I felt both my limits and my freedom most clearly in symboldrama.
The therapist gives you, or the group, a simple scene: you land on a deserted island, step into a circus, or walk onto a playground. The opening is set. From there, you move the story.
Or rather, the story moves itself in a way that is uniquely yours. Out of endless options, you somehow choose this, not that.
The same happens with thoughts, emotions, and sensations. One man sinks into gloom. Another, in the same scene, feels a rush of joy. There is no time to analyze. The chain of events unfolds on its own.
And this is where the surprises begin.
Most likely, you run straight into your usual limit. It does not matter who you are in the scene—a child, a sea creature, or an acrobat. The form is fantasy. The substance is your real life, and your real pain.
Others will be surprised. They will try to convince you there is no limit and show you the “obvious” way out. It will sound strange. Their lack of understanding of your dead end may even make you angry.
Later, this absurdity will stay with you. It will pull at you. You need to see it, digest it, and take it in, so that new meaning can grow out of this soil of “madness.”
There is another kind of revelation. You may suddenly notice that you have in abundance exactly what someone else desperately lacks. It is imagination. That means you can have anything at hand.
You offer your gift, and the other person lights up with joy. Again, absurd—but now with a plus sign. The spell lifts, like in a fairy tale.
Of course, it takes effort to accept a new experience. But both the one who gave and the one who received will not forget this shift.
The main lessons?
Your limits are real as long as you need them for something.
And you are free to the extent that you choose to be.
Sincerely yours,
-Alexander
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.
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