By Ifetayo White
In the mid-90’s the German musical group, Enigma, recorded one of my favorite tunes, “The Return to Innocence”. With haunting chanting as a background, the lead singer pulls us in with these lyrics:
That’s not the beginning of the end
That’s the return to yourself
The return to innocence…
Don’t be afraid to be weak
Don’t be too proud to be strong
Just look into your heart my friend
That will be the return to yourself
The return to innocence.
The invitations offered to us in this song are awesome — return to yourself, don’t be afraid, don’t be too proud, look into your heart.
The return to innocence is a symbolic phrase referred to by psyche healing professionals to as the place on the journey to wholeness where a person has unlocked passion for his life and, subsequently, lives his purpose. Returning to innocence is literally coming back to myself who is free to be who I feel and know I am within my heart. Returning to innocence requires the courage to allow breakthroughs to bubble up in awareness. It asks for the removal of the masks and costumes we have donned in order to be accepted or appreciated. It requests that we risk living our truth in the face of being misunderstood or judged.
Returning to innocence may ask us to let die the part of our ego which is attached to security.
I remember a time when my older daughter was in the final semester of her sophomore year in a science and technology magnet high school. She had been pursuing the science track in her program with great success. One day at work I received a tearful phone call from her. She poured her heart out to me that she was miserable in school and had been for most of the year. She hated her science program but was worried about disappointing me by saying so. She felt that I had dreams of her becoming a pediatrician! I assured her that I was only supporting what I thought was her vision for her future. She revealed that she was interested in switching to the technology program where she would study such subjects as set design and woodworking. She had always loved creating things from her vision and with her hands. In college she majored in film and had a minor in journalism. Today she is living her passion as a T.V. documentary film writer and producer.
When we come to the time in our lives when we can no longer live someone else’s dream and where the compelling to JUST BE ME is so strong, actions of tremendous courage might be called for. Often the fears that arise in the face of these requests will feel insurmountable. The lyrics to the song remind us to not be afraid to be weak and to not be so proud to be strong. Seeking the support and guidance of someone who lives a life of innocence, of freedom, is always a wise choice.
The song continues:
If you want, then start to laugh
If you must, then start to cry
Be yourself don’t hide
Just believe in destiny
Don’t care what people say
Just follow your own way
Don’t give up and lose the chance
To return to innocence.
Ifetayo White is a community elder and WisdomWoman Director of Neesa’s Home and Retreat Center. She shares empowerment coaching, pregnancy and childbirth support, Reiki instruction, energy healing and body psychotheraphy, workshops and private retreat facilitation. She can be reached at 843-271-1923 or neesamoon@gmail.com.
