10 Comments
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Beth Welch's avatar

Thank you for such good reminders (including the book- I want to reread) and tip on a way to refrain these emotions. It reminds me that little acts help.

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HeatherAsh Amara's avatar

You are so welcome Beth! Little acts make all the difference.

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Sarah Rathke's avatar

Thanks for this gem…..needed it today🩵

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HeatherAsh Amara's avatar

You are so welcome, Sarah!

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Terri Suleski's avatar

Spiritual Smugness great word. Keeping it in my mind...I need it!!!

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HeatherAsh Amara's avatar

It definitely cuts to the chase and reminds us to open to all views while honoring our truth!

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Alina Matas's avatar

I just had a romantic breakup and all I can feel toward is anger, sadness and frustration. Can't ooze love and understanding, and feel he doesn't deserve that because he didn't put those out for me when he lied. I am owning my negative feelings and doing work to let them go and let the person and his choices go. But isn't there some value to reciprocity, like returning kindness with kindness, honesty with honesty, effort with effort, selfishness with selfishness?

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HeatherAsh Amara's avatar

Alina yes that is what I want for everyone: kindness met with kindness, honesty with honesty, effort with effort, love with love. And yet... the deeper practice is realizing kindness is sometimes met with harshness and how do we stay kind to ourselves; honesty is sometimes met with lies and betrayal and how do we stay truthful and not abandon ourselves; effort is sometimes met with disregard or carelessness and how do we honor our effort and put it where it is met? I'm so sorry to hear your heart is hurting; I so know how much the heart can hurt after a breakup. May you bring your own love and understanding to yourself and do your best to take your energy away from figuring out what went wrong in the relationship so you can do the deep work of healing your heart and finding community that honors your journey of healing. Blessings and love to you. Go slow and at your own pace... letting go takes time and such gentle care for the hurt and grieving. Blessings, dear one.

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Jo's avatar

Thanks Heather Ash. This is an important topic. The article is timely for me, as I have been navigating good communication, too. A meditation leader recently circulated a petition for folx to sign affirming peace and justice. My cobra side was ready to come out - to strike, to denounce the petition as too little, too late. Instead, I sincerely thanked the teacher, said I wouldn't be signing because I am supporting other small scale platforms, like supporting Gaza based poet Shahd Alnaami. I shared a link. Probably the next round of dialogue, I will do even better. I am noticing I can feel anger, less numbness yet less likely to React in Anger. Through WG, I am learning to be softer, more kind, less smug. With thanks. Josephine

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HeatherAsh Amara's avatar

Beautiful, Josephine. May you continue to be kinder, clearer, and more compassionate with yourself and others and speak your truth with love and fierce wisdom. Many blessings

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