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God Sleeps
Vulnerability is much maligned in our culture. It has been seen as a womanly trait, unworthy of a man or a truly successful and admirable human being. For the more spiritually orientated, it has been viewed as a lack of trust in one’s spiritual commitment, a serious impediment to growth and transformation. To be identified with one’s vulnerability can, indeed, make one a victim to the world.
(But) If there is no access to vulnerability, then our lives are dominated by our primary selves that, in turn, are relating to the primary selves of others. We are well protected, but alone. The sadness of this condition was beautifully conveyed in a dream that was told to us rather wistfully at a workshop. “Hal reached into my bag and pulled out a book of poems. He started reading them aloud. I remember thinking that they weren’t mine. This made me feel “safe” but it also made me feel sad. Since my vulnerability wasn’t revealed, he couldn’t disapprove of me — but couldn’t really approve either”.
The vulnerable child is the actual self within each of us that carries our emotional reality. It is this child who remembers all of the experiences that have touched us deeply or have caused us great pain. Its memories are far more complete than those that are usually available to our primary selves. It often has full recall of specific traumatic experiences that have been otherwise repressed.
