“Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had” (John.5:2-4, KJV).
The Trader’s Shadow
In a sense, as a trader you are on a hero’s journey. You want to find a way to consistently win against seemingly insurmountable forces. One of the unknown adversaries you must face is your own shadow. In Jungian theory, the shadow can be defined as both good and bad undeveloped parts of your personality that have been banished (repressed) into your personal unconscious. Even though these parts may slip into consciousness in unexpected bouts of rage or altruism, for example, in general your ego remains unaware of the shadow.
Given the heroic stance of the trader, the shadow as inner adversary may first appear as an overwhelming fear of pulling the trigger (placing a trade). Whereas the reasons for the fear and its resolution can be unique for each trader experiencing this shadow problem, in general, an important step in healing the shadow requires accepting the cripple within.
The Inner Cripple
“Cripple is etymologically related to creep and crook, to bend, and is considered an offensive term, but it thus contains the same movement as in reflex and reflection, which means to bend back. When in severe physical or psychic pain, we are crippled, and it makes us bend low” (Enemy, Cripple & Beggar: Shadows in the Hero’s Path by Erel Shalit, p.155).
If you become humble enough, you realize you need spiritual help in healing your inner cripple. You need to step into the pool of Bethesda.
Wholeness
This pool resides in your psyche. Your guardian angel makes the living water in your psyche ready for healing. Remember, you must be crippled to enter this healing water. This means you need to accept your crippledness before entering. Denying the crippled parts of yourself create unease (dis-ease). Accepting your crippled parts helps make you whole. Step into the pool. Acknowledge your cripple. [He who] “stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.”
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