Day 13 – Life at the Center: The Core of Your Relationships
CENTERING THOUGHT
I relate to others from my strong core, my center.
SANSKRIT MANTRA
Siddho Hum (My true nature is perfect and complete.)
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
All the relationships in our life push and pull us in varying ways and to different degrees. Trying to meet these demands from the false sense of ego strength never works in the long run. In today’s meditation, we learn that the strength, clarity, compassion, and insight required for thriving relationships can only come from our source, our center.
Journal Reflection Questions:
1. Bringing to mind five of your most important relationships, write down the ideal roles you want to play in each of them. Every relationship calls for different roles, such as guide, teacher, lover, protector, mentor, healer, supporter, parent, challenger, creative partner, etc. Be specific and tailor the roles that suit each relationship best. With your ideal role in mind for each relationship, journal about how you can play your part the best way you know how.
2. Reflect on the roles you are currently playing that are not productive, in which you meet resistance, disagreement, and disconnect. Do this for each relationship, using the list above. For example, you may be ill-suited to try to teach, mentor, or act like a parent to your boss. Even though each role is productive when it fits, it can be inappropriate where it doesn’t fit. Once you are aware of your unproductive roles, write down a few ideas of what you can do to stop playing them.
3. For any relationship in which you are uncertain about the roles you play or in which you find yourself getting mixed signals, list two roles you enjoy playing in this relationship, two roles you feel are necessary whether you like them or not, and two roles the other person seems to need, but is sending mixed messages about. When you feel comfortable, consider sitting down and discussing these roles candidly with the other person – always take the attitude of listening and not judging how they respond.
4. Reflect further on your experience today.
“A solid anchor is indispensable to one who intends to live life fully. It is to have a vital spiritual base.” – Steve Goodier