Contemporary philosophers as well as those of ancient traditions teach that we are creative beings.  We have the unlimited power to manifest conditions, experiences, circumstances, and even objects through thought, intention, and emotional resonance.  This power extends to what we might call ‘super natural’ abilities where we can for example, be telepathic, teleport, or even shape shift.

There are untold numbers of courses, workshops, and books on the “law of attraction,” how to manifest abundance, etc.  And while we may have moderate success using these techniques, our real and unique power continues to evade us – for good reason.

Imagine the devastation if this power were in the ‘wrong hands.’  Fortunately we have a built-in safety mechanism: we have to become fully conscious and responsible for our energy – ie. what we say, think, do, believe, and hold (as in our baggage – the experiences we have not released).  This requires self-mastery.

Self-awareness and mindfulness are not just processes to improve productivity, enhance relationships, be more creative, better leaders, reduce stress and maintain equanimity.  They are the means to an end:  the pathway to self-mastery.

Self-mastery means that we are fully conscious and responsible – for every thought, intention, emotion, action, and belief.   We have attained a constant state of equanimity.  We don’t have any ‘sleeping monsters’ ready to strike when the right button is pressed.  We accept ourselves and others unconditionally.  We have released our outdated beliefs, strategies and stories.  We know that we are a part of the whole, and not separate.  We know that what we ‘do’ to others we do to ourselves.  This includes the planet and everything/one on it.

Since every thought, intention, emotion, belief, and story/experience transmits energy, we are literally beacons sending out a particular frequency and attracting the same resonating frequency back.  It can’t be any other way.  What we transmit also gets added to the collective whole.  This is why we can’t have peace in the world until there is peace in our hearts.

We may continue to live our lives with perhaps moderate success, or fulfillment, but we will never experience the powerful beings that we are – where all we experience on a ‘bad’ day is sheer joy – until we attain self-mastery.

One of my teachers recently explained that the ability to be in a healthy state of vulnerability will be an essential ‘skill’ for us to navigate the coming times and changes ahead.

However, in apparent contradiction, all the definitions on vulnerability that I found give this emotion a bad rap:

“Vulnerability refers to the inability to withstand the effects of a hostile environment.”

“Susceptible to physical or emotional injury.”

Synonyms:  weakness, defenselessness, helplessness, openness, exposure, liability

According to Linda Kohanov, author of the Tao of Equus, “vulnerability marks the point at which an old coping strategy, behaviour pattern or perception of the world is being challenged – or a previously repressed part of the self is being revealed.”

In any aspect of our lives – whether in business or personal, the value of being vulnerable is that it has the potential to open us up to new ways of being and acting.

In fact, in business today – more than any other time in history, vulnerability might be the greatest indicator of success.  We are seeing systems and structures collapsing – in all sectors:  finance, economy, employment, the media, governments …  Those who hold tightly to the ‘old’ ways of thinking and behaving, including their beliefs – attempting to prop up the crumbling systems and structures are facing a great deal of resistance as no amount of effort will restore the old ways.  When we are not open to change and the possibilities it presents, we cannot be creative with what might be emerging, and opportunities are missed.  Our resistance will be our downfall.

On a personal level, feeling vulnerable is to be open and transparent.   When we are being open, we are being congruent (where our outer expression matches our inner thoughts and feelings) and we enable others to do the same.  The opposite – being closed and protective creates a sense of separateness, competition, and lack of trust.  We cannot create peace within ourselves, with others, or on the planet with this stance.

On a spiritual level, feeling vulnerable is necessary for our evolution: evolution brings us to a new and expanded state of awareness where we must let false beliefs dissolve into the nothingness that they are.  Perhaps the scary part of letting go of our beliefs is discovering who we might be without them.

Stepping into the zone of uncertainty

A local horse expert uses three embedded circles to illustrate our learning zones:  the inner circle is the comfort zone – where little learning and creativity happens, the middle circle is the zone of uncertainty where we are vulnerable and the most learning and creativity happens, and the outer circle is the “Oh sh*t” zone where we are in fight, flight or freeze modes and no learning or creativity can take place.

Our challenge is to learn to move in the zone of uncertainty, while using all our resources to be in the flow of change with discernment.

According to Kohanov, the message behind the emotion of vulnerability is:  “something significant is about to change or be revealed.”  Questions we can ask ourselves to develop discernment are:  “What is the threat?”  “What action must I take to move to a position of safety?”

The art of being vulnerable

Being vulnerable and staying safe on all levels requires discernment.  We have to engage all our resources to make wise, conscious choices.  We need to bring all of our intelligences – body, emotions, and spirit as well as the mind into balance and not rely just on the mind.  As our bodies are highly refined receivers / transmitters and our emotions carry information necessary to make any kind of decision, we must learn to give them as much voice as our mind.

Meditation allows the mind to settle.  When the mind is still, an expanded awareness comes forth.  The voices of our bodies and emotions can be heard and our inner knowing has a chance to reveal its wisdom.

Mindfulness practices also give us the necessary skills to be discerning and present.  It creates the gap between stimulus and response.

These practices help us to be vulnerable in a healthy, conscious way so that we may be in the zone of uncertainty and move with the shifting times with ease and grace.

Your shadow self contains all of the parts of you that are hidden from others and often from yourself.  Nearly everyone has a shadow self.

Most of the aspects of the shadow self are unpleasant (what some people would refer to as “negative”), but some are pleasant. Pleasant aspects might be your special gifts or talents that you keep hidden to blend in and avoid attention.  For example you might be able to feel and express your emotions easily, but in your family, culture or work community, the expression of emotions is discouraged, so you suppress your natural desire to express feelings.

However, the shadow self is mainly composed of all of your suppressed unpleasant emotions, desires and feelings. It holds outdated social ideas and beliefs. It feeds on discouragement, fears and doubts and grows each time we dwell on these types of feelings.

Its powerful impact on our behaviour mostly happens at a subconscious level, and consequently we often react to situations – rather than respond with awareness. The more we become aware of our shadow selves, the less power it has over us, and as a result we make better choices, we improve our relationships with others, and we have more energy – it takes a lot of energy to resist and suppress our shadow selves.

Horses often demonstrate a common behaviour around people who hold back – keeping their shadow self under cover.  They display a glazed-over look in their eyes – as if the lights are on, but no one is home.  They are only partially present, and that is what they are mirroring – someone who is only partially present.  (Its worth noting that its not only horses that do this.  How many times have you been in conversation with someone and you feel yourself drifting off – you are probably experiencing someone who is not totally present!)

As we become aware of our shadow selves, the horses become more present, more engaging.  They help up to experience the change on a somatic level – with our body and all our senses.  Working on mindfulness with the horses is an accelerated approach to revealing our shadow selves and increase our ability to be more present, aware, and purposeful.