Jesus: Witness to Our Emotional Experience

I've decided to spend a bit more time discussing Your Resonant Self (reviewed in my previous post), because it turns out I have more to say!

The book's title refers to the concept of a "resonating self-witness." As Peyton writes, "It is a little easier to imagine what it really feels like to have warmth for ourselves if we personify the parts of our brain that are capable of self-warmth and self-regulation" (44). She describes creating an imaginary person that one can call to mind at any moment. Many of the exercises in the book rely on bringing to mind this resonating self-witness so that he or she can ask you questions about the emotions and needs that you are experiencing. In the guided meditation "Finding the Resonating Self-Witness," Peyton suggests picturing the self-witness as "your best self, or a beloved grandparent, or teacher, or spiritual figure, or animal, or friend" (51). When I read this--specifically, spiritual figure--I thought, the true and real witness Who always accompanies us is Jesus! So it makes perfect sense to place Jesus in the role of speaking to me with love, warmth, and compassion as I imagine having a conversation with Him. 

As we practice using a voice of warmth and acceptance to speak to ourselves, we become more able to walk through the emotions we are feeling. The goal is to neither shut down the emotions nor be overwhelmed by them. A person might imagine his resonant self-witness speaking to him in this way: "Are you sad, and do you need to know that you are loved just as you are? Are you feeling confused, and do you need understanding?" (75). 

In the context of imaging Jesus asking me these questions, I've realized that this sort of exercise is a manifestation of "bringing every thought into captivity" (2 Corinthians 10:5), carrying my thoughts to Christ. I let Him know how I'm feeling and what I'm experiencing, and He is able to hold all of my feelings for me. Thinking about Him in this way helps me remember that He cares deeply about each moment of my life and each second of my struggles. It is a way to engage in prayer when I begin to feel overwhelmed and to recognize that Christ is the source of my strength. And it’s pretty neat to find an idea like this in a book that isn’t explicitly Christian.