We’re Going on a Bear Hunt: When fear can be a friend.
There is a wonderful children’s book called were going on a bear hunt written by Michael Rosen
It’s a tale of an adventure, five siblings traversing difficult environments in search of a bear.
The rhyme through out the story is ‘cant go over it, cant go under it have to go through it‘. I love this story; the psychology is brilliant and is a favorite in our house. I reflect on this book on my own navigation through problems and those of my patients.
As a child I learnt little of this way of dealing with issues and over the years repeated plenty of patterns of negative behavior. I became very creative at disguising my own patterns from myself believing I was healed, clear and moving forward with my life. I watched as friends and patients faced emotional challenges whilst offering kindness, support, compassion and healing. I never thought I had the heart for big sh*t to happen to me until big sh*t did happen to me, and instead of escaping over or under it I chose to GO THROUGH IT.
When faced with pain or difficulty our natural instinct is to seek emotional comfort, get out of it or find someone or something to make it better. Cake, alcohol, drugs, shopping, a friend who tell us its not our fault. What if you were to see it differently as an invitation to walk into the darkness and really look at your fear. It is not the easy way but this is the path to take if you want lasting healing and transformation.
What have you really not looked at, what’s hidden? What are you frightened of in life? What are your repeated patterns and what causes you emotional or physical pain?
First look at taking responsibility for your own ‘stuff’. Look internally for answers, look deep and with eyes wide open. Ways to do this are mediating, writing and talking with people who will support you through not offer an escape. Be prepared to feel awful, hurt and fail, try again. Believe in yourself, trust you are capable. You will know when you have worked your way through and gain skills to do it again when you need to. We are in this life to learn and evolve, there will be joy and difficulty along the way or else it is just boring right?
** Spoiler alert:
One of the children finds the bear and is not scared, she is safe and makes a new friend. When the others find her they scream, rescue her and run all the way home.
Facing your fear may make you run away and that’s okay you made it that far.
You may also be brave, go through it and trust you will be rewarded.
Kerry is available for consultation at Mornington Chinese Medicine on Tuesday and Friday.
To book your appointment, please call ph: 5973 6886.