| All of us at some point in our life feel the pain of | | | | If we are to understand our own unique relationship |
| abandonment. We came into this world needy and | | | | with God (or whatever word feels appropriate) we |
| helpless, unable to feed or clean ourselves, emoting | | | | may feel that the Left Hand version is much more |
| to get these basic needs met through our parents or | | | | our cup of tea. The conservative, |
| guardians. For some abandonment is clearly felt | | | | all-fear-the-wrath-of-God system has seeped into our |
| through the lens of divorce, death or neglect. Others, | | | | culture and society as a whole. |
| even under the best circumstances of being nurtured, | | | | To turn the tide and create a new conscious |
| will at some point along the way become disillusioned | | | | understanding of our individual relationship to our |
| by the fact that our parents will die as will we. | | | | spirituality is necessary. It is at the core of |
| Viewing Our Parents as God | | | | transcending the negative connotations of God |
| Regardless of how we are raised when we are little | | | | having to be one specific way, or of being left for |
| we view our parents as God, even if this is far from | | | | dead if you question or disagree with a particular |
| true. They are perfect beings that seem to perform | | | | system of belief. |
| magical acts continually. Our parents take on the roles | | | | Returning to Childhood... |
| of best friend, confidant, protector, hero or that of | | | | We enter this world with our essence in totality. |
| an indestructible force. "My Dad can lift two cars by | | | | Nothing is left behind. Our soul's work is within us and |
| himself!" "My Mommy can fly!" | | | | our work is to discover what that work consists of |
| Our exaggerations are living truth at this stage of | | | | while making many mistakes along the way. |
| development. The parental figure is powerful, strong, | | | | Regardless of our upbringing that essence does not |
| vital and literally much bigger than us. We look up to | | | | leave us or cease to exist. We simply need ways to |
| our parents as the measure of how to behave and | | | | remember what it is. |
| function in the world. | | | | Reclaiming The Soul |
| So when we first become aware of any | | | | There may be pieces of our soul that get lost, |
| disappointment we are having with our caregivers it | | | | trapped in moments of trauma or difficulty from the |
| also transfers over to our view of God or Source. If | | | | past but we can retrieve them. That is the purpose |
| we grow up with the understanding that we should | | | | of a soul retrieval, an internal journey to call back to |
| be fearful of our parents, we fear the idea of God | | | | us the aspects that feel lost or abandoned. |
| as well. The disappointment we feel becomes | | | | When we are young, we are not capable of being |
| internalized and we set out to alleviate ourselves of | | | | able to work with the extremity of certain situations. |
| that pain; that fear of abandonment. Whatever | | | | We get overwhelmed and dissociate, a piece of who |
| survival tactic we have used that seems to work | | | | we are may leave to protect us from the damage. |
| (whether or not that has negative implications) we | | | | Our body and soul are incredibly intelligent and our |
| stick to. | | | | always working on our behalf even if it means |
| Religion Instills This View of God Deeper | | | | "checking out" in order to prevent us from |
| If our parents recognize that we will grapple with this | | | | experiencing the full brunt of the pain. |
| feeling of abandonment they will help us to | | | | Being Ready to Re-Parent Ourselves |
| understand the deeper aspects of who we are. Our | | | | When we are ready (and I want to emphasize |
| autonomy and individuality will be celebrated and | | | | ready) we can then find the objective conditions to |
| nurtured. This, however, is not always the case. | | | | call these pieces of ourselves back, reclaiming them. |
| Many (not all) organized religious systems are based | | | | We re-parent these childhood injuries, nurturing and |
| in shame and guilt where a judgmental God watches | | | | befriending these hurts back to health. We can then |
| our every move and for whom we must consistently | | | | start to understand our abandonment issues from a |
| ask forgiveness for our "sins". | | | | subjective and objective place while also |
| In Michael Lerner's book, The Left Hand of God, he | | | | unapologetically restructuring our relationship to the |
| repeatedly demonstrates the difference between the | | | | Divine. |
| judgmental, wrathful and punishing God (The Right | | | | What's Next? |
| Hand) that is the foundation of the conservative | | | | You can read more articles here more articles here |
| movement against the kind, compassionate and | | | | for perspectives on Energy Psychology, EFT and |
| empathetic God (The Left Hand) that gets lost in the | | | | holistic healing. |
| shadows (especially in times of war). | | | | |