This is Part 2 of a 3 part series. You can start with Part 1 before reading this continuation.
In Part 1 of this 3 part series, I shared that in the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy had five special special relationships along her journey to Oz, including the “special hate relationship” with the Wicked Witch. These relationships that were transformed into what we might call Holy relationships.
At the end of the story, when Dorothy wakes up from her dream, she realizes that those she’d been on the journey to Oz with were her loved ones from back home in a new disguise. And, in their dream world identities, it’s easier for us to see these characters as archetypes and projections of Dorothy’s disowned selves.
In other words, if we take a step back, and look at everything in the story as a symbol, then we can see what things are for. When we’re upset and emotional (like Dorothy and the other characters are sometimes) then we have a difficult time knowing what things are for.
A Course in Miracles tells us in Lesson #25 (one of my favorites because it’s so helpful) we’re told “I don’t know what anything is for.”
In The Wizard of Oz, it seems like the Wicked Witch of the West is the arch enemy. It seems as if we know what she’s for – she represents evil and unloving people. She re-presents the opportunity for us to choose again. In Dorothy’s story, she’s the “bad guy,” but is she? Maybe the force and pressure of the Wicked Witch is precisely what Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Lion and the Tin Man must face in order to rise above theiri resistance and reluctance to look within and find their greatness? Maybe the Wicked Witch is actually a helper in divine disguise.
Who is the “Wicked Witch” in your life? Maybe they’re a blessing calling you to rise to your greatness? Have you been cursing them? Are they the enemy or are they your savior?
We’re told throughout ACIM these basics:
- Everything works together for our good and there are NO EXCEPTIONS.
- Everything is helpful and valuable.
- Nothing we think we see with the body’s eyes is real, or meaningful. Only Love is real.
So, let’s take another, deeper look at Dorothy’s friends: Remember that the Scarecrow, like any scarecrow, was originally designed to scare away crows in order to protect the crops. To the crows, he’s the symbol or representation of a human being. What do crows represent? Black crows symbolize communication from the gods, divination of the future. To the Hindus, crows are representative of the ancestors and they give them offerings of food.
So, the Scarecrow – who isn’t very smart because he doesn’t have a brain – represents (re-presents) someone who’s actually scaring away divine insight, Wisdom of the ancestors, divine guidance and direction. What could be less wise than that?
However, with Dorothy’s Love and friendship the Scarecrow transforms and can now have a whole new life – he doesn’t have to live out his days stuck on a pole in a field – he’s free to follow the guidance he’s been scaring away. That’s just like us. When we stop “scaring away” communication from God, we begin to realize we have access to true Wisdom and insight.
The Cowardly Lion was intimidating when Dorothy first met him. She meets him in the dark and creepy forest. In a sense, he’s like the monster under the bed. In the dark, roaring from a distance, he’s frightening. Up close, he’s all ego bluff and bluster, picking a fight with the Scarecrow and the Tin Man. When the Lion goes after Toto, Dorothy unexpectedly has the courage to slap him, and that completely disarms the Lion who dissolves in tears. She’s like the child who has the courage to turn on the light and look under the bed to see there’s nothing frightening there.
Look how quickly the Lion transforms from an aggressor to a cry baby scaredy cat. He joins their journey and with Dorothy’s Love and support as well as the Scarecrow and the Tin Man, he’s able to shift into his heart and find courage.
Courage actually means strength of heart. To me, someone who has courage is able to stay in their heart, have strength and taking loving action EVEN THOUGH they might feel quite frightened. Because of their Love for each other, Dorothy, the Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin Man are all willing to find the courage to take loving action when they feel afraid. Isn’t that just like us? We inspire each other with our courage and willingness. In this way we share the benefits with everyone. When one is lifted all are lifted.
When Dorothy meets him, the Tin Man has been stuck for a year. Think about it, there’s a pattern here – the Scarecrow was stuck on a pole when Dorothy first encounters him. Similarly, the Lion felt he was stuck in the dark and creepy forest.
The Tin Man yearns to have a heart so he can be loving and open up his narrow world. What he discovers on the journey to Oz is that he actually only need EXPRESS Love in order to recover his loving heart. It’s his own natural capacity to Love and be loved that becomes awakened in him and restores him. Isn’t that just like us?
It’s our capacity to be loving and express Love, and especially to SHARE and EXTEND Love that redeems and restores us as well as strengthens us – and everyone around us. This is why I say “Love is the healer.” Love is our natural state. It is the ground of our being and when we’re loving we’re restored to our true identity.
We don’t need someone to empower us, we can empower ourselves through being loving. In fact, there’s no other way to turn on Self-empowerment. AND, while we don’t NEED someone else, isn’t it easier when we can join with others? YES!
When we can join with others, have compassion for them, and Love them unconditionally then we’re undefeatable, and we’re able to find our way back home to our true reality.
Dorothy’s journey in The Wizard of Oz is an archetypal journey, it’s the journey we’re all on.
In Part 1 of this series, I invited you to consider who are the Scarecrow, Lion, Tin Man, Good Witch, Bad Witch in your life? If they feel like special relationships now, can you ask and allow the Holy Spirit to transform them into Holy Healing and Healed Relationships?
Many people have been telling me how deeply threatened and upset they feel by the new American President and the choices he and his staff have made since they came into office. For some of us it’s frightening to consider that we’d have things we love like National Public Radio, PBS and the National Endowment for the Arts taken away while in order to fund building a wall of separation. For some people, that’s really scary stuff.
If you are one who feels upset, (and really this can apply to ANYONE or anything you believe is upsetting you) what if you can look at them, even for just a moment, as a projection of some unhealed part of your own mind?
What is the message you’re sending to yourself?
Consider seeing ALL judgment as self-judgment and ALL Love as Self-Love.
I’ve really come to see that the only way out of all problems, difficulties, pain and suffering is through my own loving heart. My ability to be loving is the only thing that transforms any situation to a healed one.
AND what about times when it seems like you’re co-dependent with someone in your life who is making unloving choices? Is it loving to say nothing and let them dig themselves a hole and then find their own way out of it? Is that actually Love? What’s our responsibility to help our brothers and sisters to find their way out of the creepy forest and into the Light.
A Course in Miracles tells us that the way out of ALL suffering is taking full responsibility. Are we willing to take full responsibility for the world we see without having ANY blame at all? How do we do that?
This is Part 2 of a 3 Part series. In Part 3, on Monday, I’ll address how we can take responsibility and simultaneously be at Peace with it. More to come! Thank you for journeying with me!
Retreat with me! I’m offering a deeply healing, renewing and restoring retreat March 16 to 19 in New York. As always on my retreats we’ll have a lot of fun while we’re doing a lot of deep cleansing and clearing of old emotional and mental baggage. It’s such a relief to let it go! If you’d like to start your spring with real clarity and healing, come join me! Click here for details about my Masterful Living Retreat – the early bird discount is on now – this retreat is open to all – come and bring a friend!
If you’re finding what I’m sharing to be helpful, won’t you please share at facebook and twitter to let others know? Thank you!
