The Alchemy of the Dagger: Learning to Pivot
When shame and confusion clamp us tight, how do we find the orientation toward peace?
“A perceived dagger is thrust in your direction. It is sharp, shiny, seductively scary. You probably think this terrible sensation of pain and fear and shame and guilt is all your fault. You probably don’t know why this is happening to you and you start to rush through vivid scenarios in your mind, spinning a fantastical array of reasons this dagger is thrust in your direction.”
We have all been there—huddled on the floor of the closet, hiding from the glance of the sun. We mask the pain because we don’t want anyone to see our “disgusting shame.”
But then, a gap opens. A window thrust open for fresh air, a flash of a bald eagle, the giggle of a child.
I’m revisiting a piece from the archives today that feels more relevant than ever as I navigate the “heaving great wave” of my own work. It’s about the most fundamentally important moment in any human life: The Pivot.
The pivot towards peace requires a prior knowledge of what peace is. It requires saying to the confusion, “I do not need you, you are not me, I am not yours.”
I’ve posted the full essay and a deeper reflection on how I use this “Alchemy” to manage the intensity of my state leadership role and my creative life over on Patreon. Join the circle to read the full piece:
