Of all the paths that nurture an awakened heart, none are as challenging nor as fruitful as that of deeply committed relationships.
When we allow relationships to expand our sense of self and help us soften our barriers to love, we experience transformative shifts and growth. Instead of constricting with fear and focusing on security, we expand with courage, honoring truth and integrity.
• We shift from co-dependence and independence to interdependence.
• We shift from judgment to open heartedness and empathy.
• We shift from controlling to trusting.
• We shift from manipulating to relating with freedom and choice.
• We shift from intolerance to acceptance.
• We shift from separation to shared humanity and connectedness.
Understanding the art of having relationships with one another as a spiritual practice, transforms our interactions.
Instead of seeing others as objects to meet your needs, we see ourselves and others as sacred beings on a holy journey together.
Instead of reacting with impatience and scorn to one another’s limitations, we hold ourselves and others with grace and forgiveness.
We become more reverent.
• We release our attachments to our little identities, and ground ourselves in more transcendent ones.
• We stop worrying about everyone else’s judgments, and instead honor our own assessments of our sense of integrity and character.
• We embrace mindfulness practices, empathy practices, communication practices, relationship practices.
• We move away from blame and shame as primary relationship tools, and instead cultivate curiosity, interest, gentleness, deep listening.
• We seek to understand, to connect, to relate – not to win, or be right.
Sacred relationships – at home and at work – strengthen our courage, self-acceptance, patience, forgiveness, grace, vulnerability, humility, compassion, sense of humor and compassion.
