Authenticity and avoidance

A number of my posts were about pain, kind of getting to know when was there and be less afraid of it, to accept its presence as a guest not very happy thrilled about, though a guest nevertheless. Though that pain is connected to my self expression and authenticity. Because the need to be liked, the need to be validated, the need to help in order to be needed are mechanisms to avoid the pain of rejection and humiliation. Those mechanisms while kept me safe from pain, lead to disconnect, dissociation, from my own needs, desires or emotions that would contradict the safe overall or of individuals deemed as authority figures narrative. And that is the pain and burden I described in my previous post. The alternative is to embrace my own authenticity, needs, values and the likelihood of the pain that I tried to avoid. And that pain while being uncomfortable and energy consuming, like a guest that takes over your household, is not scary and is not permanent, while being likely and common place and a choice. A choice to stay with it or run from it. To accept others and my own definitions, labels, characterizations of me, without the need to justify and explain or keep as permanent and unchanged. The way in is through accepting to stay with it. and the price that can come from that.

The Frog and the water element are almost inseparable. The Frog spends its first months of life entirely within this healing element, and then emerges to rest on land. But no matter how "Earthy" the Frog becomes, its need for cleansing and rejuvenation is regular. Frogs tend to become overworked and undernourished, so it's vital that such sensitive creatures practice self-care. This card serves as a reminder that water helps us cleanse, forgive, and release. Time to dive in, Frogs aren't meant to carry a heavy load.