Sorry, I pinged before I was ready.
Reflecting involves attaining meaning and gaining real insight into your situation or experiences or behaviors. Today's exercise requires you to engage in a journaling excerice. The author suggests you reflect on the following questions and journal about them:
. What is familiar here? Is there a pattern?
. What were your intentions in this situation? What were you hoping for or wanting?
. What actually happened?
. How might this have looked from the perspective of whoever else was involved?
.what can you see now that you didn't then?
. What would you do more of, or less of another time.?
Happy reflecting!
Rev. Sylvia
I have become very adept at recognizing my ruminations and they occur less and less frequent. My pattern WAS probably like most others. When I felt hurt, disrespected or that perceived rightious indignation, I would obsess over what I could have or should have done or said. Now I am quick to realize that point in time has passed. I let go whith the thought, "what does it matter now", and move on.
ReplyDeleteI can't recall a recent situation applicable to todays reading. My life has been so blessed since retirement and my practice of Unity teachings that I feel more at peace now than I probably ever have. I look to a 'recent situation' because to drag up an old situation to evaluate right now would ruminating for me. I have forgiven all, including myself.
I will take todays reading/lesson with me for future experiences.
I love you all.
Today’s topic is so appropriate for what’s happening in my life right now.
ReplyDeleteThe pattern I’ve observed is that sometimes my intentions are misunderstood. In a recent experience, my response to a situation was to think the other person blew my comments out of proportion and was too sensitive. While all of that may or may not be true, I had to stop the chatter in my head and take a look at why they felt like that and what was my role in this and what I could have done differently.
With a dash of distance, I saw how my comments and “go with the flow approach” could have been perceived as inauthentic. I didn’t believe I was being inauthentic, but I can see how that could be perceived. Also I saw that I was still trying to guide a situation even though I promised myself that I wouldn’t and thought I wasn’t.
What would I do differently another time? Be clearer in the expression of my true feelings and intentions. I have a tendency to think people understand what I’m saying and feeling, and sometimes they don’t – and most of the time, it’s me being my truly “southern” self and not being clear.
Good Morning Rev. I think this reflection thing for me is all about where I am at this stage in my life. I call myself out on my stuff most of the time now, and I recognize that I don't have to do it as often. The one area that I consciously continue to beat myself up in my "finances" go figure. I grew up with a very strong financial structure that I have not been as successful at as my grandparents raised me to be. So I have that guilt around money and not having enough. This is a pattern for me. Now the good news is I am quite aware and I am much better at this then anytime in my life So for that I am truly grateful. What I am endeavoring to do differently is recognize and acknowledge that I have been blessed with an abundant life. Miracles have happened that have shown me that ALL my needs have been thus far and will continue to be met. THIS I KNOW FOR SURE! I happens over and over on a daily basis in ways that I could never imagine. So I start my day saying that IAM the Gift to this World and MY GOD will provide all the tools I need all I have to do is show up. I love reflecting and reading my lessons from my journal they really show what an interesting person IAM and what and interesting life I lead. I really make myself laugh out loud some days and some days I cry like a baby put one is absolute IAM interesting and I keep myself entertained :-)
ReplyDeleteWhen I thought about what I would reflect on, I realized that I am presently In the experience and have been for all of the last year. What I was hoping for was a new day and a new way, this did not manifest quite the way I was expecting it to, but I am so happy and joyful that a new day and a new way has manifested in a greater way than I could ever imagine.Thank you Rev Sylvia for hearing the voice of the Divine and saying yes to helping us to wake up. The creation of this whole 2012 Life Mastery path has been one of my life's greatest blessing and gift.
ReplyDeleteIn reflecting on this continously unfolding experience of developing a deep and undivided knowing that all my abundunce and security come from the Divine Energy of the Universe. I had to actually experience this period of being in a financial desert so that I would come to this understanding.I have come to realize through my meditating and journal writing, that by opening up my subconscious that I was able to recall my first thoughts of money as a child. Like many families we had shelter, clothes, and food. However, there was not much left for a lot of extra's. I heard a voice in my head and heart, say do not ask for what you want, because she (my Mother)will feel bad, if she cannot afford it and has to say no. I can now move through that and clearly understand that this experience now, will bring me to a place of complete confidence that I can and will have whatever I need or desire.I am so grateful for all my blessings and in the future if challenged this way, I will reflect on this experience and and have a deep abiding knowing that no matter what I will be taken care of by the Divine and that all is well with my SOUL.
Be Blessed
Rev Pat
I absolutely love the difference between reflecting and renuminafing! The questions posed by the author are excellent for keeping you out of the muck and the mire. When I look for meaning instead of what is wrong or not working, I find more inner peace!
ReplyDeleteI can feel this class and process having an effect on me. I am getting clearer insight into me! Yea God!,,
Ouch!!! This lesson resonated with me. For many years, I was a ruminator with short periods of reflection thrown in for good measure. I put more emphasis on the analysis and less on gaining real insight. Over the last few years, I have changed. I still have situations in which to fixate on matters ad nauseam. Now I recognize that pattern and those periods are much shorter in duration and intensity. I now bless and release-it feels great.
ReplyDeleteIt has been a little more than a year since a dear friend made her transition. My intention during her transition period was to be a supportive friend, objective counselor and assertive advocate. My presence and advocacy created jealousy and more than a little resentment among some of my friend’s relatives. Whenever, I believed my friend’s best interest was not primary, I immediately stepped in to challenge the decisions. It might have appeared to her relatives, I inserted myself in family business where I did not belong. What the relatives may not have known, I was asked by my friend to do everything I did. In hindsight, I should have waited and allowed others to resolve problems, been more compassionate and voiced my opinion and opposition less often.
Recently I have been able to reflect upon recent behavior or actions but obsess upon is the past. There are two situations I most often dwell on. One is when what I perceive as a pattern of not advocating for myself manifest and the other is when I let flip side of my positive characteristics manifest.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest I am a bit confused by the questions we are supposed to consider. Can we discuss this tomorrow?
I think this pattern comes from not being in the moment. My power is now. God is here not in the past. I want rewrite the first moment I gave up my power and all subsequent instances when I continued to do so. I am not letting go if what I perceive as past failures.
The second example is just ego.