The Transparent Hypnotist

Photography by springm

Here I was, all happy and ready to go on with this post, gunpowder tea (living it large today with a teaspoon of honey in it) beside me, and I discovered that I had made a terrible error. Yesterday I mentioned that Blogger’s Unite Day was today. How nice that would be if true, but I am a day late. It was on November 10 and according to my calendar, today is November 11. However, I am going to pretend I do not know that yet and blog about it just the same - you know, worthy cause and all that.

The theme chosen for this particular Blogger’s Unite Day is Refugees United. This is a non-profit that helps refugees stay in touch with their loved ones via the internet. There is no cost involved and one can look or post messages on the site without having to give location or identity information. People can be identified through various markers - nicknames, scars, and so forth. I have to admit, I was not familiar of the site until yesterday, but what an amazing thing. Imagine if you were exiled from your loved ones and there was no safe way to let people know that you are okay - no phone calls, no emails, no blog post, no Twitter…that disconnect would be horrifying.

When I think about the concept of what a refugee is, I see images in my mind that conjure up homeless encampments in Darfur and places I have never personally experienced. Words like poverty also come to mind. Then I had to wonder if I really understood the true definition of refugee. According to the dictionary on my computer, a refugee is:

a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.

This definition is much more encompassing than I had given it credit. Salman Rushdie was a refugee (if you do not know who he is, look him up). The Dali Lama was a refugee. All those people whose homes were destroyed by Katrina (well, not so sure you can blame a little ol’ Hurricane as opposed to corrupting and antiquated systems) - those people were refugees.

And then it becomes even more personal. Many of my clients are refugees, not in the strict definition sense, but they are people often looking for a refuge. Refuge is defined as:

a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble.

In many cases it is not a physical thing or condition that causes them to be a refugee, but instead their pursuant is a mental thing - be it a block, a bad habit, or a disturbing thought pattern. They come to me in search of a more peaceful place to exist internally. And whether we do traditional hypnosis and suggestion work or a more client-centered form of hypnosis, that which brings them to me - the trouble - exist in the same place they seek shelter. Only by facing and dealing with the trouble can they be truly free. The refuge is within themselves.

We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.

Dali Lama

I have known both refugees who flee from themselves and from some physical, political, or tragic source. Both may parish in their journey or in the end the journey becomes a legacy to move forward, no matter what conditions.

For those on that journey, may you find the peace within to make yet another step forward.

Tags: Blogger's Unite Day

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 11th, 2008 at 7:40 am and is filed under Special Events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.