Centering and Expressing

9^th June 2012 – Jake – If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?

The week ended up being pretty good, after all.  Early in the week, my workmate, who claims he can “read” people asked me if everything was ok.  He said “You are concerned about something you cannot control.  Just let it go”. I thought Wow, is it that apparent.  Let go and Let God.  I got to keep reminding myself.

Yesterday an old friend of mine told me some deeply personal issues he had 10 years ago.  I always wondered why he was in my life.  I gave him his first real job and we have become close friends ever since.  He is in his early 30’s and he always amazed me with his awareness, questions and books that he is reading.  I mean he recommended I read Tolle long before Neytiri did.  Now I know why.  He is blessed to come to such a realisation/awareness at such a young (relatively) age.

W, a newer friend, also told me some deeply personal issue with her partner’s ex.  I was thinking like why is she telling me this?  Anyway at the end of the conversation she thanked me for listening and it dawned on me : I AM THE WITNESS.  Sublime!

Last weekend I saw Brokeback Mountain. Not everyone's cup of tea but I found it to be an amazing love story.  Some of the lines that stood out for me were:

The truth is sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it!

There ain’t never enough time. Never enough.

This is a goddamn bit of an unsatisfactory situation.

You used to come away easy. Now it’s like seeing the Pope.

We could have had a good life together. A fucking real good life.

You have no idea how bad it gets!

I wish I knew how to quit you.

Communication
by Madisyn Taylor

When we are in a relationship where we feel listened to and understood, we count ourselves lucky because we know how rare that experience is. We reserve our most intimate selves for the people who, along with us, cocreate an open space where we feel free to express ourselves and listen without judgment. These relationships, which thrive on open communication, can mean the difference between existential loneliness and a deep sense of belonging. We all long to feel heard, understood, and loved, and clear communication makes this possible.

Sometimes problems arise in the process of expressing how we feel, but it is always worth it to do the work. Even in our less intimate relationships, expressing ourselves honestly is essential to our sense of well-being. Whether at home with family or in the outside world, successful communication requires some forethought; otherwise we risk blundering through our relationships like the proverbial bull in a china shop. However, too much forethought can stifle us or cause us to pad our words so extremely that we end up saying nothing at all or confusing the matter further. The good news is that there are many methods that can come to our rescue, from meditation to visualization to journaling.

If the person we need to communicate with is open to sitting in meditation together for a set period of time before speaking, this can be invaluable. When we are calm and centered, we can count on ourselves to speak and respond truthfully. We can also meditate on our own time and then practice what we need to say. A visualization in which we sit with the person and lovingly exchange a few words can also be a great precedent to an actual conversation. If writing comes easily, we can write out what we need to say; it may take several drafts, but we will eventually find the words. The key is to find ways to center ourselves so that we communicate meaningfully, lovingly, and wisely. In this way, we honor our companions and create relationships in which there is a genuine sense of understanding and respect.

For more information visit dailyom.com

Expressing ourselves honestly in any relationship is essential to our well-being.