How to Integrate a Disowned Self:
A note from Hal and Sidra and
a poem from Ellen Sullins
We’ve been describing the process of integrating a disowned
self as follows: “We think of this process as creating
a homeopathic tincture of the disowned self. Take the person
who carries this self (let’s call her “Hortense”),
and put her into a big pot. Boil it down until you have distilled
the very essence of Hortense.  This
is like the old alchemical procedure of distilling gold from
dross. Now put this tincture, this essence of Hortense, into
a bottle and take a drop (or however much you need) each morning
under your tongue so that you have just a bit of Hortense in
you all day. If you find you need more, take more – perhaps
take some at night. If you feel you need less, take just half
of a drop. But be sure to take it as you need it.”
We find that many people who do psycho-spiritual work have disowned
their inner “monsters”, so we wanted to share the
recipe for the integration of instinctual energies as described
in following poem by Ellen Sullins:
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By Ellen Sullins, Ph.D.
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By whatever means necessary |
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hunt it down in the darkness |
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Never mind the tail whipping |
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or the flashing fangs
the eyes glowing red or
the terrible jaws that crush |
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Hold it as you would your child |
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sing it lullabies and whisper
soothing charms to set
the alchemy in motion |
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Thank it for its ferocity |
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praise its scaly armor
its clever wit and speedy attack |
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Burn the frankincense and myrrh |
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as tribute to its disdain
of others’ desires and needs |
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Distill the essence of all this and more |
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store in a crystalline amphora
and
set to catch the light of sun and moon |
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Mornings take one drop sublingually |
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that the darkness be with you always. |
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