This morning I was looking at several samples of copy layouts with my co-worker and I said, “ This is a lot of visual information to take in.” He answered, “That’s the advantage of being a man, you see what you want to see and ignore everything else.” What a profound statement! It could be interpreted in so many ways. In general women see and think globally while men are more focused. I thought, yes, we are different and we must appreciate the difference and the advantage of both points of view.
As I carried on with my morning, still contemplating his statement, it occurred to me, that on a deeper level we all have a unique perspective based on our particular experiences in life. It is said that we are only capable of acknowledging in life, what we know from memory. Our conscious mind copes with the abundance of information by ignoring anything it cannot identify. This phenomenon is one of the biggest obstacles to creating harmony in relationships. It is the source of pain that we cause each other without meaning any harm. From our own unique perspective on life, we think that everybody else sees the same.
photo credit notsogoodphotography
On the spiritual healing journey, the acknowledgment of each other’s uniqueness is one of the first steps to inner peace. When we catch ourselves in conflict, there is a huge leap to get from that space of resistance to acceptance of what is. Can we be at peace with ourselves in spite of the difference we encounter in others? When we resist others, we cause pain for ourselves and when we try to change others, we cause them pain too. This is where the rubber meets the road. It is easy to sit on the meditation cushion and feel oneness with all that is. In the fire of relationship, can we hold on to that oneness? Compassion is the key here. Compassion for ourselves for yet again hitting that wall of wanting to change others. It’s a tough one to master, but the fruit of working at it is a celebration of life, a celebration of all the richness of the diversity of this world. This physical experience is the only place we can learn these lessons.
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After a four year journey with cancer what I have learned is that until I am comfortable and love and accept myself as I am,it is hard to truly love and accept others for their unique attributes. It’s a serenity that I have never had before and permeates my being and seems to spread to those I am in contact with.
Fay, it seems your spiritual healing journey is progressing very well. It is true isn’t it, that when we are at peace with ourselves, we bring peace to those around us.
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