Friday, June 18, 2010

The Power of Thought and the Power of Metaphors

Most of us have heard of the idea that our thoughts create our world. When we change our thoughts, we change our world. In my experience that statement has been true every time.

In Dramatherapy metaphors are widely explored and used during the process of therapy. We dramatherapists, have found it very effective in the process of healing.

The link below is a video from TED TV by an Indian classical dancer who elaborates and performs about the power thoughts and the power of metaphor in her process of healing from cancer. Definitely worth watching!

http://www.ted.com/talks/ananda_shankar_jayant_fights_cancer_with_a_dance.html

Monday, June 14, 2010

Failure is an option. Fear is NOT

I was watching James Cameron's talk on TED TV earlier today, possibly for the 7th time. I discovered it a few months ago just after the film 'Avatar' became a big hit on the big screen. I found his talk to be truly inspiring.

Towards the end, he says "Failure IS an option in art and in exploration... Whatever you do, failure is an option, fear is NOT"

I began to think about the times that I have feared and still sometimes fear failure. And many times it is usually instigated by my environment i.e. others, etc. I also am remided by those who have come to me for therapy. A few of them come for therapy because they feel stuck, unable to move forward or be happy in their lives because they are paralised by the fear of failure.

What is failure? The dictionary defines it as 'the lack of success'. My understanding of the word failure is that when we have not met our own, other people's or societies expectations.

I find that many times we are usually afraid of things that are unlikely to happen. We paralise ourselves with fear of the worst case scenarios of a given situation.

My experience of each 'failure' in my life is that it is never as bad as I have imagined it to be. And there is always something better that imerges instead... Usually it is better than I could have imagined.

When it comes to following your dreams or pursuing an inspiration, as James Cameron says, failure has to be an option. If we fear failure, we are not living our lives as we desire. That is not living a creative life. I believe that our potential as creative beings is unlimitted. It can be limited only by our fears. The fear of failure robs us from exploring and expanding our creativity. Our creativity is life's wonderful and precious gift to us.

Until we face our fears, it is difficult to realise that fears are just illusions.

Until we realise that failure is an option, and in many instances it is just part of the process of creating the life that we desire, our lives will be limited by our fears of failure.

Once we have those realizations, life becomes a wonderful adventure!