THE FUTILITY OF UNRESOLVED GUILT

Guilt is that emotion that keeps us looking backwards to a former event that we now label as failure. In the story of Adam and Eve, we learn of how this couple chose to hide after indulging in "forbidden fruit". Feelings of guilt caused them to go into self-imposed exile as they felt shamed by their earlier transgressions.

We all fail and that is the special mechanism by which we are meant to learn and grow. To fail creates the potential to gain insightful knowledge of the real world. This is where we cultivate wisdom by responding meaningfully to events that could be easily be labelled as bad. Wisdom can never be acquired by tuition; it is gained through seemingly brutal knocks along life's paths.

Guilt is the manifestation of an active conscience or overly developed sense of responsibility. Guilt causes us to feel that we have done wrong and clearly points to where we have erred. This is the point where our own powerful choice comes into play yet again.

Consciousness is all about awareness. It is only when we are fully aware that we effectively listen to the small voice of our conscience. That is when we can make relevant choices to grow from the aspects we might call failure.

Failure is only failure when we don't react effectively to the call to grow or to become MORE! We eliminate failure when we take positive steps to heal wounds and to repair damaged relationships. Being pro-active in making amends is the balm that transforms failure into something valuable. This is where we can be effective alchemists in our own lives to transport our darkness into shining light.

HIV/Aids is an illness that has come to teach humanity on many different planes. Being infected with this virus should remind us that we loved ourselves inadequately. We then feel guilty in terms of the damage we have done to our physical bodies, our existence and to our families. This guilt also surfaces when we have carelessly infected others by not revealing our HIV status or by acting irresponsibly.

When milk has been spilt it cannot be reversed. The cleaning that results from the spillage can however be very effective in dealing with other ancillary issues. These situations demand that we avoid focusing on the negative, but rather that we take suitable remedial action to make worthwhile amends and to grow from the seeming adversity.

The guilt and shame associated with HIV has forced most of those infected and affected into a dangerous silent exile. This is the silence that kills (see also http://indigo-mansblog.blogspot.com/the-silence-that-kills.html) and is the very breeding ground of this dangerous virus! Problems that aren't confronted soon escalate to a proportion where we feel that little can be done to make adequate amends. Every problem, no matter how large needs to be addressed, one small step at a time. Small steps take away the potential to be overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. Small positive steps taken regularly lead away from guilt and shame and transport us back to Eden!

Guilt is only useful if used as a guide, but never as a persistent feature of life. Guilt on its own is a negative, destructive force; but if used as a prompt for self-forgiveness and the purging of damaged souls, can be a mightily valuable emotion. Guilt should be our marker that something needs to be fixed. All emotions are natural human radar pointing to a required response. Guilt needs to be used effectively as a beacon for healing, to allow it to then disappear when the job is done.

A conscience that is ignored is the hallmark of the sociopath. These are dangerous individuals who show no remorse for any of their actions. Such people generally leave deep scars on society.

There is so much unnecessary suffering and angst. HIV/Aids has done its bit to add to this burden, but when we come to understand why events needed to happen, as a preparation for meaningful personal growth and transformation, we can then move ahead freed of the heaviness that dogged the past.

Any emotion that is not acknowledged is wasted. Consciousness alerts us to our feelings giving the capacity for response. To use every emotion positively and effectively is to encourage the very fullness of life. Without such behaviour, we live surface, shallow lives that are devoid of depth that can never reflect any significant purpose. Such lives are often caught in repetitive loops where progress or evolution becomes horribly limited.

Unprocessed guilt is a significant and limiting handbrake; but used as a signal to heal the past, guilt becomes extremely valuable and a wonderful vehicle to be MORE!