Nothing is wrong with you.
Hey feisty folks,
I’ll get right to the point.
NOTHING IS WRONG WITH YOU.
Yes, that’s right. We come into this world genuine and adventurous and loving. Those qualities get hidden under cloaks of “must do isms.” At first others put these cloaks on us, then we willingly put them on ourselves long after the cloak-putter-onners no longer have the power to do so. Sometimes the cloaks get so heavy people collapse under the burden of trying to wear them, suffocated by the weight. You’ve seen these folks or, perhaps, even been one yourself, crawling through life, feeling unbelievably heavy.
By junior high I had a cloak so heavy, my legs often would not move. I’d get into the hallway and feel like every step required me to move the equivalent of a concrete block. I wondered if others could see me moving in slo mo. It felt like it took forever to get just a few feet down the hall. And my cloak only got heavier and uglier and smellier. (Hey, you can’t wash these things …)
15 years down the road, a work colleague helped me lift my ugly cloak off. One day when I could barely sit up and face the caged day ahead, she said, “There’s more than one path through life.”
This may sound naive, but I didn’t know that. I’d been following the person in front of me, following the person in front of him/her, following the person in front of …, ad infinitum.
Give yourself the gift of true freedom starting today.
Try to heave off your own heavy cloak and if it’s too heavy, ask someone to help you.
Burn that sucker.
Immediately, you’ll feel more light, more able to see that right under your feet are two paths – the one you could only see with your cloak on and the new one you can only see with your cloak off.
When you feel able, step on the new path and see where it goes…
You’ll enjoy the adventure,
Muse thx,
Giulietta
p.s. One way to take off your cloak is to write. When you write you build up your arm muscles, which makes it easier to rip off your cloak. Please read more about the personal essay writing class I’m teaching at Story Circle On-line. Essay writing takes courage. I understand that. I know you will feel comfortable in this supportive writing environment. If now is the right time to throw off your cloak, please consider joining me!
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How did you get your cloak off or if it’s still on, what’s standing between you and heaving it off?
The first time, I had it torn off in a motorcycle accident. It wasn’t gentle, but I was grateful just the same. Unfortunately, the having it done for me/to me meant that I did’t get the full benefit of the lesson. When I took it off myself a couple years ago it was by my choice, and being able to look back at the first time helped make that choice easier.
It’s a good thing that the world works in such a way as to provide multiple second chances…
And it’s good and burned now.
Awesome, G., as always.
Hey Michael,
Nothing like the sweet aroma of a burning cloak.
I like how you differentiate between the power of having the cloak ripped off for you and ripping it off yourself down the road.
Like you, I’ve found that the Universe gives us second and sometimes even third chances to get on our path.
That’s a great lesson, too!
Thanks for your always insightful comments.
G.
member of the cloak-free club.
Hi Giulietta!
Beautiful analogy of the cloak…
I lift mine off just the other day – or at least another piece of it – when I looked in the mirror and told myself that there is no reason why I can’t be successful just like those people that I follow and admire. I felt another piece of it come off then as I saw a new path unfold out in front of me, the path of new opportunities and unlimited possibilities…
What a powerful, freeing feeling! 🙂
Hey Jess,
Congrats on removing more of that smelly cloak! Yes, you have what they have. Don’t ever forget that. Living without a cloak makes it easier to run with your new opportunities … It give you more agility! Best wishes for a successful biz. Thanks for stopping by again. G.
*love-love-love* this post! The combination of encouragement, humor and gutsy language is just right.
I ripped off another layer of mine last month when I grabbed an opportunity to put my own writing first. I’ve been helping other writers for so long, I have to occasionally take back my life from the helping role and put my own writing front and center. This time I’m being a lot noisier about it than I usually am. Feels fabulous!
Hello not afraid of writing!
I appreciate you stopping by for your first visit and leaving such a kind comment. Really enjoy interacting with my commenters. Fun!
Terrific that you ripped off another layer of that cloak. It sure is thick, isn’t it? Sometimes, I felt like I needed a jackhammer to dislodge it.
Congrats on putting your own writing front and center. I will zip on over and read your post about waitressing – one of my fav topics!
Many thanks! G.
Hi Giulietta,
I believe that I’ve been taking off my cloak and then putting it back on all my life. The freedom of life without it beckons to me, and I love it for a while, until something makes me go back and put it on again.
I’m hostage to that cloak, in a sort of Stockholm syndrome situation where I escape from it but can’t help going to it.
Why? Because for me, that cloak represents some odd kind of security that I’ll lose if I completely discard it. Doesn’t make a lot of sense but I’m sure that is the situation with many people who yearn for freedom but fear the consequences of it more.
Hi Penelope,
Ah, the Stockholm Syndrome. That really makes sense to talk about the cloak holding us hostage. What a creative way to look at it. Trained to feel naked without the cloak.
People talk a lot about freedom and being free and fighting for freedom, yet in reality so few folks take advantage of their freedom. Otherwise, why would so many of us be living the same life?
Absolute freedom must scare us or at least scare the trained to be scared of it us.
Many thoughts to ponder here! Thank you for your contribution. Always intriguing.
G.
Nice imagery, G. I think humans are complicated, and the cloak-shedding process is lifelong. There are many cloaks out there we try on that don’t really belong to us or fit us. Part of the shedding process for me has been realizing that I can change my mind, or my path, as I see fit. And that any path, even the path of freedom, can ultimately turn into just another kind of oppressive cloak if I’m don’t stay conscious and aware.
Hi Patty,
So good to hear from you! An excellent point about shedding off a cloak only to find another one under the first one or putting on a second one without even noticing it.
These cloaks are mighty sly. Their mission in the world is to stay on our bcks. Our mission is to take them off.
I wonder if it’s all a metaphor to return to our naked state of birth? Did you see Altered States with William Hurt? I seem to recall him running naked through his altered state or was this his unaltered state?
Thanks! G.
Dear Giulietta,
That’s a great analogy. Most of my life was lived that way, and although I experienced flashes of possibilities, potential and all that good stuff, I did not have an effective strategy to manage my “cloak” or the “cloak-shedding” process. We call it the shadow! Because I did not understand the mechanics of awareness and consciousness, nor realize that the construct of the universe is duality, (good – bad, happy – sad, peace – war) and so feeling bad (or being cloaked) was just as valid as feeling good (or being free – of myself), my life was a struggle and not only did I not know why, I couldn’t do anything to change it significantly – which is what I was ambitious to do!
Then I met my husband who created what are now known as the Self Discovery Techniques, and I have let go of my cloak to the degree that I now live deliberately, from a quiet mind, I create my reality powerfully and live from my heart and intuitive guidance, which is in alignment with my deliberate intentions!
I no longer measure my success personally (I have everything I want and much more!) but by my how many others I train in mastering the Self Discovery Techniques, which are simply a highly effective strategy that supports a person in returning to their true (or higher) self, and letting go of their self-created cloak!
Today I wrote a poem I would like to share with you:
“You get what you give … “
If you want love, be loving …
If you want respect, be respectful …
If you want support, be supportive …
If you want to receive, be generous …
If you want miracles, be miraculous …
If you want to feel God, be God.
December 2010
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Winston Churchill
Wishing you all everything you wish for yourself 🙂
Susan James
Susan@SelfDiscoveryTechniques.com
Hi Susan!
Wise poem Susan. We tend to be taught the opposite, so it’s a life lesson that comes after much “unlearning.” will check out your site. Your technique sounds intriguing. Thank you for your visit. Best wishes for you as well.
Giulietta
thank you for the inspiring post Giulietta and keep up the good work 🙂
Hey Farouk,
Appreciate you taking the time to stop by and leave a comment. Off with our cloaks!
G.
I’m definitely one of those people who was wearing many, many cloaks at one time. The more cloaks you wear, the easier it is to hide. Unfortunately, they get very, very heavy. I have been pulling cloaks off as I get older, but I find that I still have many left to take off. Sometimes, I find that an old one comes back and sneaks back on when I’m not looking. Those things tend to be very sneaky.
Hi Kim,
Sneaky is a great way to describe the cloaks. I find that I need to “burn” them once I get them off or you’re right they can reposition themselves when I’m not paying attention. Maybe we need some kind of symbolic event to toss them in to, like a bonfire of the cloak vanities?
Glad you stopped in! G.