“In every man there is something which to a certain degree prevents him from becoming perfectly transparent to himself; and this may be the case in so high a degree, he may be so inexplicably woven into relationships of life which extend far beyond himself that he almost cannot reveal himself. But he who cannot reveal himself cannot love, and he who cannot love is the most unhappy man...
“Self-loathing is a poison so many of us drink. We cocoon in its phlegm and lose ourselves. And then we starting looking to other people to nourish our souls; to feed us attention, validation, completion, love. And when the dose is insufficient, we put others down – to their faces, in our heads -because sucking energy out of people for a whiff of fast food superiority is juicy, fatty...
“Good relationships trigger the hell out of us without trashing the relationship; great relationships trigger the hell out of us while deepening the relationship. And the best relationships use whatever happens, however difficult or disheartening, not only to deepen the relationship but also to awaken us beyond it. What does not work in a relationship (assuming that neither partner is abusing the other) is what can make it truly...
Empathy isn’t just listening, it’s asking the questions whose answers need to be listened to. Empathy requires inquiry as much as imagination. Empathy requires knowing you know nothing. Empathy means acknowledging a horizon of context that extends perpetually beyond what you can see. ~ Leslie Jamison Empathy is a fundamentally important element of relationship skills and indispensable for holding space. Though it is often defined as imagining what something would...
“Something changes the moment you decide you’ve found a person you are ready to reveal parts of your soul to. Something stands out and makes the moment unique. A profound multidimensional clarity resembling a piece of carefully gathered stardust; As if you are whispering “finally” and your eyes fill with light and spontaneity. As if you do not care whether your heart will melt or crumble in the process...
“Women have been sacrificed throughout history, yet we women are today sacrificing the feminine on a large scale within. And then we are blaming the masculine. We want to offer our deepest apologies to man for all the hurt we have caused you. We carry anger for past abuse, and unconsciously we are punishing the masculine even when you show up as love. We lead you on and reject...
“And I hope you find what it is to love another in your mother tongue, a love that requires no translation and only delivers the ease of being fully known and fully seen. A love that brings you alive, that carries you home.” ~ Jeanette LeBlanc To be loved in another language often leaves us partially or wholly unmet and unloved, regardless of how much we know that another...
There is a beautiful little girl within me, a tender little thing full of love and empathy for all and a love for all things light-hearted and funny. Many years ago I made her a solemn promise, to always be by her side, to protect her, surround her with loving, gentle and fun kids and to create an inner garden and palace for her to enjoy life like never...
