Swanspirit
September 28th, 2001, 10:48 AM
I am happy to be able to share this .....
HEALING TERRORISM SICKNESS
by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, psychotherapist,
author of Women Who Run With the Wolves,
specialist in Critical Incident and Post-Trauma
Management
In terrorism, the numbers of persons affected
are huge; terrorism is meant to affect
thousands and millions of people -- all at the
same time. Most think terrorists' main aim is
to kill people and destroy installations. This
is only secondary. (Yes, I know that sounds
unbelievable, but it is so.)
The main goal of terrorism is "intentional
trauma" to the living. The murder and mayhem
are SECONDARY goals.
The concept of doing ongoing psychic injury to
thousands and millions "all at the same time"
is an important tactic of terrorists.
Terrorists understand, if only in their
diseased unconscious, that accomplishing such
will unleash a greater communicable and
spreading "psychic infection" than any
biological or germ warfare could ever hope to
achieve.
This "infection" that terrorists hope to
circulate is that of innocent persons becoming
afraid of life, afraid of the future; of
causing people to put off the living of life,
to move in ways that are far less than their
previous free selves. The effect of living in
such a crouch hurts the human spirit and heart.
The main goal of terrorism is "intentional
psychological trauma." Murder and mayhem are
only secondary and sometimes even tertiary
goals.
Terrorism is willful psychological assault; a
conscious and planned assault against the minds
and hearts and spirits of a large group of
persons. I repeat this only if it be necessary
to press past the reader's ego's resistance to
this hideous truth: In terrorism, murder and
mayhem are secondary to this primary goal of
ruining the hearts and hopes of others. This is
partly why terrorism is difficult to comprehend
by reasoned minds as anything but the most
grotesque form of manifest evil. We can barely
conceive of thinking to psychically injure
others so.
There are other secondary goals to terrorism.
Any and all of them are the sickest imaginable.
But the above is how terrorists seek to cast
their net of "sickness" over all survivors and
victims, over the living -- by trying to
deprive you of esperanza, fullest and freely
felt Hope. By trying to limit your libre, your
Freedom, your living life as a completely free
person, shoulders proud, head up, mind on
goodness and love for all and pleasures that
bring peace and happiness.
There are many ways to cut through this net....
The "post-trauma recovery list" contains the
central ways to proceed. Here are some
additional which are very specific: It is
peculiar to find how strongly that poisonous
net holds when one is unaware of what it is
made of, and how easily it falls apart when one
consciously begins to contradict its malicious
urgings:
Refuse to dwell on what psychically depletes
you of hope, contentment and ease. During
post-trauma times, sometimes an extremely
difficult or disheartening set of thoughts
attach themselves to us; almost like a gang
cruising around looking to harass someone.
Terrorists are counting on this to happen to
many. Refuse this set of thoughts. Use the
discipline of your mind. Say to them, "f-off!
and I mean it!" If you are an old believer like
me, it is as effective to assert, "Get thee
behind me!" My grandmother used to say, "Just
because someone presents you with a dog poop on
a pretty plate doesn't mean you have to eat
it."
Dwell in what strengthens you. For some it is
reading, others physical activity, others,
crafts. There are so many things and
combinations of things. Remember, what brings
you peace tends to be the same as what
strengthens you.
Clean up your kitchen around food especially,
(time to give your body what it needs for its
equilibrium and best strength now) . Do not
assault your own body by making it work extra
hard to throw off toxins now.
Rest -- real rest, even if only a few hours
at night, even if, like many are, awakening
many times in the night, do not entertain "bad
thoughts," do not allow yourself to fall into a
pit of them. Think instead of the greatest
beauty and love you know, discipline your mind
to stay with those images; they are medicine
for what has hurt you. The key words are
'practice discipline.' If you do not know how
to discipline your mind, think of how you train
a beloved dog to stay and heel. Proceed.
Insofar as you are able, pick your endeavors
carefully. Now is an opportunity to drop
various endeavors that deplete you or to join
up with people/matters/groups that invigorate.
Refuse to think you are less able than you
were last week. You are not less. regardless of
flaws, quirks or wobbles -- you are in soul,
actually more shining than you were a week ago.
With regard to goodness and things that are
good for you and others, do what you always do.
Do not cease g
Continue to implement life dreams. If you
don't have one, you're overdue. Get out your
thinking cap.
Use your intuition to guide you through these
days. It will not fail you. Some call this
great gift that every person possesses --
insight, some call it "sense," some, like us
old believers, call it Guardian Angel -- which
for me incidentally is no small little feathery
thing flapping around, but more like a
fierce-gentle Guido with wings.
NORMAL REACTIONS TO LOSS, INJURY, AND
CATASTROPHE. Over a period of time you may find
yourself having one or all of the following
reactions. These are normal reactions to the
kind of experience you have had:
Physical Reactions: - Fatigue. - Inability to
sleep. - Sleeping too much. - Exhaustion. -
Changes in appetite, digestive disturbances. -
Feeling numb. - Crying. - Need for Comfort.
Behavioral Reactions: - Hyperactivity. - Poor
concentration. - Inability to attach importance
to anything but this event. - Flashbacks. -
Nightmares. - Recurrent dreams. - Inability to
remember. - Refusing to talk. - Feeling one
should not cry. - Startle reactions while awake
or asleep. - Isolating, wanting to be alone. -
Wanting to just sit, or just stare.
Psychological Reactions: - Feelings of fear. -
Feelings of guilt. - Feelings of helplessness.
- Feeling one cannot stop crying. - Anger,
which may cause the blaming of others,
outbursts. - Frustration with rescue workers,
the bureaucracy, anyone who tries to help. -
Ongoing violent fantasies. - Anxiety. -
Depression. - Amnesia. - Thinking no one can
ever understand, no one can ever help. -
Blaming oneself.
These are NORMAL reactions, and although
painful, are part of the healing process. There
is not a lot anyone can do to make you not
experience these feelings, but they will recede
if you will take the following actions:
ACTIONS TO TAKE FOR RECOVERY. Within the first
24 to 48 hours, do strenuous exercise coupled
with relaxation. This will alleviate some of
the physical reactions.
Keep busy, do not sit and do nothing. You are
having a NORMAL reaction, do not tell yourself
that you have lost your mind.
Talk to people; talk is the most healing thing
you can do. Talk it out. You may have to tell
your story over and over again, many, many
times before it loses much of its pain. Each
time you tell your story and receive someone's
caring, you will be healing yourself.
Try not to cover up your feelings by
withdrawing or by using alcohol. Talk your
feelings out. As many times as you need to.
There is no shame or selfishness in this. You
have been through a lot.
Reach out to others. They really do care.
Spend time with others. Do not isolate
yourself. Ask other people how they are doing.
Remember they may be shy to tell a stranger of
their burden.
Remember, each person telling their story over
and over is the way to heal.
In the ensuing days, find things to do that
feel rewarding or refreshing. These need not be
big things, but things to balance the tragedy
you have been through.
When you feel bad, find a person to talk to,
and to cry with, to tell of your anger and
other helpless feelings. Don't keep it inside.
Your spiritual beliefs will definitely help you
through.
You definitely will be able to help yourself
and others better if you will cleanse your
feelings and accept caring from others.
We all wish to be brave and strong in the face
of disaster. We all wish to be looked up to for
our endurance and our efforts to help others.
If you truly care for humanity, include
yourself in their numbers, by giving your own
inner feelings the voice and the dignity they
so deeply deserve.
©1999 Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Love and light
Swannie
HEALING TERRORISM SICKNESS
by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, psychotherapist,
author of Women Who Run With the Wolves,
specialist in Critical Incident and Post-Trauma
Management
In terrorism, the numbers of persons affected
are huge; terrorism is meant to affect
thousands and millions of people -- all at the
same time. Most think terrorists' main aim is
to kill people and destroy installations. This
is only secondary. (Yes, I know that sounds
unbelievable, but it is so.)
The main goal of terrorism is "intentional
trauma" to the living. The murder and mayhem
are SECONDARY goals.
The concept of doing ongoing psychic injury to
thousands and millions "all at the same time"
is an important tactic of terrorists.
Terrorists understand, if only in their
diseased unconscious, that accomplishing such
will unleash a greater communicable and
spreading "psychic infection" than any
biological or germ warfare could ever hope to
achieve.
This "infection" that terrorists hope to
circulate is that of innocent persons becoming
afraid of life, afraid of the future; of
causing people to put off the living of life,
to move in ways that are far less than their
previous free selves. The effect of living in
such a crouch hurts the human spirit and heart.
The main goal of terrorism is "intentional
psychological trauma." Murder and mayhem are
only secondary and sometimes even tertiary
goals.
Terrorism is willful psychological assault; a
conscious and planned assault against the minds
and hearts and spirits of a large group of
persons. I repeat this only if it be necessary
to press past the reader's ego's resistance to
this hideous truth: In terrorism, murder and
mayhem are secondary to this primary goal of
ruining the hearts and hopes of others. This is
partly why terrorism is difficult to comprehend
by reasoned minds as anything but the most
grotesque form of manifest evil. We can barely
conceive of thinking to psychically injure
others so.
There are other secondary goals to terrorism.
Any and all of them are the sickest imaginable.
But the above is how terrorists seek to cast
their net of "sickness" over all survivors and
victims, over the living -- by trying to
deprive you of esperanza, fullest and freely
felt Hope. By trying to limit your libre, your
Freedom, your living life as a completely free
person, shoulders proud, head up, mind on
goodness and love for all and pleasures that
bring peace and happiness.
There are many ways to cut through this net....
The "post-trauma recovery list" contains the
central ways to proceed. Here are some
additional which are very specific: It is
peculiar to find how strongly that poisonous
net holds when one is unaware of what it is
made of, and how easily it falls apart when one
consciously begins to contradict its malicious
urgings:
Refuse to dwell on what psychically depletes
you of hope, contentment and ease. During
post-trauma times, sometimes an extremely
difficult or disheartening set of thoughts
attach themselves to us; almost like a gang
cruising around looking to harass someone.
Terrorists are counting on this to happen to
many. Refuse this set of thoughts. Use the
discipline of your mind. Say to them, "f-off!
and I mean it!" If you are an old believer like
me, it is as effective to assert, "Get thee
behind me!" My grandmother used to say, "Just
because someone presents you with a dog poop on
a pretty plate doesn't mean you have to eat
it."
Dwell in what strengthens you. For some it is
reading, others physical activity, others,
crafts. There are so many things and
combinations of things. Remember, what brings
you peace tends to be the same as what
strengthens you.
Clean up your kitchen around food especially,
(time to give your body what it needs for its
equilibrium and best strength now) . Do not
assault your own body by making it work extra
hard to throw off toxins now.
Rest -- real rest, even if only a few hours
at night, even if, like many are, awakening
many times in the night, do not entertain "bad
thoughts," do not allow yourself to fall into a
pit of them. Think instead of the greatest
beauty and love you know, discipline your mind
to stay with those images; they are medicine
for what has hurt you. The key words are
'practice discipline.' If you do not know how
to discipline your mind, think of how you train
a beloved dog to stay and heel. Proceed.
Insofar as you are able, pick your endeavors
carefully. Now is an opportunity to drop
various endeavors that deplete you or to join
up with people/matters/groups that invigorate.
Refuse to think you are less able than you
were last week. You are not less. regardless of
flaws, quirks or wobbles -- you are in soul,
actually more shining than you were a week ago.
With regard to goodness and things that are
good for you and others, do what you always do.
Do not cease g
Continue to implement life dreams. If you
don't have one, you're overdue. Get out your
thinking cap.
Use your intuition to guide you through these
days. It will not fail you. Some call this
great gift that every person possesses --
insight, some call it "sense," some, like us
old believers, call it Guardian Angel -- which
for me incidentally is no small little feathery
thing flapping around, but more like a
fierce-gentle Guido with wings.
NORMAL REACTIONS TO LOSS, INJURY, AND
CATASTROPHE. Over a period of time you may find
yourself having one or all of the following
reactions. These are normal reactions to the
kind of experience you have had:
Physical Reactions: - Fatigue. - Inability to
sleep. - Sleeping too much. - Exhaustion. -
Changes in appetite, digestive disturbances. -
Feeling numb. - Crying. - Need for Comfort.
Behavioral Reactions: - Hyperactivity. - Poor
concentration. - Inability to attach importance
to anything but this event. - Flashbacks. -
Nightmares. - Recurrent dreams. - Inability to
remember. - Refusing to talk. - Feeling one
should not cry. - Startle reactions while awake
or asleep. - Isolating, wanting to be alone. -
Wanting to just sit, or just stare.
Psychological Reactions: - Feelings of fear. -
Feelings of guilt. - Feelings of helplessness.
- Feeling one cannot stop crying. - Anger,
which may cause the blaming of others,
outbursts. - Frustration with rescue workers,
the bureaucracy, anyone who tries to help. -
Ongoing violent fantasies. - Anxiety. -
Depression. - Amnesia. - Thinking no one can
ever understand, no one can ever help. -
Blaming oneself.
These are NORMAL reactions, and although
painful, are part of the healing process. There
is not a lot anyone can do to make you not
experience these feelings, but they will recede
if you will take the following actions:
ACTIONS TO TAKE FOR RECOVERY. Within the first
24 to 48 hours, do strenuous exercise coupled
with relaxation. This will alleviate some of
the physical reactions.
Keep busy, do not sit and do nothing. You are
having a NORMAL reaction, do not tell yourself
that you have lost your mind.
Talk to people; talk is the most healing thing
you can do. Talk it out. You may have to tell
your story over and over again, many, many
times before it loses much of its pain. Each
time you tell your story and receive someone's
caring, you will be healing yourself.
Try not to cover up your feelings by
withdrawing or by using alcohol. Talk your
feelings out. As many times as you need to.
There is no shame or selfishness in this. You
have been through a lot.
Reach out to others. They really do care.
Spend time with others. Do not isolate
yourself. Ask other people how they are doing.
Remember they may be shy to tell a stranger of
their burden.
Remember, each person telling their story over
and over is the way to heal.
In the ensuing days, find things to do that
feel rewarding or refreshing. These need not be
big things, but things to balance the tragedy
you have been through.
When you feel bad, find a person to talk to,
and to cry with, to tell of your anger and
other helpless feelings. Don't keep it inside.
Your spiritual beliefs will definitely help you
through.
You definitely will be able to help yourself
and others better if you will cleanse your
feelings and accept caring from others.
We all wish to be brave and strong in the face
of disaster. We all wish to be looked up to for
our endurance and our efforts to help others.
If you truly care for humanity, include
yourself in their numbers, by giving your own
inner feelings the voice and the dignity they
so deeply deserve.
©1999 Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Love and light
Swannie