A literal trap is a device that lures an animal in, and then closes in around them, with something like a box, a rope, a net, or an unbreakable metal clamp. An animal that’s in a well-designed trap cannot escape.
When people feel trapped, they feel as if they have stumbled into such a device, even though there are no physical restraints keeping them from running away.
Often, what’s trapping a person in a situation is their own desire. Feeling trapped arises out of the conflict of wanting something, but not wanting the consequences that come with having it.
When people feel trapped, they can find resolution by providing an honest answer to the question: “What would happen if I tried to get out of this situation?” The answer reveals what it is that has lured them into the trap. It shows them the desire that’s captivated them, metaphorically.
Let go of the desire, and you can leave the trap. Then again, if the desire is strong enough, it may turn out that the trap can turn in to a comfortable home.
