as all three and will be sharing my insights both through this blog as well as in a forthcoming book.

I very much hope that what I have to offer will help others along the path of individuation and, through this process, to realising their full potential as human beings.

To watch a video version of this blog, click here

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About Marie D’Avalon

Marie is an intuitive life coach based in Sydney, Australia.  As a Scorpio sun sign she has gone through several transformative experiences in her life and brings those experiences to bear in her work as a life coach.

Her earlier professional career was spent working as an IT professional in the corporate sector. In this capacity she consulted primarily to the banking and telecommunication sectors, both in Australia and overseas.

At 40 years of age when, after a great deal of soul searching, she contemplated becoming a parent.  The journey to motherhood began with a struggle to overcome deep seated fears around parenting and then became a physical and emotional battle to actually conceive a child.  Three years of fertility treatment ensued, during which she miscarried twin sons and ultimately gave birth to a baby girl.  Joy turned to concern when it became apparent that the much hoped for child was afflicted with mental health issues.  Many years of medical assessments and interventions followed, during which Marie’s own health deteriorated and her marriage broke down.  In the interests of her own health and well being of her daughter, she mustered the courage to leave the family home and establish a new life for herself. This was no easy decision as Marie was in her 50’s by now and had not worked in a paid role for twelve years. Nonetheless she forged ahead with her plans to move house and locality. She trained as a life coach, set up her own business, reduced her expenditure and adjusted to the reality of being a part-time parent.  She also confronted the emotional and practical challenges associated with dissolving her marriage within a system that places its own burden on separating couples.

Paradoxically the trauma experienced during the last couple of years of her marriage led to a spiritual re-awakening and a quest to establish a more meaningful life.  The imperative to earn an income, combined with the desire to utilise her talents in a more meaningful way, led to her choice of life coaching as a new career direction.  Fortunately, her natural intuitive ability has been enhanced by the spiritual gifts which accompanied her re-awakening.  These gifts include channelling, past life insights and the abiity to ‘decode’ the symbolic language of the universe.  Marie sees her role going forward as assisting others who are endeavouring transform their lives so as to become more authentic versions of themselves and, in so doing, walk the path of individuation. Giving birth is a painful business and, having successfully navigated the transition to a new life, Marie now wishes to extend her guidance and understanding to others who are on the same path.

Marie is writing a book which documents her personal journey of individuation. She also maintains blogs on the topics of transformation and spirituality.  When not writing or coaching she enjoys spending time with her daughter, researching life’s mysteries and exercising.

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