Part 4:Living In The Light-Relationships-Victim and Rescuer

Living in the light is about the transformation of consciousness within each individual and in the world. The author,Shakti Gawain, makes use of the terms "old world " and "new world" throughout the book as a way of referring to the old way of life that we are leaving behind and the new one that we are creating.

Many people, especially those who live in the western hemisphere, find that these times may be distressing, because the world situation and/or our personal lives may seem to be going from bad to worse. 

She explains how "relationships in the old world have an external focus-we try to make ourselves whole and happy by getting something from outside ourselves.  Inevitably, this expectation results in disappointment, resentment, and frustration.  Either these feelings build up constantly and cause continual strife, or they are surpressed and lead to emotional numbness.  Still we cling to relationships out of emotional insecurity, or go from one to another searching for that missing piece that we haven't yet found.

Victim consciousness is the belief that we are helpless; the the world, people, and the economy do things to us and we have no choice but to accept what is dished out to us.  It's the feeling that we can be violated from the outside without our approval.   

As victims, people enlist rescuers to save them. Rescuers do not know how to take care of themselves, or they focus on helping others, unconsciously trying to fulfill their own needs in an indirect way. They need victims to care for. A rescuer believes that others are weak of powerless and need help. Many people are dealing with both sides of this process. Most victims spend time and energy trying to rescue others instead of learning to take care of themselves. You cant be a rescuer,unless you believe in and have a victim inside you"