Shine!

Celtic Ghost

Other works by Chi_Shanay
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Speaking Truth?

Speak what you think today in hard words and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said today.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Self-Reliance", 1841
US essayist & poet (1803 - 1882)




Saying what is true for us on a personal level is one thing, especially if it is only a proclamation to ourselves as the only listener. Speaking to others can become much more complicated and convoluted.

Are we speaking one heart or soul to another; or simply as one distant person to another? Is our intent simply to state our (or our egos) point of view, instigating a mental and/or emotional jousting match, each trying to bloody the other mentally and emotionally?

If the intent is to be understood and we have the insight and desire to understand the other, would we not speak differently to each one we speak with? We each have our own perspectives and meaning to words, ideas and experiences. If we truly speak to someone in this way (with understanding), it may indeed appear, to one standing outside the conversation, that you are totally in contradiction to a previous conversation.

I am reminded of another quote by Steven Covey from Seven Habits, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” (This by-the-way is habit 5, Principles of Empathic Communication.) This is a golden guide to all dealings with others whether words are exchanged or not.

So unless what is about to be said is just trivial tripe, the intent with which we formulate our words should be with understanding of the other person(s) and speaking from this space of perception.

Each person we encounter is so unique, that each conversation on any subject should be just as unique. However the amount of engagement and presence for this level of conversation can be taxing, however, would be otherwise if we are truly present to the moment? After all, is not joy to found in those moments when we are completely and totally in them?


Some thoughts…


Maktub

Patience

"We cannot learn real patience and tolerance from a guru or a friend. They can be practiced only when we come in contact with someone who creates unpleasant experiences. According to Shantideva, enemies are really good for us as we can learn a lot from them and build our inner strength."

- Dalai Lama

The Mad Ones

"..and I shambled after as I've been doing all my life after the ones who interest me, because the only people for me are the mad ones, mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow Roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes, 'Awww'..."

-- Jack Kerouac, On the Road

Relationships, Soulmates and ?

I read an article that a friend sent out by Julie Redstone (see the link below), which reminded me some of my own internal storms.

http://www.worldblessings.com/soul-relationships.html



I have been wrestling with some related thoughts and ideas that have been plaguing me for a long time; I have been scratching down notes (which I have lost) for some time trying put down and make sense out of some thoughts on relationships, soulmates and those who have flew through my life leaving a huge impact on who I became. Mostly it is the confusion and frustration has to do with people who come into my life for whom I feel a deep connection with, especially those of the opposite sex.

There seems to be this view, that society holds, that the only deep connection one can have with the opposite sex is sexual or that of a lover (with exception of family of course). I know that if I were to tell a woman I felt deeply connected to her, or words to that effect, it would only be interpreted as (and really sounds like) a come-on and an invitation to bed. I am sure any man would react similarly with hearing something from a woman. So I find myself instinctively running from such thoughts and relationships, keeping those who I would be close to, at a far distance for fear of crossing this line into severe inappropriateness.

The problem with these perceptions and beliefs of the society we live in, is that they become engrained in all of us, seemly infecting our very essence with those beliefs; we become engrained with all of these expectations and values; raising strong feelings of guilt and/or wrong doing whenever we fail to live up to these expectations and/or cross one of those lines in how we "Should" feel connected to one another.

Perhaps I simply have no moral values but, I do believe that, aside from those who come into our lives to challenge us and who provide lessons and learning’s which are often extremely painful and crushing, there are also those who enter our lives and are so connected to us in positive and loving ways that they rival the relationship between lovers in intensity; while at the same time not being lovers. It is through these very special relationships that we grow, transform and metamorphose into who it is we are meant to be, albeit far more than we ever dreamt possible.

Unfortunately there does not seem to be words in our language to describe this kind of relationship. There are friends but, this is far more than friendship; then there are lovers, which this kind of relationship, also is not. Perhaps maybe it is on a non-physical level but, then are we not all lovers in a spiritual sense in our oneness? Even the word Soulmate does not have a meaning which communicates this relationship properly, at least not in its popularly understood sense.

There seems to be this taboo area of relationships which we (at let I) find extremely hard to talk about or discuss; part of it seems to be, that we(I) simply don't have adequate words in the language to talk about it. Of course we don't have the words because we most often won't even admit to ourselves that these feelings and connectedness exists or if we do, that these feelings are so wrong that the only choice we have is to be silent and passively let the guilt eats us from within.

I once heard it stated that intimacy really is/means "Into-me-see", which should the norm not something we reserve for just one other on the planet. If we all could see deeply into each other, without judgment or painting them with ourselves, would the seeds of war and hate not cease to exist? Would we not come to realize just how unique we all are and out of that uniqueness, see how alike and one we are?

Then again perhaps I only have some serious deep psychological problems that need professional help before I am let loose unescorted. However, so far I have evaded the white coated ones and will continue to plague others of you on this planet with my insanity. LOL

On a Sunny Day

Scented breeze brushes
spring flower whispers
past my ear.

Warm sun caresses
kissing my cheek
as a new day rises.

Peacefully against a cedar
veins opened wide
all that remains pours
into loving soil.

Nature, Earth, Gaia
she can take even
my rotting corpse
and blossom.

How much more could
be done with
one which lives.

The Mirror of Nature

Music by Narsilion

Cracks

When life is empty and lonely;
the illusive perfect lover never found.
When expectations out race experiences,
and your wants far exceed haves.
When each new day is one more filled
with aches, lost hopes and unfulfilled dreams.

Remember; imperfection IS perfection.

“There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.”

- from Anthem by Leonard Cohen

Shades of the Heart

- Copyright©2008 ~Chi_Shanay