During my last event, one of the topics we covered was transmuting wounds to superpowers and reframing challenges. This is a universal archetypal experience.
For example, I’ve been told I’m too quiet all my life. I thought there was something wrong with me for not having words at the tip of my tongue immediately when I was expected to perform. There’s some wounding around my quietness.
Self-exploration can answer deeply ingrained questions.
“Why am I this way?” Or a more fulfilling question: “How can I use my gifts in a way that feels good?”
Sometimes we get stuck in victim-mode around our wounds. There’s a purpose for victim-mode in the path of healing—it helps to see why things are so difficult.
After we understand the big picture from this lens, we can choose to shift into a new narrative.
From a greater perspective, I can see that my quietness is a multitude of things. I can separate the wound from the power. Appreciate my sensitivity, heal the trauma.
Why is a wound a wound?
Wounding might be around something that has caused pain (e.g. hearing opinions that you’re not enough) or shame (“something is wrong with me”).
You may have wounds around beautiful aspects of your persona. Maybe wounding around your creativity, sensitivity, or energetic drive.
Have you been consistently told you’re “too _____?”
Where have you felt not-enough?
I invite you to explore this and widen your perspective. How did this feel? Did it cause you to hide behind bulky armor, or aggressively get into offensive-mode?
Do you agree on a heart-and-soul-level with this designation?
Where is the line of “just-right” volume, sensitivity, creativity, energy, or whatever you’ve been measured by? If it exists at all.
What else does this trait mean, and how does it uniquely identify who you are?
Create from wounds for healing and purpose.
There is healing in creativity.
Our wounds often lead us to a sense of purpose as we navigate them.
I’ve discovered that my voice is well-suited for leading meditations and clients appreciate deep listening without being interrupted. Being quiet helps me less often startle my semi-feral cat friend, who tends to spook and run at loud noises.
You might find that you feel a sense of purpose through creating beautiful abstract paintings when you were once told you were “too messy.” Or through writing your story after believing that you weren’t interesting enough.
Time and gently scuffing away layers of shame and perceived inadequacy uncover our gifts.
Transmutation of wounds to superpowers doesn’t have to be a big, loud affair.
It can be quiet acceptance or simple language reframing. Gentle scuffing away of the layers preventing your shine. A natural changing of the tides in divine timing. It it isn’t always harsh and rough.
When you look for these wounded places through self-exploration or telling your story, you can see.
Find and listen to those who reflect your superpowers back to you, whether that’s a good friend, colleague, mentor, coach, your students, or your beloved pet. Experiencing authentic, warm, or loving connection can heal the past experiences of lost-connection that caused the wounds in the first place.
Even when you don’t realize it, you are already using your gifts.