Meeting The Master and The Monster within 👹

By Lian Brook-Tyler

I watched the film ‘Otto Baxter: Not a F***ing Horror Story’ last night – a documentary that follows a film-maker with Down’s syndrome as he makes an autobiographical horror film.

The film he makes is called The Puppet Asylum - it is a reimagining of his own life, from birth as an unwanted, deformed, horned child “The Monster”, through his years in captivity in the ‘Puppet Asylum’ at the mercy of “The Master”, to eventually becoming his own master.

I enjoyed the film for its honesty, warmth, wit, and provocation but it was something else that struck me most.

In one scene, Otto was asked about the recurring figure of The Master, played by Paul Kaye, who appeared variously as the freakshow owner, a sadistic doctor, and a cruel headmaster.

He describes The Master vividly as a Victorian gentleman, right down to his shoes with gold buckles and skulls, and explains that he represents all the ‘baddies’ in his life… teachers, doctors and social services.

The Master is control and power.

I was so blown away by the deep understanding that Otto has of this potent symbol, I asked my husband to rewind and replay the scene so I could listen again.

Elsewhere in the film he says… “I’d been reading lots of books about him, but in my dreams, Jack the Ripper wanted me to do the killing...”.

I realised that Otto was speaking and creating with astounding acceptance and clarity of the symbols of The Monster and The Master that those of us devoted to deep inner work can be inspired by and learn from.

This is the intimacy with symbols that we are being invited into… Noticing the archetypes, characters, personalities, and themes, especially the most gruesome and grotesque, that appear in our dreams, visions, and desires, as well as in the people who stir us to anger, disgust, envy and lust, and instead of pushing them further down into the shadows in repulsion, shame, or fear, we embrace them, and in doing so allow them to show us the truth about ourselves.

But we don’t have to make a horror film if that’s not our flavour of expression, we can begin welcoming the symbols that are a map of the path to our wholeness by drawing, writing, singing, moving, contemplating, building a miniature village from stones like Jung, soul-collaging (thank you, Leanne) or journeying shamanically with them.

This is the mythical quest of meeting The Monster, The Master, and the whole cast that we’ve come to live with and as.

This is entering the deepest, darkest cave - one emanating howls, growls, moans, and groans - and venturing for years, decades, maybe even a lifetime, until we find the treasure… union with our own souls.

Thank you, Otto, for your monstery and mastery… This is The Great Work.

♥️

Art: By my daughter, Lady A

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