Jamie Hewlett – La Force, 2014
La Force (Strength)
I am the trigger rooted in the mire.
I am fully loaded with impulse.
Like Kundalini, the Coiled one, I am arranged.
Squeeze me and watch a new consciousness explode into the world.
I was a victim of trauma.
A toxic, mutilating and rigid education.
That’s why, I am the Strength.
See how I control this powerful beast with very little physical effort.
Follow me, And I will teach you to defeat fear.
Nothing scares me.
I am the beginning of creation.
In 2015 I went to see The Suggestionists, the exhibition from artist Jamie Hewlett at the Saatchi Gallery. One of the three series he presented was a tarot deck, and the image above, together with its caption, is the one that struck me the most. I still find both extremely powerful and I thought it was time to share this with you. Last week, with many of my clients, I have discussed vulnerability, which more often that not is associated with weakness. On the contrary, our wounds and trauma can be a source of strength, once they are processed and healed. Of course the path isn’t easy and it takes a lot of courage to connect with that vulnerable side of us, to bring it up – but that’s how we reconnect with our strength.
Trauma and fear can lead people to paralysis: they are too scared to take action and their energy is shriveled. Some may feel depleted and develop symptoms such as anxiety and depression, others may try to compensate how they feel with food, shopping, alcohol and drugs. Some people may become aggressive, showing this sort of fake strength to the world, but their energy is also stuck in old patterns.
The turning point is changing your narrative.
It happens when you stop being a victim, or being angry, and you take responsibility for your healing. It means to allow yourself to be vulnerable, to heal, and to regain all the energy that you were using to hold on to your previous state of affairs and its coping mechanisms. Remaining traumatised requires a lot of energy! When we heal, a new consciousness explode into the world. You are back in control – just like the woman of the image above can easily control the lion: her beast, her pain, but also her emotions, her energy and her intuition.
Strength is not about enduring sacrifice and suffering, it has nothing to do with being a martyr or an avenger. Strength stems from the peaceful, balanced coexistence of the different parts of the Self, including the most vulnerable and hurt, that are normally hidden best.
I don’t want to write too much about this and I would like to leave you with whatever reflection or emotion the image and the caption evoke for you. Hoping that this will help you find your own strength.
