I have been reminded of this again:
It can be very helpful to relate to parts of my experience as a being, perhaps even as a child or an animal. Sometimes, a scared child or animal, one that feels rejected, bullied, unloved, hounded.
When a part of me seems to suffer, I can see it as a being that wishes to be free from that suffering.
It’s a being that may have been met with my rejection, struggle, disrespect, lack of love, and more, for perhaps a lifetime.
It’s a being that wishes for love, respect, attention, space, safety, rest, freedom from being struggled with, freedom from disrespect, freedom from me trying to make it go away.
It’s a being that wishes for what all beings wish for. Its wish for itself is my wish for myself.
In recognizing that, something shifts in me.
There is a shift to a natural empathy. A natural kindness. I wish the same for it as it wishes for itself. It wishes for itself what I wish for myself. It wishes for what all beings wish for.
When I now rest with it, and perhaps ask some simple question to see more clearly what’s already there, I may be coming from a slightly different place. Perhaps a place of service. Of gentleness. Of respect. Of love even.
At the very least, there is a shift in that direction. Those are more accessible to me.
What are some of these parts of my experience? It’s sometimes fear, anger, grief, emotional pain, physical pain, struggle, distress, discomfort, and more. These are the experiences I have rejected. Pushed away. Seen as wrong. Been scared of. Disrespected. Ignored. Bullied. Battled.
How did I learn to treat them so poorly? I did what I saw others do. Sometimes, I experienced that sense of rejection, being unloved etc. And I passed it on to parts of myself. I treated these parts in that way. So now, there is an opportunity to do something different. To recognize these parts of my experience as a being that wishes for what we all wish for. A being that wishes to be loved, respected, find rest and a sense of safety. And I can give it that. I can do it, with intention. I can do it, when I recognize that that’s what it wishes for. I can do it, when I recognize that it’s what’s the most kind for all of us – that part of me, myself, and other people in my life.
So what can I do? What can I do to make up for it? What can I do that will give us all what we really wish for?
I am sorry. Please forgive me. I love you.
Resting with what’s here. The pain. Discomfort. Contractions. Notice. Allow.
Asking simple questions to see more clearly what’s already here.
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Initial notes…..
Free the emotion, discomfort, struggle, from my struggle
How can I help you?
Do it for it’s sake
It wants love, attention, care, respect, space, freedom from being struggled with, disrespected, tried to make go away etc.
As a child, or an animal, ignored, scared, feeling unloved, wishing for love, sense of safety, being rested with, comfort