In Care of the Soul Thomas Moore says," Because depression is one of the faces of the soul, acknowledging it and bringing it into our relationships fosters intimacy. If we deny or cover up anything that is at home in the soul, then we cannot be fully present to others. Hiding the dark places results in a loss of soul..." (p. 125).
From a wellness standpoint I wonder how it is possible to accept depression as a "face of the soul." Our society attempts to eradicate any hint of "sickness" be it mental, physical, emotional, and I daresay, spiritual. Acceptance would then be tantamount to admitting defeat. I believe, true wellness comes from mining the depths of one's own soul with the couraqe to face that part of self that is deemed unlovely.
David Benner in The Gift of Being Yourself puts it this way," Christian spirituality involves acknowledging all our part-selves, exposing them to God's love and letting him weave them into the new person he is making" (p.54).
Like a beautiful tapestry God can take whatever we offer him, any part of who we are, and weave those parts into the very fabric of our soul creating newness of life.
No comments:
Post a Comment