Accepting the differing beliefs of your life partner is an act of unconditional love,
Of love eternal,
And carrying that person's soul with absolute positive regard.
It is being well grounded in yourself and in your own beliefs.
Knowing who you are and shedding the need to defend yourself and to defend your beliefs.
Shedding the need to try to change the other person.
In this meditation,
You are encouraged to be in a position that is comfortable for you.
Traditionally,
That's a form of sitting or laying down.
But if those things are not comfortable,
You can walk or slowly sway.
Whatever will help you get into a sort of Zen zone,
So to speak.
And of course,
You get yourself into a state of openness.
Relaxing and just settling in or settling into the movement.
You can even listen to your favorite song.
And just take a few deep breaths,
The kind where your whole belly puffs up as you breathe in.
I can have your intake and outtake.
Inhale and exhale,
Make sound if you so desire.
Shake out your shoulders.
And know that you are in a safe space at this time to reflect,
To feel,
To know and accept that there are beautiful lessons held in the gems of these differences.
There's a gem there somewhere.
Bring forth your life partner into your mind.
And think of them in a way that makes you smile.
In what ways do they make you laugh?
In what ways do you feel excited to see them?
What was it about this person that made you want to spend life with them?
What are the fun things you have in common?
And maybe even some of the serious things you have in common.
These things are your bread and butter,
So to speak.
The things that give you a common ground,
The things that make it easier to accept differing beliefs.
And when you think on those beliefs that are different,
Find the gem within them.
If your partner is atheist and has no belief of any life after this life,
Consider how amazing it is that they want to spend the only life they will ever have with you.
If your partner is more skeptical,
Or agnostic,
Constantly questioning,
Never sure if they're making things up or not,
That gives them an openness of mind where they won't get trapped by rigid dogma.
And even though they don't know,
Are constantly questioning how joyful that they want to be questioning with you in their life.
If your partner has a different spiritual path,
There are many beautiful overlapping aspects of belief from one spiritual path to another.
Things that reflect goodness and kindness and helping other people,
Non-judgment.
There's so many.
It would be impossible to name all the different systems of belief within this one single meditation.
But simply trust that the good within their belief system is good and discard the rest in non-judgment.
It has to do where they're at,
Where your partner is at,
Has to do with them.
It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with you and usually doesn't.
And of course,
There are times when you might not be able to reconcile differing beliefs,
That perhaps it's not something that's healthy to stay in,
That perhaps one is unable to just regard you in absolute positive regard.
And you'll know that too.
And that's okay.
There is beauty in knowing when it's time to let go and when it's time to find out what other ways to connect.
When you think of your life partner,
Simply remember that where they're at is where they're at.
Everyone has their own path of spiritual enlightenment or however you want to call it.
And as long as you both can radically accept the differences and celebrate all of the things you do have in common and love about one another,
It will be okay.
Trust yourself and your intuition so that you might be calm of heart and clear of mind.
That you might find the gems of the diversity in your life.
And whenever you feel ready,
You can come back if you've had your eyes closed,
You can slow your dance,
You can take a nice deep cleansing breath.
And know that you are safe and you are loved.
No matter what is going on around you.
And this ends our meditation for today.
May it be helpful to you.
And this I pray.
Amen.
