This is another in my continuing series of "therapeutic distinctions", pairs of concepts that share some similarities but which contain a vital distinction that can have great implications for a how a person lives each day. One such distinction that recently came up in a therapy session was between a "compulsion" and a "quest".
Many people use compulsions to get through the day: cigarettes, lust hits, rituals, worry.....all can be forms of escape or ways to manage intolerable feelings. Who has time to feel with all these compulsions demanding attention?
But a quest is another story. The idea of a quest almost sounds archaic in these modern times, but the image is a noble one that can have great sustaining power. A quest is a tenacious searching, an effort to appease longing by seeking the object of its desire.
I saw a similar distinction recently in a book titled "Walking A Sacred Path" (which describes many productive uses of walking a labyrinth such as the one behind my office). The author posited the distinction between a tourist and a pilgrim. One comes to witness and enjoy the locale while the other comes to bear witness and engage the soul.
Are you on a quest, or merely compulsive? Are you a tourist or a pilgrim in your life?
--------------
If you like this post (and I hope you do) please visit my primary professional website for related articles on emotional growth and development, individual and couples counseling, successful living tips, counseling and therapy trends and observations, sex addiction treatment and many other interesting and useful topics.
No comments:
Post a Comment