Healing with archetypes and symbols ~procrustes, the sacred well and alchemy

Paul Levy wrote; “the alchemists understood that our wounded, inferior and unconscious parts aren't an accident or error, but rather, has a value and cosmic perfection to them that is stunning. Our wounds, the base material of the work, are indispensible for the accomplishment of the opus, for without these shadow parts there would be no way to make the alchemical gold.” The “secret,” and the basis of the alchemical opus is the unique prima materia, which is the chaos and raw material out of which the refined substance or “gold” is produced.”

Procrustes was said to be the son of Poseidon and lived in Atticus not too far from the sacred road to Athens. As the story goes, he welcomed weary travelers to stay in his home but when they did not fit his bed, he would either stretch them to fit if they were too small or lopped off their legs if they were too tall. This myth is a great metaphor for the ways we are conditioned by parents and well meaning adults in our world, teachers, lovers, friends, bosses, and partners to shrink, cut off, or stretch ourselves to fit in, in order to make ourselves acceptable to others.

The beauty in exploring the sacred well of our own being (water, in this way being a symbol for the whole of our potentiality) is in the deep undercurrents we keep hidden, sometimes even from ourselves, the many seeds of our being awaiting our acceptance and integration. The parts of our selves we were taught to exclude for the comfort and esteem of others, stretched thin or cut off like a traveler on Procrustes bed. In giving them a valid place at the table of our lives, we reclaim agency of ourselves no longer in service to things that keep us small and silent. We do this by giving our needs and desires deeper consideration (something we may have lost practice doing), by giving them a voice and sharing them with others. This small but profound act is a way of saying I am worthy of being seen. I am worthy of being heard. My needs are worthy of being known. We do this by negotiating our needs with the needs of others rather than folding in ourselves and giving others all the room and then lying to ourselves that what we are giving is consideration. When we make room for ourselves and our voice, we are giving others the gift of ourselves. We are taking responsibility for ourselves and our relationships with others by participating in the wellness of that relationship. The alternative can often lead to our feeling resentful later as well as feeling small and diminished.

What long ago silenced parts of you are waiting to be revealed and transformed?

What are the ways you stretch yourself to self detriment for the comfort and benefit of others? At work? Culturally? In friendships or relationships?

What parts do you cut off or make small and how is that draining the sacred well of your being? This can show up as fatigue, a loss of meaning, lack of luster and passion or a general sense of disconnection from the ambience of your life and self.