A time of reflection,
Together.
I'm Shannon,
And grateful that you're joining me today.
There are perceptions that color our life,
Our own filter through which we see the world.
That filter often comes from how we grew up,
Our childhood,
Who taught us,
And those teachings that we internalize.
Some of the teachings are beautiful,
Helpful,
While others can be things that hold us back.
Because of those perceptions of how another views the world,
Our internalization of it then becomes our filter,
Unless we become aware of it.
If we're not aware of these filters that color our perspective,
We might say,
Think,
Or feel things that aren't necessarily true to another person that we're communicating with,
Because they too might have a different filter from which they're seeing things.
It's a good practice to slow down,
Hear what the other person says,
Internalize it,
See what their filter is,
Compare it to yours,
And begin to see perspectives from many different sides.
I'd like to share this poem with you called,
A Ritual to Read to Each Other,
By William Stafford.
This poem speaks to this same energy,
How those things that informed us of childhood can help us,
Or even harm us,
If we don't take the time to reflect on what we're thinking and feeling.
Here's this poem now,
By William Stafford.
If you don't know the kind of person I am,
And I don't know the kind of person you are,
A pattern that others made May prevail in the world,
And following the wrong god home We may miss our star.
For there is many a small betrayal in the mind,
A shrug that lets the fragile sequence break,
Sending with shouts the horrible errors Of childhood storming out to play Through the broken dyke,
And as elephants parade Holding each other's elephant's tail.
But if one wanders the circus,
Won't find the park.
I call it cruel,
And maybe the road of all cruelty,
To know what occurs,
But not recognize the fact.
And so I appeal to a voice,
To something shadowy,
A remote,
Important region In all who talk.
Though we could fool each other,
We should consider,
Lest the parade of our mutual life Get lost in the dark.
For it is important that awake people be awake,
Or a breaking line May discourage them back to sleep.
The signals we give,
Yes or no,
Or maybe,
Should be clear,
The darkness around us is deep.
If we allow those misunderstandings,
Because of wrong perception,
Because of our filters from childhood,
Without questioning our own selves,
We might interact from those childhood wounds over time.
Remember that as we stay awake on this spiritual path,
It's easy to fall asleep,
To think that we are the only right thing in this world.
Remember,
There are so many beautiful,
Different perceptions and ways of viewing this world.
When you wake,
Be awake,
Stay vigilant,
And be kind to yourself and others.
I hope that you have an amazing day full of brilliant perceptions,
Both old and new,
In looking at the fun of questioning what your own mind is thinking.
Have an awesome day.
Namaste.
