It appears that we are finally at the point where what we have learned has to go from our heads to our hearts to our feet-- it's time to put it into practice!
I liked the short but powerful Longing Kindness exercise. It is simple enough to remember, you don't need a CD or your computer to guide you through, it can be done anywhere and it definitely takes the focus off ourselves and put it where it belongs-- consciously living as a channel of blessing and focusing on others.
After doing a personal assessment to determine which of the four aspects of my life I need to focus on, I believe the interpersonal area is the one that I struggle with the most and that needs the most attention. This area causes me the most pain, especially when I am thinking about my own needs and how they are or are not being met. I am not always a good listener, but inject my thoughts and the direction I think the person should take, rather than challenge him/her to continue to seek his/her own direction. I was tested in this last night as I had the opportunity to sit and talk to one of my sons about some personal issues. In the past I would've been more direct in telling him what I thought and how he should proceed. This time however, I purposely gave him more time to talk and asked questions to encourage him to look deeper inside himself. It was amazing, and I didn't even care about him understanding my side, I just wanted him to be free from his own personal suffering. On the other hand, I did not feel responsible to make that happen. How liberating! This to me was a perfect example of how I can be more conscious of my reaction to other people, and how I can try to exude loving kindness in each situation, rather than allow my emotions and instinctual reactions to guide me. In order to do this, I need to keep practicing mental fitness and meditating on scripture and the loving kindness practice. I am so excited to see what opportunities lie ahead for me to walk out what I am learning!
Hello Stephanie, I think that's a good thing you gave your son the opportunity to make him understand the issue that he was dealing with himself within his innerself. I'm young still & don't have any children myself, But,I do feel that maybe at times some children or young teens feel as if their parents are being too hard on them in there minds. While in reality the parent is trying to set the best standards for them in this life, going into adulthood, Finding our inner love of someone flows through us. It helps us to realize the meaning of love and affection with those we have relationships with in life.
ReplyDeleteHi Stephanie...
ReplyDeleteI am so excited for you and all that is in store for you and your relationships once you feel that your Interpersonal Life is more healthy. I can tell that just by making the conscious effort to be present and in the moment with your son in your conversation has shown you a taste of just how powerful and fulfilling your relationships will be once you throttle back some. I have this gift of comfort about me that makes everyone want to tell me all about their lives all the time. I realize that this makes me a unique individual and that is what I am supposed to be doing for my friends at that time. Once I stopped disliking this so called gift and realized that if I actually was present and in the moment in my relationships, I heard and saw things that were amazing. From my life experiences it seems that our Interpersonal Life is the one that challenges us the most and is the hardest to keep in tip top shape.