To the realness part. I’ve been reading Pema Chodron’s The Places that Scare You and she focuses on realness of self and others throughout the book through the practice of Tonglen or Metta meditation. Initially I thought it odd because, well, what did the realness of me and others have to do with scary places in me? Of course, one reading will not do AND doing the described practice SEEMS easy but it is not. To be real and experience others as so is the literal heart of love and liberation, perhaps desire itself. It’s a practice we don’t have much practice with...
I have more things to say about this though suffice it here to thank you for your words and ideas. They are expansive for me at the moment. 🙏🏽🧘🏾
thank you. I'm re-reading helen M. Luke's the way of women. I read it years ago but couldn't absorb it then. something about coming into midlife now is creating a resonance. Only a small way through now but your words seems to dance with her idea of thinking, creating that come's via responding - receive-give-receive .... where she see's woman's gift in the 'sphere of relating' as something to revalue. i see this as rather than running/ reaching out to meet the thing and create from air (she says 'spirit') we draw it in take it into depth, stillness (gestate) so expression comes from inside rather than the alternative scrabbled version. the gestated expression is then 'real' . She uses ideas, success, relationships as examples. I'm feeling as you do, that to be this authentic (overused term sadly) and really see others too, is truly diffiult. Feels like an excavation at times.
"A desire couched in the language of an offering may feel at best confusing and at worst extractive, manipulative, coercive, and violent." - whew, yes.
Gorgeous, Jessica. This “becoming real” is so on the money with where I am in my path now. Discovering my Pearl.
Also studying “Love Unveiled” by AH Almas now with a small group from my sangha. This is essential the perspective there as well. Using Rumi’s language, Love is the act of rending the veils between us and truth. Over and over and over again. “Let me see you, Beloved!” is what we are doing when we truly love as an action and not just a feeling.
I always resonate deeply when you remind us of Kelly Oliver’s Othering. In love with that truth, for real.
To the realness part. I’ve been reading Pema Chodron’s The Places that Scare You and she focuses on realness of self and others throughout the book through the practice of Tonglen or Metta meditation. Initially I thought it odd because, well, what did the realness of me and others have to do with scary places in me? Of course, one reading will not do AND doing the described practice SEEMS easy but it is not. To be real and experience others as so is the literal heart of love and liberation, perhaps desire itself. It’s a practice we don’t have much practice with...
I have more things to say about this though suffice it here to thank you for your words and ideas. They are expansive for me at the moment. 🙏🏽🧘🏾
thank you. I'm re-reading helen M. Luke's the way of women. I read it years ago but couldn't absorb it then. something about coming into midlife now is creating a resonance. Only a small way through now but your words seems to dance with her idea of thinking, creating that come's via responding - receive-give-receive .... where she see's woman's gift in the 'sphere of relating' as something to revalue. i see this as rather than running/ reaching out to meet the thing and create from air (she says 'spirit') we draw it in take it into depth, stillness (gestate) so expression comes from inside rather than the alternative scrabbled version. the gestated expression is then 'real' . She uses ideas, success, relationships as examples. I'm feeling as you do, that to be this authentic (overused term sadly) and really see others too, is truly diffiult. Feels like an excavation at times.
"A desire couched in the language of an offering may feel at best confusing and at worst extractive, manipulative, coercive, and violent." - whew, yes.
Gorgeous, Jessica. This “becoming real” is so on the money with where I am in my path now. Discovering my Pearl.
Also studying “Love Unveiled” by AH Almas now with a small group from my sangha. This is essential the perspective there as well. Using Rumi’s language, Love is the act of rending the veils between us and truth. Over and over and over again. “Let me see you, Beloved!” is what we are doing when we truly love as an action and not just a feeling.
I always resonate deeply when you remind us of Kelly Oliver’s Othering. In love with that truth, for real.
Tysm for this one
Full of gratitude for you.