Previously Posted on Jun 23rd, 2007 by  martha - @zaadz   

Today I encountered a comment that Michael made on
Julian's blog, and I really liked it as a stand-alone piece. 
I got a lot out of it and wanted to keep the words in a place more easily accessible to me, so I'm copying them here and want to share them with anyone who hasn't come across them yet. Friends who are interested in shadow work might really like this:

BEING understood as a way to focus the mind enough to go under the defensive omnipotent fantasies into the places of vulnerability wherein lies the true gift - our disowned aspects of self …

acceptance and the kind of mirroring that allowed a strong sense of self to be internalized …

Authentic confidence will develop over time from learning how to be present and loving with the insecure part of yourself …

Healthy anger sets boundaries, communicates violations, expresses moral outrage. Healthy anger can be channeled into hard work, creativity, passionate engagement. Healthy anger can create real intimacy - because it is honest and direct.


Toxic anger is usually tied to some kind of repressive cycle such that it builds up and needs to be discharged either by out of proportion reactivity or passive aggression.Healthy anger is a function of ego-strength. Toxic anger is usually part of an ego-defense.

As we engage in practices that allow development and healing to occur, INSIGHT arises.
INSIGHT  IS distinct from belief in one simple way: belief is an outside-in phenomenon.
INSIGHT  IS as the word suggests an inside-out phenomenon.
                                                                                                                                --Michael


The part where Michael talks about a " strong sense of self "... this is something that I'm learning about--that there is a strong sense of self that is not really an ego experience, but it is different--like a very grounded, very effortless experience of BEING. Ah! Yes! Delightful!