Basilisk of Inertia
10/01/1997
“The old, petrifying mother is like a great lizard lounging in the depths of the unconscious. She wants nothing to change. If the feisty ego attempts to accomplish anything, one flash of her tongue disposes of the childish rebel.”
Marion Woodman, Jungian Analyst, from “The Ravaged Bridegroom: Masculinity in Women” quoted in “Reclaiming the Dark Feminine” by Carolyn Baker
This quotation inspired this drawing of the Basilisk of Inertia, the dialog with her, a dream of her ancient enemy, the ‘Griffen.’ (see next piece) . This process of inner work helped me reclaim my creativity, culminating in a victory over the Basilisk (see third piece).
Dialog with the Basilisk
R: Hello, Basilisk, I see you lurking there. You are always undermining me, telling me that whatever I want to do will not succeed. You never move, only lash out with your nasty tongue at any creative impulse, branding it unoriginal, boring, worthless. What is your problem? What are you doing lurking down there in the darkness?
Basilisk: Narrrggghhh! Nyet! No! I hate moving. One move and it all changes. Nothing stays the same. Never a moment’s rest. Go, go, go. THAT is the problem. Nothing is ever good enough. Always got to get more, do more, see more, learn more, grow more, create more, be more, be better, be stronger, be more spiritual. Yauuurrrgghh! Disgusting! I hate it. I hate the light that makes you see there is somewhere to go. Here in the darkness, I can’t see anything so I can’t move. Peaceful. Quiet. Aaaahhh!
R: What are you, really?”
Basilisk: I am an old, slow, heavy lizard of ancient times, lurking in the dark depths of you all. Only survival is important, the rest is vanity. Endurance is my gift, my treasure.
R: Why do you try to stop me from doing creative things and putting myself out to the world?
Basilisk: Be slow, patient, all things will come to you. I stop you from getting too far ahead of yourself. Be where you are. Let the rest come to you.
R: Well, I hear you. There is some wisdom in what you say, but don’t negate every creative thing I do, every idea I have. Only when I am getting too far ahead of myself, not being grounded, OK?
Basilisk: Hmmmmmph. Grrrmmph. Well, maybe, if you stick to what is real and only one inch in front of you.