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It was around midnight of a very dark, moonless night, and a man was treading home, dead drunk.
The path led him through an area well known to be prowled by a ghost during night times. His relatives, who lived close by claimed to have seen the ghost countless times and had resorted to getting indoors early.
On this particular night, they were jolted out of their sleep by the man’s drunken runts outside, “Hey you little ghost, get out of my way, I’m not the one who killed you!” They tensed, waiting to hear his pounding footsteps into the yard and a subsequent rasp on the door as he sought refuge, like many others usually did. But that did not happen.
The following day, upon being questioned by his relatives, the man confirmed that he had indeed encountered the ghost, but it had vanished when he castigated it and he had gotten home safely.
Everyone was amazed by his courage, which they all attributed to the drinks he had had. According to him, several months later, he has never again encountered the ghost, despite still frequently walking along the path during the night.
That got me thinking, maybe our fear of ghosts is just mental conditioning! Maybe just like this man, if we gather enough guts and look at them squarely… Okay, I agree, the matter is so subjective and besides, many people do not even encounter a ghost in their lifetime.
But how about the ghosts, which we live with every single day? Those that we also try to avoid because of what they make us feel.
The ghosts of anger, resentment, fears we prefer not to name, insecurities that make us feel inadequate, limiting beliefs that convince us that we are undeserving.
Think of such strongholds as phobias, addictions, obsessions, especially over people we love, food or alcohol, sexual immoralities, penchant for gossip, procrastination, among many others — all those are ghosts too.
Early Psychologist, Carl Yung once said, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it destiny.”
Hiding or avoiding these ghosts won’t make them go away. They will continue to rove around you, negatively influencing your life. With their weight, they will hold you fast, preventing you from progressing. Left alone, they can become an opaque screen that bar you from accessing the full splendour of God’s love and of who you were truly meant to be.
But what if you gather up courage to stand your ground and look at them squarely in the face? What would happen if you pulled aside the curtain and stare that fear, paralysis, uncertainty, addiction or obsession in the face? Imagine what the hurt, anger and resentment would do when exposed to you.
You may not have to shout at the ghosts like the man who met the physical ghost did. There are subtle ways to do it and here are some of them:
Observe and acknowledge the ghosts —Being in denial over their existence won’t help you. I suggest you simply shine your light of knowledge upon them without explanations, justifications or judgments. If it is an obsession or addiction and the drive to do the particular act becomes so strong, don’t respond to it, be like a third party and just continue observing.
Focus on your strengths – Instead of letting your thoughts linger unnecessarily on the ghosts, shift your focus instead on those things you are good at. They will strengthen you against the dictates of the ghosts.
Reframe – Challenge negative unhelpful self-talk and ideas in your head, re-framing them into more balanced, realistic and positive ones.
Seek Support – Consider seeking the help of a therapist/counsellor, joining a support group, or sharing with trusted friends and family members to gain their support and perspectives.
Dealing with inner ghosts often calls for a more introspective and emotional approach. It can be a gradual and long process, but the results can be astounding and worth every effort!
Mildred Mutize is a transformational writer and speaker contactable on [email protected]/ call/WhatsApp +263773637284. YouTube Channel: Transformation with Mildred, Facebook Page: Mildred Mutize
