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the spiritual impact of N mothering
Portia:
Hiya Jessie, Dawning, Glennis...may I join you briefly?
One thing this board has made me think about and put into practice here, is the idea of making myself vulnerable so that I can share, learn, feel acceptance etc. I think Dr G has an article on vulnerability. And if some people don't like my vulnerability (telling too much?) that's okay. But I find it helpful. It doesn't mean I necessarily trust more, but when you have it all out on the board - and nobody turns and laughs at you! - that's a pretty good feeling. (Okay...time for someone to laugh at me...but do you know what I mean?) People can't get close unless you let them...and that means exposing the parts of yourself that may not be your favourite parts. Think I'd better stop there!
No, I'll try and be clearer: being more open and vulnerable means that I've found that I'm not that different to others. And if other people can accept me, warts and all, well maybe I can accept myself -as part of the universal whole. Does that make sense?
Anonymous:
Hey y'all,
Well, as you might be able to guess from my handle "Seeker", this is a topic that always interests me greatly. I had to stop and think about it though. "What would I do if I didn't have a set of traditions, beliefs, in fact, a downright repulsion to the concept of God?" I love what a rabbi once said to an atheist: "I don't believe in that God either," meaning the punishing, damn them to the desert, I'll show you whose boss kinda God.
I guess I might start with reading about different traditions and philosophies. That is, which philosophers seem to speak to me and comfort me. Just for fun, you can go to beliefnet.com to take an online test of your current position and a good match to an existing tradition. I like the idea that we're heading for the same destination, but are maybe taking a different roadmap than the next believer. Sort of like shopping for your own brand of higher power. God doesn't care if you phone, email, or use a carrier pigeon, s/he likes to hear from you. But you don't have to, that's what free will is all about. But it is so supportive in times of despair.
I might even try thinking of Mother Earth as my mother. Your mother may have given birth to you, but she was a conduit for what is now your life. There's a piece of the divine inside you. You might want to look there first and get in touch with what true love would feel like if you made it up yourself. Then give it freely to yourself and everyone around you with no expectations.
Jessie, I think you have a unique opportunity to explore this on your own terms. You haven't been pressed into one flavor of theology to the point of rabid defense or destructive brainwashing. No one telling you how to do it "right". Religion and ritual have its place in building community and support, but I keep my eyes on the prize.
I hope this helps a bit. Oh, another thing I found really pretty neat is a book called the Spirituality of Imperfection by the founders of AA. It's a collection of essays and anecdotes which helped relieve my sense of failure and flawed personality. Our creator made us just the way we need to be.
Take care and write to us all again soon. Much love, Seeker
Dawning:
--- Quote ---I might even try thinking of Mother Earth as my mother.
--- End quote ---
Oh, Seeker, thank you so very much for reminding me of this. I am truly so grateful for reminders such as this.
--- Quote ---There's a piece of the divine inside you. You might want to look there first and get in touch with what true love would feel like if you made it up yourself. Then give it freely to yourself and everyone around you with no expectations
--- End quote ---
How do you give love freely to everyone around you? Is love a state-of-mind that stays with you forever once you have found it? When I give love freely- because it feels natural - I get attached to what is created by love and then, if the person - be they male or female, friend or blood relative - ignores me or takes me for granted, I begin to distrust that I am doing the right thing by giving love freely. I hope that made sense. :? :?
Anonymous:
--- Quote from: Dawning ---How do you give love freely to everyone around you? Is love a state-of-mind that stays with you forever once you have found it? When I give love freely- because it feels natural - I get attached to what is created by love and then, if the person - be they male or female, friend or blood relative - ignores me or takes me for granted, I begin to distrust that I am doing the right thing by giving love freely. I hope that made sense. :? :?
--- End quote ---
Maybe if you change the word 'love' to 'higher awareness,' it will make more sense.
bunny
juliajayne:
Dawning,
if the person - be they male or female, friend or blood relative - ignores me or takes me for granted, I begin to distrust that I am doing the right thing by giving love freely. I hope that made sense.
Just remember too that people are in different spaces at different times and may not be ignoring you or necessarily taking you for granted, they may just be emeshed in their own thing at the time. I had to learn the hard way not to take things too personally. It gets in the way of real intimacy in many ways.
JJ
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