The Wizard of Oz
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The Wizard of Oz
I find my mind rambling around sometimes......thinking about the most random things. Today......it was the Wizard of Oz and how much it relates to recovery from addiction and codependency.
Poor ol' Dorothy wanders around lost, confused, upset and she runs into all kinds of horrible problems. All she wants in the whole world is to get back to Kansas.
At the end of the movie, she is told by Glenda that she has had the tools to get back to Kansas the whole time......all she had to do is use them (ruby slippers).
In life, we have access to the tools to find and maintain our serenity (for me it has been SR and Naranon). All we have to do is avail ourselves to those tools.
I look back on my life and I see how much misery I subjected MYSELF to (not that was imposed upon me by anyone else including my RAS). I wish I had understood what I needed to do to find my peace of mind. The trials and tribulations that I have experienced have helped me grow but I certainly could have saved myself a lot of pain and heartache if I had looked at my own behaviors and cleaned up the stuff inside of my own hoolahoop a long time ago!
It makes me wonder......why the heck didn't Glenda just TELL Dorothy to click her heels together and say "There's no place like home" in the FIRST place! You know.....way back there in Munchkinland!
I think it's because Dorothy wasn't ready to hear her. She had to have all of those horrific experiences to fully appreciate "home". Perhaps we have to have our experiences to really appreciate (and recognize) serenity.
gentle hugs
Poor ol' Dorothy wanders around lost, confused, upset and she runs into all kinds of horrible problems. All she wants in the whole world is to get back to Kansas.
At the end of the movie, she is told by Glenda that she has had the tools to get back to Kansas the whole time......all she had to do is use them (ruby slippers).
In life, we have access to the tools to find and maintain our serenity (for me it has been SR and Naranon). All we have to do is avail ourselves to those tools.
I look back on my life and I see how much misery I subjected MYSELF to (not that was imposed upon me by anyone else including my RAS). I wish I had understood what I needed to do to find my peace of mind. The trials and tribulations that I have experienced have helped me grow but I certainly could have saved myself a lot of pain and heartache if I had looked at my own behaviors and cleaned up the stuff inside of my own hoolahoop a long time ago!
It makes me wonder......why the heck didn't Glenda just TELL Dorothy to click her heels together and say "There's no place like home" in the FIRST place! You know.....way back there in Munchkinland!
I think it's because Dorothy wasn't ready to hear her. She had to have all of those horrific experiences to fully appreciate "home". Perhaps we have to have our experiences to really appreciate (and recognize) serenity.
gentle hugs
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Join Date: Dec 2007
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I think this is so true, Kind Eyes. Like our addicted children who never "listen" to us when we warn them to change, but must finally accept that they've had enough of THAT life, we also have to finally 'own' enough of our own miserable experiences, our own tears and trauma, to finally say I just can't bear it anymore. Then the surrender -- and the serenity -- feel right, not guilty. It's too bad that we have to waste so much time gaining our own experiences instead of just taking other codies' words for it! Again, kind of like our addicted kids....if only they would just trust us...lol.
Hang in there, mama. Life continues to unfold for us, even at our age and in spite of our children!
Hang in there, mama. Life continues to unfold for us, even at our age and in spite of our children!
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((Kindeyes)) that was wonderful. I loved the way you put that. That has been my all time favorite moviegrowing up and now I like it just that much more with the out look you put on it because it's so true and it really opens your eyes and makes you think. I can't wait till I'm 100% ready to use my ruby slippers to get me to serinity.
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You know, I did a paper in undergrad on the Wizard of Oz and the monomythic archetypes found within. It's a "Hera's Journey" (the female version of the Hero's Journey). Very powerful stuff!
In short, Dorothy represents (using Jungian terms here) the Self. She enters the threshold of the unconscious (Oz). Meets Glinda the good witch (a mentor). Then she meets various aspects of her collective unconscious (shadow): animus figures (her male attributes). The scarecrow is w/o a brain, so she integrates him. The tin man has no heart. She integrates him. The lion has no courage, she integrates him.
Combining all 4 (Self + intelligence, love and courage) = Dorothy's individuation (apotheosis).
The witch is also a part of her Shadow/unconscious, but one she must cull and remove. It is diseased (the witch is green even!).
By the end, she has taken all aspects of these figures (archetypes) with her. In the books, her slippers are silver, which could represent light of the realized self.
Sorry for nerding out, but you really caught onto something magical, imho!
Check this out: http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/excerpts...9.Chapter2.pdf
(hugs)
In short, Dorothy represents (using Jungian terms here) the Self. She enters the threshold of the unconscious (Oz). Meets Glinda the good witch (a mentor). Then she meets various aspects of her collective unconscious (shadow): animus figures (her male attributes). The scarecrow is w/o a brain, so she integrates him. The tin man has no heart. She integrates him. The lion has no courage, she integrates him.
Combining all 4 (Self + intelligence, love and courage) = Dorothy's individuation (apotheosis).
The witch is also a part of her Shadow/unconscious, but one she must cull and remove. It is diseased (the witch is green even!).
By the end, she has taken all aspects of these figures (archetypes) with her. In the books, her slippers are silver, which could represent light of the realized self.
Sorry for nerding out, but you really caught onto something magical, imho!
Check this out: http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/excerpts...9.Chapter2.pdf
(hugs)
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The following are quotes from the exerpt mentioned by Zombiewife (wow.......really interesting!)
Even though those who have "walked the path" and can easily see what someone else should do regarding their interface with the addict or codependent in their life, we each need to go through our own journey to get to that point of self discovery.
There is no doubt (in my mind) that SR, reading, and Naranon have helped me find a more balanced sense of self......could we call that serenity?
We all have within us the ability to find our peace with ourselves and those around us. It is in us. The strength is there. But perhaps this is why it is recommended that we get a sponsor (in AA, NA, Naranon and Alanon) so that they can gently guide us to see what was there all along.
Thanks for sharing that Zombiewife. Really interesting. My thought process certainly wasn't as deep as the excerpt you provided but in a way, it was a similar (although simplistic) analysis.
Gotta love The Wizard of Oz.
gentle hugs
As mentor, Glinda merely guides and instructs, while Dorothy herself must take the proactive steps to proceed on her own journey of self discovery.
She must get in touch with her inner masculine powers of intellect, heart (emotional strength) and courage in order to develop a more balanced sense of self.
The trickster mentor merely reflects wisdom that the hero already has back towards the hero. But the hero, thinking that the wisdom is spiritual or divine, is inspired by the wisdom, though it was within him all along.
Thanks for sharing that Zombiewife. Really interesting. My thought process certainly wasn't as deep as the excerpt you provided but in a way, it was a similar (although simplistic) analysis.
Gotta love The Wizard of Oz.
gentle hugs
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The witch is also a part of her Shadow/unconscious, but one she must cull and remove. It is diseased (the witch is green even!).
I love this stuff.
gentle hugs
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Kindeyes,
How ironic that just today, I was thinking of how the bad experiences I am having are really bringing me toward letting go. That maybe I am beginning to see that I am spinning my wheels, ( and so is son), and neither of us are getting closer to recovery. Maybe I am a bit ahead of him, cause I am here, but he needs to go through his own bad stuff, before he is gonna admit he has a problem. there is nothing I can say that he will hear.
by the way, what do you think the poppies represent?
thanks for this post, it was good to hear that not all of us do the right things on schedule. but when we are ready. pain serves many purposes in life, doesn't it? It is not always a bad thing.
hugs,
chicory
How ironic that just today, I was thinking of how the bad experiences I am having are really bringing me toward letting go. That maybe I am beginning to see that I am spinning my wheels, ( and so is son), and neither of us are getting closer to recovery. Maybe I am a bit ahead of him, cause I am here, but he needs to go through his own bad stuff, before he is gonna admit he has a problem. there is nothing I can say that he will hear.
by the way, what do you think the poppies represent?
thanks for this post, it was good to hear that not all of us do the right things on schedule. but when we are ready. pain serves many purposes in life, doesn't it? It is not always a bad thing.
hugs,
chicory
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it was strange to read this post as just today at work after I was telling everyone how my plow guy didnt show up (a cop) and I couldnt go to work for 2 days with 4' snow drifts in my driveway, I questioned why things are happening to me after trying to shovel and just physically fell apart I asked why are people not nice anymore? why do people screw with others and lie/cheat etc?? is there anyone nice out there anymore? I lost trust in people.
so my coworker saids..you need to click your heals, let the house fly up and away and click your heals for peace and serenity, there are good people left in the world you will see. your not the wicked witch, your a good person just going through bad times. yet Im angry and feel like a witch sometimes yet I know Im a loving kind caring person that has lost myself from addiction. although Im trying my hardest to recover. then they made me laugh about hanging up my broom,lol..letting go.
so thank you kindeyes for posting this!! it was message to me...btw,
my beloved mom who passed away when I was 7 and on christmas I went to her grave and prayed for her guidance with me ..well her name is dorothy
..my HP has answered me today twice
so my coworker saids..you need to click your heals, let the house fly up and away and click your heals for peace and serenity, there are good people left in the world you will see. your not the wicked witch, your a good person just going through bad times. yet Im angry and feel like a witch sometimes yet I know Im a loving kind caring person that has lost myself from addiction. although Im trying my hardest to recover. then they made me laugh about hanging up my broom,lol..letting go.
so thank you kindeyes for posting this!! it was message to me...btw,
my beloved mom who passed away when I was 7 and on christmas I went to her grave and prayed for her guidance with me ..well her name is dorothy
..my HP has answered me today twice Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 390
Wow Tam! I love hearing how our HP uses others to make a point. It seems like this post is for so many of us, yet specific to you today. Very neat.
And now, I need to start my Dorothy journey because I am simply a mess these days. I have to start working this...
And now, I need to start my Dorothy journey because I am simply a mess these days. I have to start working this...
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When married to drug-addicted husband, i was seeing a therapist who, like me, liked to see the messages in movies.
So, when i expressed deep guilt, concern, etc, about my taking care of myself which felt like such a betrayal to my then-husband, she brings up the scene in Wizard of Oz where the bad witch has put the straw man on fire. Dorothy takes a bucket of water to throw on the straw man, and that water hits the witch who starts to melt. When the witch accuses Dorothy of killing her, Dorothy says, "But i did not mean to hurt you, I was only trying to save the straw man."
Very good thread. Thanks for bringing it up.
So, when i expressed deep guilt, concern, etc, about my taking care of myself which felt like such a betrayal to my then-husband, she brings up the scene in Wizard of Oz where the bad witch has put the straw man on fire. Dorothy takes a bucket of water to throw on the straw man, and that water hits the witch who starts to melt. When the witch accuses Dorothy of killing her, Dorothy says, "But i did not mean to hurt you, I was only trying to save the straw man."
Very good thread. Thanks for bringing it up.
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