David Sutcliffe

that you understand, know without shame what it is that you're feeling and how and when you choose to share that with her is ultimately is up to you.

Because it comes into conflict with a lower self aspect of us that believes that we are bad. And what do I mean by that? Well, going back to what I was saying earlier about we have to repress or deny or disassociate from certain aspects of ourself in order to stay connected. and in favor with our caregivers. Well, the child has no discernment, no consciousness, right? The parents are God.

Because it comes into conflict with a lower self aspect of us that believes that we are bad. And what do I mean by that? Well, going back to what I was saying earlier about we have to repress or deny or disassociate from certain aspects of ourself in order to stay connected. and in favor with our caregivers. Well, the child has no discernment, no consciousness, right? The parents are God.

Because it comes into conflict with a lower self aspect of us that believes that we are bad. And what do I mean by that? Well, going back to what I was saying earlier about we have to repress or deny or disassociate from certain aspects of ourself in order to stay connected. and in favor with our caregivers. Well, the child has no discernment, no consciousness, right? The parents are God.

And so they're going to make the assumption, they're gonna draw the conclusion that those parts of them are bad. Like that part of me is bad. And so most of us, I would say all of us, but I'll say most of us have some place inside us that doesn't trust our own inherent goodness. that there's some part of us that's bad.

And so they're going to make the assumption, they're gonna draw the conclusion that those parts of them are bad. Like that part of me is bad. And so most of us, I would say all of us, but I'll say most of us have some place inside us that doesn't trust our own inherent goodness. that there's some part of us that's bad.

And so they're going to make the assumption, they're gonna draw the conclusion that those parts of them are bad. Like that part of me is bad. And so most of us, I would say all of us, but I'll say most of us have some place inside us that doesn't trust our own inherent goodness. that there's some part of us that's bad.

And it's usually deep in the unconscious and it can be masked by a kind of confidence or bravado, but most people have some degree of shame. And so that part of us that thinks it's bad, it wants to continue to tell ourselves the story that we are bad. Why? Because that's what creates safety for us. And meaning that this part of me, right? Let's say for a guy, it's my aggression, okay?

And it's usually deep in the unconscious and it can be masked by a kind of confidence or bravado, but most people have some degree of shame. And so that part of us that thinks it's bad, it wants to continue to tell ourselves the story that we are bad. Why? Because that's what creates safety for us. And meaning that this part of me, right? Let's say for a guy, it's my aggression, okay?

And it's usually deep in the unconscious and it can be masked by a kind of confidence or bravado, but most people have some degree of shame. And so that part of us that thinks it's bad, it wants to continue to tell ourselves the story that we are bad. Why? Because that's what creates safety for us. And meaning that this part of me, right? Let's say for a guy, it's my aggression, okay?

A lot of guys think their aggression is bad. They've been told their aggression is bad. So if I show my aggression, I'm gonna get in trouble. Like mom's not gonna be happy or the world is not gonna be happy or my girlfriend's not gonna be happy. So we make that part of us bad. So whenever it comes up, we're gonna tell ourselves a story that there's something wrong with us. I'm out of control.

A lot of guys think their aggression is bad. They've been told their aggression is bad. So if I show my aggression, I'm gonna get in trouble. Like mom's not gonna be happy or the world is not gonna be happy or my girlfriend's not gonna be happy. So we make that part of us bad. So whenever it comes up, we're gonna tell ourselves a story that there's something wrong with us. I'm out of control.

A lot of guys think their aggression is bad. They've been told their aggression is bad. So if I show my aggression, I'm gonna get in trouble. Like mom's not gonna be happy or the world is not gonna be happy or my girlfriend's not gonna be happy. So we make that part of us bad. So whenever it comes up, we're gonna tell ourselves a story that there's something wrong with us. I'm out of control.

I need to work on this. Something that it's not okay. And so it takes a lot of work to sort of override that, to accept that. And maybe this is why on a deeper level, it's hard to accept the depth of our shadow. It's hard to accept how cruel we can be. It's hard to accept that all of the insanity that we see out in the world that's horrifying to us also exists in us.

I need to work on this. Something that it's not okay. And so it takes a lot of work to sort of override that, to accept that. And maybe this is why on a deeper level, it's hard to accept the depth of our shadow. It's hard to accept how cruel we can be. It's hard to accept that all of the insanity that we see out in the world that's horrifying to us also exists in us.

I need to work on this. Something that it's not okay. And so it takes a lot of work to sort of override that, to accept that. And maybe this is why on a deeper level, it's hard to accept the depth of our shadow. It's hard to accept how cruel we can be. It's hard to accept that all of the insanity that we see out in the world that's horrifying to us also exists in us.

And maybe we don't act it out in overt ways, but sometimes we act it out in subtle ways. All of us are capable of cruelty. And given a certain set of circumstances, like would I have been a Nazi? Maybe, probably. I mean, I don't know. So that lives in me. And I think it's very hard for people to come to terms with that and accept themselves there.

And maybe we don't act it out in overt ways, but sometimes we act it out in subtle ways. All of us are capable of cruelty. And given a certain set of circumstances, like would I have been a Nazi? Maybe, probably. I mean, I don't know. So that lives in me. And I think it's very hard for people to come to terms with that and accept themselves there.

And maybe we don't act it out in overt ways, but sometimes we act it out in subtle ways. All of us are capable of cruelty. And given a certain set of circumstances, like would I have been a Nazi? Maybe, probably. I mean, I don't know. So that lives in me. And I think it's very hard for people to come to terms with that and accept themselves there.

Generally, what we do is we suppress it because we want to create an idealized self-image that we're good. We don't want to know that part of ourself. And so it's in the place where it's hard to be compassionate for ourself. It's really hard to be compassionate from that place where there's this deep-rooted belief that there's something about us that's not okay.