Hungry Ghosts

World Metaphoric Transformation opens up a new, transformative way to work with all those areas of your life that are troublesome-physical, emotional or spiritual. The obsessive thinking that surrounds issues, the way your mind keep re-visiting these issues- is a sign that there is still learning in the situation which the soul yearns for.

                Occasionally, if the un-integrated narrative has been going around in circles for a long time, then even after the experiences are integrated, there can be a kind of shadow of the problem left  due to habitual thinking.

                Brain research reveals that habitual, compulsive thinking can be liken to neuron roadways. You’ve circled around the issue for so long that the neurons have become laid down like the Trans Canada Highway. Every time you put the key in your car (mind) you automatically think about getting onto the Highway to get to where you are going. But if you’ve done some personal healing work, then you can learn to take a pause and remember-oh,  I don’t really want to go on that highway. I don’t really want to (drink, use drugs, be violent, be abusive, be a victim, be silent, be a coward…put in your own area of concern)____, I really want to try the new pathway that I’ve discovered which goes along the back roads, and while I’m travelling these new pathways, I get a tremendous sense of fulfillment and happiness. And off you go-on the new pathway. Even when you have to get out of your car and walk along a deer path-ha!

                But most often, the troublesome narrative haunts us because we have not realised the soul message that is attempting to be recognized.

                Of course, it were as simple as saying to oneself “This is a soul message going around in circles and now I can resolve the issue”, then almost instantly, the issue would be resolved and you could go on to greater well-being, joy and growth. But clearly, personal growth and resolving problems that stand in our way, is not that simple. Most often, by the time the issue has become a problem, it has also found a way to be hidden and habituated, and then it takes on a life of its own. It energetically and neurologically, becomes what the Buddhists call, and what I also call,  a Hungry Ghost.

                Let’s start with the origins of this term,

which comes from a Buddhist description of seven levels of hell. In one of the levels of hell, not far below the human level, live creatures which have enormous heads and mouths. But from the throat down, they are skinny and in fact, they are starving because although they have voracious appetites and eat every thing in your life (relationships, homes, children, work, creativity, well-being, joy, spiritual fulfillment) they are not satisfied and are still starving and will keep eating until they have completely destroyed you. Not because they are evil, but because their hunger is holy and sacred. You have the choice, to face up to them and feed their true hunger or perish, either physically, emotionally or spiritually.

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                This image is from a twelfth century scroll, and clearly people in these times were able to understand the nature of what perhaps today we would call neurosis, addictions or mental health issues. You can call your blocks what you like-ha!

                In fact, the better you can get to know your hungry ghosts the better and like many ancient traditions, the ghosts from the past deeds, thoughts, experiences or ancestral influences, can feed on us unconsciously until we bring them into the light of our awareness. Here is the really interesting thing about hungry ghosts, in the Tibetan tradition, and in the Balinese Hindu tradition of demons from the hell realms, each ghost has a tiny Buddha or third eye in the centre of their forehead.

That is because each ghost holds something precious. Something of wisdom and liberation which we crave. This is the their gift and this gift is what keeps us engaged in the relationship. We want that tiny bit of wisdom that they hold.

                The ego is clever in protecting your being. It develops a carapace to hide behind. One of the protections it develops is blaming the outside world, other people, other events that are outside of the ego’s control. It is a kind of relinquishment of responsibility, just in case there is an audit. The issue starts to develop its own life, and then it starts to develop ways to ensure its continued existence. Like a well-run multi corporation-it papers up some good arguments to justify its parasitic existence. It takes whatever material is on hand and starts to fashion it into walls and defences behind which it can live safely. Not that its existence is a happy one, on the contrary it builds a castle of misery. But, and here is the juicy part, it is a safe castle of misery. There in the castle of misery, the ego can live in a hell realm of certainly, fear, justification, revenge, hardness and hatred. The trade-off is the life in the castle of misery is familiar. There are few real challenges and certainly little or no change demanded. The perfect egoistic hell.

                Clearly we do not create this castle of misery because we want to live in this kind of degradation of spirit. We are seduced into the castle because our fear leads us there with promises of security, control and perhaps when all the demons (whatever you want to call them-environmentalists, police, revolutionaries, extremists, freedom fighters, anarchists, heretics…fill in your own blank if you dare) are subdued, then there will be rest. Another great egoic lie. The peace comes only when you come out of the castle of misery and start the feed the hungry ghosts, one at a time, gently, patiently, compassionately, working from the heart, you start to break down the carapaces of ego control. And then one morning you wake up and most of the hungry ghosts have disappeared and instead there are little children playing out in the open and your hearts bursts with love for all creation. In that moment, the castle of misery crumbles and you can begin to walk in the light.

Try This-Feeding the Hungry Ghost

          from http://leecraker.photoshelter.com/image/I0000RiQmqw9yDVQ

 In Bali, the hungry ghosts of the lower hell realms are fed every day with rice,flowers, incense and prayers. Because these aspects of self need to be recognized before they can become integrated. This next week, notice where your obsessive thinking patterns are. What are you obsessing about? What are you favorite negative haunts? Fear, lack of security, injustice, poverty…what is the hunger of the ghost? You will have to very courageous to clearly see what the hungry ghost really E.g. You are angry because ‘x’ was unjust and your anger is about ‘x’ is justified and this has nothing to do with you! You are the victim!

2.       Once you have identified your favorite hungry ghost, the habitual place where your negative thinking likes to hang out-now invite this aspect to come in closer. If this aspect had a shape and name what would it be? Is it human or animal or plant or…? What colour is it? Where do you feel its presence in your body? Most hungry ghosts hang out in one of the charkas, usually in the lower  three or four charkas-in the root, abdomen, solar plexus or heart centres. Depending on how they affect you and what parts of your being they are influencing, they will take root in different parts of your body. E.g. Often grief and loss hungry ghosts live in the solar plexus, because this is where the will lives and grief and loss challenge the concepts of self-determination.

3.       If you are artistic, then can you draw this aspect? Or if you are more of a writer-can you name your ghost and write a letter to him or her or it? E.g. Dear Hungry Ghost aka Blackness. You have live in my belly since I was a child. Now I want to get to know you better and come to terms about how we will proceed into the future. I will not try to ‘kill’ you, but I do want you to become integrated with the higher aspects of who I am…” would be a good beginning.

4.       Now for the hard part-what is the gift which this hungry ghost holds? What does it have that is precious to you? Perhaps, if you aren’t sure, begin by describing some of its positive aspects, even if they seem irrational. E.g. My addiction gives me happiness and relief from sorrow. So the gift that this hungry ghost holds, is the ability to feel joyful.

5.       Now the negotiations begin. How can you have the gift, the little Buddha in the hungry ghosts forehead without all the negative influences? Can you? Is it possible? Hungry ghosts can hold many surprising gifts-security, perseverance, a reason for living, protection. You have to figure out what is keeping you hooked into the relationship. If you aren’t sure, ask the hungry ghost, in dreams, in your journal, by looking out in the world for omens, through ritual or meditation.

6.       When you come to understand the function of the hungry ghost then you can begin to transform it. The realisation that you don’t need to have this aspect in your being is very freeing. This release can be in an instant, or it can be gradual over a long period of time. Or the liberation process can be a life long journey. But now you are living your life intentionally and not at the mercy of an unconsciousness aspect that makes you do things almost against your will.

7.       This is very deep work and you will be best guided by a good counsellor in this process. World Metaphoric Transformation can be the most effective way to recognize and then liberate Hungry Ghosts.