We may be swinging on the pendulum between dependence on others (financial, emotional, physical) and independence.When we are dependent, we do not feel we are masters of our lives, we feel we are immature, we do not have strength and often “authority” to make our own decisions. We can even have parasitic energy in which we believe we can fulfil certain needs only through the energy of others.When we swing into independence extreme, we do not allow anyone to help us, we want to do everything ourselves, we cannot intrust others with anything important to us.

Neither extreme is pleasant and fulfilling.

In the dependent/parasitic relationships the parasite leaches on someone else. And often takes the life out from other being. If independent, we may “starve” because we do not have connection. We can feel lonely and isolated.

What is, then, a “healthy” state? A golden middle for dependence-independence extremes?

It is interdependence – symbiosis. The internet says ? that symbiosis is the intimate living together of two dissimilar organisms in a mutually beneficial relationship. 

To open up for the state of symbiosis we may need to overcome traumatic experiences that caused wounding, destroyed our self-confidence and sense of self-worth, created distrust in others…

We all may have such experiences.

In this workshop we work on understanding of the causes for choosing one of the extremes (or swinging between the two of them). And we embark on the journey of increased self-confidence, trust, self-worth…

An interesting fact – the image we used on our workshop announcement is a strangler fig, a tree that sucks up the nutrients from its victim/host. The host tree in many cases dies and the strangler fig continues to live on the host’s hollow central core.

If you are interested in the topic, you may join us on our online workshop. We work in small, intimate groups and are open for new participants to join the transformative processes.

Katarina Vukovic

Paradox-x author