30 Dec Are you able to compassionately listen to yourself?
I woke in the middle of the night chastising myself harshly for not having a better response to a colleague’s online inquiry.
The good news is I caught it almost right away.
Recognized the old pattern of self-criticism. Of never doing anything right.
I could see… feel in the distance, the rabid dogs of old chomping at the bit, raring to demolish me.
There was the pattern, ready to be unleashed.
Here I was. A choice point. Not getting hooked.
It’s one of those moments of self-delight! Amazed that I wasn’t getting swept into the crushing vortex of doom… the one that often led to shame in the past.
What a breath of relief.
That’s what those moments of pattern-changing bring.
This past weekend, we heard from people who were having moments like this. Moments where they could take deeper breaths. Because they recognized a choice point.
At the same time they – we – all of us – need to be delighted in, appreciated, and valued for the enormous work we do to bring on these simple, profound moments rather than staying in the muck of life.
Consistently the research details how difficult it is to accept goodness, accept compassion. Most of us feel pretty good about being compassionate to others — but how much do we allow compassion into our own body, mind, and heart?
And maybe as importantly, can you take the time to savor the moment of goodness, letting it sink in deep into your being and change you?
When an old pattern rears its head… what happens in you?
Are you able to compassionately listen to yourself? To attune to the signals inside and out?
Being attuned inside ourselves and attuned to others outside. What is attunement, really? How is it a force for good — and also a complicated one for those of us who are empaths or have sensitive nervous systems?