“I have for the first time found what I can truly love–I have found you. You are my sympathy–my better self–my good angel–I am bound to you with a strong attachment. I think you good, gifted, lovely: a fervent, a solemn passion is conceived in my heart; it leans to you, draws you to my centre and spring of life, wrap my existence about you–and, kindling in pure, powerful flame, fuses you and me in one.” Jane Eyre
In the Charlotte Bronte tale Jane Eyre, It struck me how much passion the title character has, although in that time period it was considered improper for a lady to feel such wild yearnings of the heart.
What better outlet of passion when it is not 'permitted' than for the author, Charlotte Bronte to pour it into fictional writing; a way of living one's true essence through immortal characters.
The thing is, passion needs an outlet. It is not unlike a fire that starts to rage when it has found the right fuel to ignite it. The hot flames lick fiercely, trying to find their expression, whether that be with another person or a creative project.
'I would rather die of passion than boredom.' Vincent Van Gogh
Creativity and passion go hand in hand. The sacral chakra energy allows creations to spring forth from thought into form at the hand of the person who is most capable and willing to fulfil it, rather like the creative force having entirely its own energy and searching for the candidate who can make it into a tangible reality here on earth.
It fills me with comfort and hope that there has been passion running through the veins of warrior souls since time began, even when they were not 'allowed' by convention and common opinion to feel that way. They were shunned by society or even locked up and considered to be mad for their musings.
Every important discovery has come from progression, which at one time would have been thought impossible or unthinkable. Imagine these scientists, artists, philosophers, writers and inventors had not followed their creative passions?
Where would we be now without the brave soul searching pioneers that need to follow their heart's desires completely? Their soul mission here on earth was absolute.
But in this day and age, where anything goes (pretty much) there are so many of us still concealing our passions and playing it safe.
We are not using our voices, our bodies, our hands or our words to create spirals of possibility, awareness or connection. We are scared to wrap our energies around something for fear of being thought that we are too much, too emotional, too weird or too passionate. We fear rejection and failure. We fear living too fully because that little voice in the back of our minds tells us it could be snatched away at any minute.
Put your goblins to rest. You are here to feel, you are here to connect, you are here to be the raindrop that falls into someone's life and create a ripple effect that changes the world forever.
You are here to be vulnerable.
It is true that passion could become all consuming; that fire could burn down a village if it is allowed to rage untamed. Balance is the key to all things. But balance is not the absence or denial of passion; we cannot simply sweep love, desire, or creative energy under the carpet and pretend it is not there. It is an energy by itself that wants to channel through us, it will always be bubbling under the surface if we do not let it be free.
I understand from an empathic human perspective why people are scared of passion, and yet, I cannot (and should not) conceal my own flames, or snuff them out or pretend I cannot feel the heat rising inside me until it is almost at the point of explosion.
I used to believe this was a fault of mine when I was younger. When I was learning, growing and finding my boundaries. I tried to be less emotional so I wasn't considered weird. I tried not to feel connections with people I 'shouldn't' have felt connected to, I tried not to want what my heart wanted. I tried to water down my essence because me, in my pure untainted form is too much for the souls of the unawakened and repressed.
For much of my life I have tried to be 'less' and fit myself into a passionless box that sits on a mundane shelf, gathering dust and keeping the status quo.
I never managed this, because my soul pulses with universal energy. I want to live, I want to feel, I want to connect, I want to be vulnerable even though all these things have burned me in the past. I am grateful that my journey has brought me to this point of acceptance of myself; with all the weirdness and passion that comes with it.
To the ones who yearn and search and break barriers and step outside of what is considered appropriate - I salute you. You are my kindred spirits.
Copyright 2019 Gemma Catherine Malak.
