Week Five Self-Study
Forging Community, Decentering, and Building Heart-Centered Alliances Once we begin to know ourselves better and are able to give ourselves what we need, it becomes easier to show up in our hearts with others. This is especially true when we are able to begin practicing forgiveness towards ourselves, and consciously shift out of a place of judgement and either/or thinking to engage with each other just as we are, instead of how we wish each other to be. When we begin to release our attachments to people and situations being a certain way, we also release ourselves from expectations that are bound to set us up for disappointment. This is the basis of compassionate community—the ability to hold space for others to show up in their wholeness, and to welcome all parts of ourselves to the table. And in this space is where we can truly begin! When we have acquired the tools to self-soothe and navigate the energetics of our bodies, minds, hearts, and spirits with ease and skill, we are able to begin stepping out of illusion, which are the Ego fantasies and depictions we have placed on ourselves and each other. This is also where the delicate dance of building heart-based alliances unfolds. In building heart-based communities, it’s vital that we remember that community is a verb. It is a practice that requires commitment, consciousness, integrity, and skill. It is full of unknowns, discomfort, and power dynamics that must be navigated with great care. It is imperative that we continue to decenter our own way of being, knowing, and doing in this equation, so that we do not project onto others our own insecurities and wounds, and so that we do not make assumptions about where we each are coming from, what experiences we have had, or what we believe to be true. It is also vital to remember that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. Love is always the truth of who we are, and when we can drop into our hearts and remember that, we are able to hold the vision of each other’s most authentic soul expression, and remind each other when we have forgotten from a grounded, clear