Are You Stuck In An Emotional Cage?

bethtuttle Uncategorized

Can you relate to the story in this video?

Mohini’s Story:

In the 1960’s a rare and beautiful tiger named Mohini was given to President Eisenhower as a gift. She was sent to live in the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. where she was put into a 12×12 cage, with a cement floor and steel bars.

For many years Mohini spent her days pacing back and forth in an endless figure eight, brushing against the bars of her cage. Eventually the zoo had enough money to start to build a large enclosure for Mohini.

The enclosure would simulate Mohini’s natural habitat as closely as possible. It would have acres of forest with rolling hills and a large pond.

It would allow Mohini to run, stretch, play and express her natural self. When it was completed and they were ready to release Mohini into the  enclosure, a large group of people gathered to witness the event.

Do you know what Mohini did?

As soon as she entered her beautiful, spacious habitat, she dashed to a far corner by the wall and marked off a 12×12 square for herself. She stayed in that square, pacing until the area was worn bare, until the day she died.

This is a classic case of conditioning.

Even though Mohini was a powerful creature she convinced herself that she had to live within the boundaries of her invisible 12×12 cage. She probably felt as though her survival depended upon her staying in the 12×12 foot area.

I am sure every time she thought about leaving her space to run through the forest and play in the water, her heartbeat would increase, her breathing would become labored and her entire being would tell her it is not safe.

When I heard this story I realized that all of us at one time or another have put ourselves in an imaginary cage. The emotional cages that hold us back are not real limitations.

They are beliefs that we have picked up from our childhood. They are programs that run unconsciously over and over in our minds. Most of the belief systems are not even ours. We downloaded them from our parents, society, religion, culture, etc.

If we can find a way to change our belief system then we are able to knock down those bars. It starts by accepting and loving ourselves right where we are at.

Are you stuck in an emotional cage? What stops you from doing what you say you want to do?

With Love and Gratitude,

Beth