Musings from the Journey
Enhance your life and fortify a deeper connection with your True Self.
 Uff Da.
The blame game abounds. How are you feeling right now? Let's pause and breathe with those feelings for a second. I wonder what universal human needs might be under those feelings? Perhaps a need for safety, understanding, a shared reality, love, fairness, etc? It makes sense why you feel the way you do, when you can see the unmet needs underneath. I invite you to offer yourself some compassion for whatever it is you are going through. Now, we can look outward and notice that others also have their own feelings, and needs underneath them. Many times, the blame game is a tactic (often unconscious, because we haven't learned anything different) to not be with our pain and acknowledge what's underneath. It pins the problem as another person, rather than saying, "I feel hurt, scared or angry, because I'm needing to matter, be heard, or belong. Will you help be part of the solution?" That can be far more vulnerable. Blame also makes it easier to forget that the other person is human too. In being human, we all have the expanse of emotions to feel. We also all have the same universal human needs. We might not like how other people are acting. We don't have to agree. But if we are going to find our way through this, each of us has to remember our own humanity. Then we need to look for it in others. (Even if they don't see it in you, which I know is especially hard and painful. Sending extra love and gentleness for you here if that feels true for you.) The small moments of connection, softness, openness that cut through the blame, have a chance to save us when they ripple into the world. It has the capacity to disarm. This isn't easy work, but it's important. It starts first with empathy for yourself. Then you extend it outward when you've filled your cup a bit. You can't give what you don't have. It's not always fair, but sometimes it's necessary to be the one who shows up first, so things don't spiral out of control. Hopefully, the grace is reciprocated later, or you find others who have the capacity to hold space for you. It's not an excuse for harmful behavior or letting accountability slide. But we'll never have a chance for true repair if we can't get past the walls of protection and attack to what is underneath. The practice of non-violent communication is where I learned much of this, and you might find it supportive if you would like to learn more. While I don't have the answers to all the things we are going through now, I do believe that when we remember our humanity it can be an antidote to the harm. You never know what might happen if enough little pebbles crumble off the wall of division. Hang in there. I care for you. Sarah
0 Comments
Everything we communicate can be boiled down to a "please" or a "thank you".  Siberian Squill (photo by Thomas Harding) Over the past couple years I have been studying the practice of Nonviolent Communication (it also goes by the names Compassionate, or Conscious Communication). This way of connecting was originally shared by Marshall Rosenberg in the 1970s. As the teachings begin to sink in more deeply for me and replace old habits of communicating, I have been humbled by the healing power of this approach, and I wanted to share some of the juicy nuggets of wisdom with you.
The core tenets focus on identifying how we are feeling, uncovering the universal human need underneath it, and then offering empathy for any unmet needs. Come on a journey with me as we explore this. For a few moments take nice deep breathes and connect with your body. Tune into what feelings are alive within you. Some examples are: content, relaxed, exhausted, frustrated, sad, joyful, disappointed, lonely, intriqued, calm, happy, inspired, anxious, torn, overwhelmed, confused, scared, ashamed, impatient, numb, angry, grateful, encouraged, vulnerable, etc. Note: If something like "I feel so taken advantage of!" comes up, this is a thought and interpretation, not a feeling. In such a case, might you be feeling angry, indignant, sad, disappointed, etc? Acknowledge the presence of the thought, and try to to redirect yourself to the feeling that is within the thought. Have you identified at least one to three feelings that resonate for you? There may be more, and they may seem contradictory. That is okay. Write these feelings down if it is helpful for you. In Marshall Rosenberg's work, he says that feelings that are pleasant are a sign that a universal human need is being met, whereas feelings that are unpleasant are a sign of an unmet need within us. When we communicate with others in this space our words convey either a "please": help me meet this need for _________; or a "thank you": celebrate with me, my need for _________ has been met. Now, let's take a moment to explore what needs may be underneath the feelings you identified. These universal human needs in their essence enhance our quality of life. Here are some examples of needs: safety, acceptance, harmony, predictability, integrity, connection, equality, appreciation, love, self-expression, understanding, respect, clarity, help and support, community, trust, intimacy, meaning and purpose, security, celebration, structure, autonomy and choice, space, fun and play, to matter and belong, mourning, freedom, kindness, responsibility, etc. Returning to our example of, "I feel so taken advantage of!" we see that there are perhaps feelings of indignation, disappointment, and vulnerability, possibly because the needs for respect, kindness, and appreciation were not met. As you tune inward, what unmet needs might your feelings be pointing you toward? And conversely, if you are feeling well, what might needs might your feelings be indicating that are being met? Once you have identified your needs, write them down with the feelings you have identified. Acknowledge within yourself that you are feeling _________ because you are needing _______________ (or your needs for ___________ have been met). Now, comes the true opportunity for healing. As you hold these needs in your heart, feel or imagine what it would be like if these needs were met. What would the experience of "respect", for example, feel like in your body if you had it completely? Imagine that you can breathe that quality into your being simply by thinking it, as if all the molecules of oxygen that enter your body are infused with ________. Continue to breathe and soak the energy of this in for as long as you like. So, how do you feel? Share your experience in the comments or email to share with me privately. To learn more, read Marshall Rosenberg's book Nonviolent Communication, or visit the Wisconsin Empathy Guild's website to connect with practice groups in the area. Blessings, Sarah |
Sarah Barlow
Reiki Master Teacher and Owner of Embrace Your Essence Sign up for our E-Letters Here
Read our Privacy Policy
Archives
May 2026
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed