When we are Self-aware, when we know ourselves as individualized expressions of the one Reality commonly called God, we know this truth about others, and about all of life as well. Even a little progress on this journey of awakening can enhance our lives and transform our relationships.
When firmly grounded in spiritual awareness, two intentions can be supportive of conscious living and make a positive difference in our interactions with others. These intentions are: (1) to inwardly recognize every person as an individualized expression of God and (2) to be supportive of everyone’s highest good—the fulfillment of their soul destiny to experience liberation of consciousness.
The intention to recognize everyone as an expression of God, to behold the One in all, calls the divine qualities within us such as compassion, wisdom, kindness or respect into expression. We can relate to others “soul to soul”, instead of “personality to personality” with its ego overlay.
This is a subtle shift that is very easy to practice. Simply acknowledge the One in all and inwardly agree that as you interact you are meeting and connecting with the other person spiritually. This practice accomplishes two helpful things right away and brings forth other benefits longer term. First, it creates an atmosphere of respect. Most people are sensitive to how we approach them. The atmosphere of respect that this inner orientation brings can go a long way to positively improve communication. The other immediate benefit is that by making this adjustment in consciousness, we cultivate an inner awareness that facilitates discipline in our interactions. We will naturally be more thoughtful and reflective before responding to another. This supports us in expressing our divine qualities, bringing out the best within us, and in others, too. As we do this, we feel better about ourselves, our relationships improve, and higher potentials begin to express through us. This simple practice of seeing the One in all also facilitates the activity of grace in our lives. When we have the intention to act with clear awareness, to think of God in all we do, we are better able to cooperate with divine will. Because we are not clinging to personal desires or reacting from conditioned patterns in the mental field, we can more readily be open to the prospering power of grace as it reveals itself through our relationships with others. In the long term, we discover ways in which divine will is actively expressed in our lives through our relationships with others. Our relationship with the Infinite comes to life in every interaction. A second powerful intention that enhances our relationships and supports our spiritual awakening is to commit to our own full enlightenment and to the full enlightenment of others. Wish for them the highest good, see them prospering in all ways, and celebrate their virtuous actions and successes. Do not focus on their short-comings or mistakes, or try to establish blame when mistakes occur. Instead, inwardly affirm that every person is divinely supported and innately whole. See the best in them and call it forth in your awareness. When we commit to the full enlightenment and empowerment of ourselves and others, it supports letting go of unnecessary demands and clinging to personal desires which are often the cause of friction in interpersonal relationships. When we mistakenly imagine that others are our source of happiness or security, we can be afraid of growth or change—either theirs or our own. When we know God as the Source of all that is needed, we can celebrate growth and change because it does not, and cannot, threaten our direct connection with the source of our well-being. One Life, one Power, one Presence expresses as all that is. As we behold this One in all, commit ourselves to interacting in the highest way, and are guided by the inner light of realization, all our relations are blessed.
Think About It: Although the connection between social support/relationships and emotional/psychological health has been well documented, more recent literature has also focused on the connection between social support/relationships and physical health (Valliant, Meyer, Mukamal,&Soldz, 1998). This research has shown that certain relationship characteristics serve as protective functions against physical disease/illnesses and their outcomes. These characteristics include “family closeness and connectedness, problem focused family coping skills, clear family organization and decision making, and direct communication” -The Connection Between Relationships and Physical Health, from BC Council for Families @ bccf.ca
Be Inspired: It is not for the sake of the husband that the husband is dear, but for the sake of the Self that the husband is dear. It is not for the sake of the wife that the wife is dear, but for the sake of the Self that the wife is dear…it is not for the sake of everything that everything is dear, but for the sake of the Self is everything dear. -Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad
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