The DAILY SPARK Blog

an eon’s worth of sorrowpain gathered through the agesan ancient feeling of lossthe struggle has continuedinside of youfor long enoughthe light of acceptancesettles the agitationand opens the door to letting gowhat you felt beforewill not always leave quietlysometimes the past will roarthrough your sensationsas you cut the rootof what you held for far too long(silence)Poem excerpted from the way forward  by yung puebloREFLECTION:Do you have an attachment to who you used to be?Reflecting,  do you have a different view of the world, different preferences, different likes and dislikes (different than your view 25, 10, 5 or even  1 year ago?)What have you outgrown?Can you embrace a new expression of you?

Right is right even if no one is doing it; wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.Quote by St. Augustine REFLECTION:Do you go along with the crowd?Is there something you know is right but due to pressure, you are not doing it?How can you stand in your truth, your knowing and do what is right?

Mindful dialogue invites true listening and true listening expands our ways of knowing and understanding.  Ultimately, it elevates discourse and makes it more likely that we will gradually learn and grow from understanding one another's perspectives rather than just fortifying our positions and stereotyping all those who disagree with us. FROM:  ARRIVING AT YOUR OWN DOOR  108 Lessons in Mindfulness by Jon Kabat-ZinnREFLECTION:Think about a recent dialogue with a person where you had a different perspective. How did that conversation go?Were you open to another perspective?What if you could be receptive - resist the urge to press your viewpoint.  What might happen?in a conversation today, be curious... ask questions... listen... truly listen.