tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4334264674892046932024-03-13T03:01:44.452-07:00A Shining LightLisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-26787713531786270672011-04-16T17:08:00.000-07:002011-04-16T17:08:33.500-07:00The DarknessIf only it were so simple,<br />
to cruise through life smelling roses;<br />
but the obstacles blacken the countryside, <br />
and we unwittingly crush them beneath our boots.<br />
<br />
Dreams sustain us through the madness; <br />
goals give a finish line to our race.<br />
Yet they change with every turn, around every wall,<br />
and remain elusive throughout the quest.<br />
<br />
Mistakes are made, and regrets are our luggage;<br />
we will drag them with us to slow us down.<br />
The victories are flashes of light, sudden and unlasting, which allow us<br />
to glimpse the road ahead before darkness descends.<br />
<br />
Love is bitter, yet it is the bread that keeps us.<br />
Over and over it fills us up, only to starve us.<br />
The people whom we love shape our destinies and our strengths,<br />
yet leave us cold and alone in the darkness.<br />
<br />
There are others trying to race to the end;<br />
occasionally, we bump into one or two.<br />
The bonds we form help us down the path less lonely<br />
but eventually, we lose each other in the darkness.<br />
<br />
Alone is not a bad way to be;<br />
it clears your head and focuses you on the journey.<br />
Cherish the short intervals during the quest you have with others,<br />
but be prepared to walk alone in the darkness. <br />
<br />
by ChristiniaLisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-79495995576846745942011-02-23T06:28:00.000-08:002011-02-23T06:28:35.290-08:00Firm, like a rock....."If your mind becomes firm like a rock<br />
And no longer shakes<br />
In a world where everything is shaking,<br />
Your mind will be your greatest friend<br />
And suffering will not come your way."<br />
- TheragathaLisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-57608923955251931242011-02-06T15:43:00.000-08:002011-02-06T15:43:28.295-08:00Which One Do YOU Feed?"One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside all people. He said, ‘My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all.<br />
One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.<br />
The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.’<br />
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: ‘Which wolf wins?’<br />
The old Cherokee simply replied, ‘The one you feed.’"- From 'Begin Within'Lisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-63555807977710087092011-01-31T07:42:00.000-08:002011-01-31T07:42:20.273-08:00Happy Monday! Unlock your potential for today........<span class="messageBody"></span><br />
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_4d46d4a83f6960e54376553">"A new door will appear for you today. It may be wide open, like a job offer or an invitation, and you can just walk through it. Or perhaps it is open just a crack, and you'll have to make an effort to enable yourself to peek inside. It may be a smile from someone who has been distant or an opportunity to learn something new. Look <span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">for the opportunities, expect them, make a choice. It's all up to you! Enjoy the possibilities!"<br />
</span></div>Lisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-77113136266972707612011-01-31T06:56:00.001-08:002011-01-31T06:56:58.462-08:00Don't Rush...."Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save." ~Will RogersLisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-8365301482316352752011-01-30T11:28:00.000-08:002011-01-30T11:28:33.582-08:00REALLY loving...."It is easy to say, 'I love you.' It is more challenging to actually love, because when times get hard, or people behave in ways that hurt or disappoint us, or they continue to make bad choices and hurt themselves, that is when our love is put to the test. True love is forgiving, encouraging, patient, helpful, empathetic and enduring. These are the actions that give real meaning to, 'I love you.'" - Regina, from Romancing Your SoulLisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-5921265849303383972011-01-25T16:56:00.000-08:002013-06-01T13:52:51.012-07:00Choosing "Not"....."There is nothing positive to be gained by allowing our ego to box with other people's egos. The truth is we cannot control or change anyone but us. Therefore, it is not in our best interest to base our behavior on what other people say, or believe, or how they choose to behave. Rather it is OUR choosing NOT to allow ego to lead that is most important to our happiness and satisfaction."` Regina CatesLisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-90306165898558538732011-01-25T16:53:00.001-08:002011-01-25T16:53:37.967-08:00Making the Positive Bloom....<span class="messageBody">"People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong. <br />
Why not try and see positive things, <br />
to just touch those things and make them bloom?"<br />
<br />
- Thich Nhat Hanh</span>Lisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-11928380875279194582011-01-25T16:51:00.001-08:002011-01-25T16:51:25.434-08:00The Beauty of Life........<span class="messageBody"></span><br />
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_4d3f6f009a7730886336111">"The beauty of life is, while we cannot undo what is done, <br />
we can see it, understand it, learn from it and change. <br />
So that every new moment is spent not in regret, guilt, fear or anger, <br />
but in wisdom, understanding and love." <br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">- Jennifer Edwards</span></div>Lisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-29334185879713746822011-01-22T16:47:00.001-08:002011-01-22T16:47:47.023-08:00The Way to View Problems.....<span class="messageBody"></span><br />
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_4d3b74f3090b33045899043">"View all problems as challenges.<br />
Look upon negativities that arise as opportunities to learn and to grow.<br />
Don't run from them, condemn yourself, or bury your burden in saintly silence.<br />
You have a problem? <br />
Great.<br />
<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">More grist for the mill. Rejoice, dive in, and investigate."<br />
- Bhante Henepola Gunaratana</span></div>Lisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-48229558817849779902011-01-19T09:59:00.001-08:002011-01-19T09:59:32.226-08:00Faith<span class="messageBody">“You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith.”<br />
Mary Manin Morrissey</span>Lisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-84729348108214417172011-01-19T09:58:00.001-08:002011-01-19T09:58:39.299-08:00Looking Again..."When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight." ~Kahlil GibranLisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-60275301147501453102011-01-17T11:26:00.000-08:002011-01-17T11:26:12.048-08:00On This New Day......"On this new day, this new beginning... remember always that if something is important to you then you will find the way to achieve it. Look for the opportunities... the bridge, the light guiding you, the people providing support. They are all there waiting for you. When you focus on the possibilities you can turn your dream into your reality. It's all up to you!" from 'Simple Steps, Real ChangeLisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-9491794385154406752011-01-17T11:09:00.001-08:002011-01-17T11:09:39.740-08:00Let's Pretend...."The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be." ~SocratesLisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-82520763801899563192011-01-17T11:07:00.001-08:002013-06-01T13:54:28.098-07:00Becoming the Warrior...."Regardless what happened to me in the past I have not been a victim for a long time. I realized choosing to remain a victim was choosing to continue reliving the pains of life and it was continuing to allow those people who hurt me to have power over me. Instead I chose to be a warrior and take my power back. I chose to forgive my p<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">ast and to use it for my benefit. <br />
<br />
I am not special. Each of us has the same choice to either remain a victim of our past or to be a warrior and use the past to make our best life NOW!"~Regina Cates</span>Lisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-65005860532144475682011-01-15T16:54:00.001-08:002013-06-01T13:53:44.044-07:00My Big "A-ha" Moment......"One of my most liberating aha moments was realizing the only love I can ever really feel is that which comes out of me. This understanding caused me to stop going into relationships seeking something from others and to concentrate completely on what I give."`Regina CatesLisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-71696665456531164812011-01-15T16:52:00.000-08:002013-06-01T13:55:12.782-07:00Creating the Life I Want....."At one time in life I felt unworthy. I now admit those feelings were justified. At first I thought my unworthiness came from outside me; how other people judged me or what I was taught to believe about myself. But the truth is I felt unworthy because I was not behaving in the positive and responsible ways necessary to actually creat<span class="text_exposed_show">e the life I said I wanted. Now is the time to start creating........."~Regina Cates</span>Lisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-36260897181694619052011-01-09T07:12:00.001-08:002011-01-09T07:12:32.801-08:00On Laughter......<span class="messageBody">"Laughter is an instant vacation." - Milton Berle</span>Lisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-87929665183129919212011-01-09T07:11:00.001-08:002011-01-09T07:11:42.840-08:00On Protection....<span class="messageBody">"Teach a person to shoot, protect one person. Teach a person compassion, protect all people."</span>Lisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-77510265809922048852011-01-09T07:08:00.001-08:002011-01-09T07:08:29.531-08:00First Thought=Best Thought<span class="messageBody"></span><br />
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_4d29ced69b9bd7f31787389">When we trust with our open heart, whatever occurs, at the very moment that it occurs, can be perceived as fresh and unstained by the clouds of hope and fear. Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche used the phrase, "first thought, best thought" to refer to that first moment of fresh perception, before the colorful and coloring clouds of judgment an<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">d personal interpretation take over.<br />
<br />
"First thought" is "best thought" because it has not yet got covered over by all our opinions and interpretations, our hopes and fears, our likes and dislikes. It is direct perception of the world as it is. Sometimes we discover "first thought, best thought" by relaxing into the present moment in a very simple way. <br />
<br />
Jeremy Hayward</span></div>Lisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-56106652884620976332011-01-05T08:48:00.001-08:002011-01-05T08:48:30.551-08:00On not being miserable.....<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}"><div class="actorName actorDescription"><a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=106388302545" href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Romancing-Your-Soul/106388302545"><span style="color: #3b5998;">Romancing Your Soul</span></a></div><span class="messageBody"><div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_4d24a0a8940585254989947">"There was a time when I was miserable. So, I wanted other people around who validated my suffering and supported my feeling bad. Yet, when I honestly looked at my relationships I realized I detested being around miserable people.<br />
<br />
One day I decided to actually heal, to be happy and to have a peaceful life, what I needed was to surroun<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">d myself with people who were creating happy, balanced and peaceful lives. Wow! What a difference that made.<br />
<br />
Surround yourself with happy people. People who are creating their lives with positive purpose are everywhere. They are eager to support our healing. All we need to do is seek them out. Then be quiet about our miserable suffering and listen, watch and learn how life works best." - Blessings, Regina</span></div></span></h6><div class="mvm uiStreamAttachments clearfix" data-ft="{"type":"attach"}"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix"></div></div>Lisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-30596394644133858652010-12-20T07:59:00.000-08:002010-12-20T07:59:06.449-08:00Improving the world.....<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” -Anne Frank</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">The hardest part of doing something new is starting. There will always be a lot you don’t know. There will always be fears to overcome. There will always be doubts about what you can do. Feel it all and get started anyway. Take</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"> one simple step.<br />
<br />
Every day is a new opportunity to make a positive difference in the world, regardless of who you’ve been and what you’ve done before. Everyday is a rebirth, a new chance to make your day matter in a way that’s deeply personal and meaningful to you.<br />
<br />
How can you start to improve the world today?</span></span>Lisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-80424877574746987002010-12-17T12:46:00.000-08:002010-12-17T12:46:02.528-08:00Happy Friday!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">Life is a song ... sing it.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">Life is a game ... play it.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">Life is a challenge ... meet it.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">Life is a dream ... realize it.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">Life is a sacrifice ... offer it.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">Life is love ... enjoy it.<br />
<br />
- Sai Baba</span></span>Lisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-72628674919907066272010-12-12T13:12:00.001-08:002010-12-12T13:12:56.382-08:00A Sign of Imbalance<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><b style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">A Sign of Imbalance</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15px;"><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><i style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">Overachieving and Overreaching</i></span></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; display: block; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial; font-size: small; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><center style="display: block; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><i style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">In general, an overachieving lifestyle is not balanced. What changes can you make to slow down and feel more joy?</i></center></span><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" />Overachievers are people who have achieved but still feel the need to do more, creating an imbalance in their lives. People who exhibit this behavior may be trying to compensate for feelings of insecurity and doubts about their worth. They may be chasing unresolved issues from their past into the present, or they might not be looking at their lives as a whole, but judging themselves based only on one aspect of their being. If this is a word that we've heard used with respect to our choices and lifestyle, it is worth examining in order to balance our lives for a more rewarding experience.<br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" />If we find that we cannot allow ourselves to experience and enjoy the present moment, putting pleasure off into some distant future, it may be a sign that we are being driven to achieve more than is truly necessary. Pushing ourselves beyond the point of exhaustion, or to the exclusion of important people in our lives, robs us of true and meaningful joy. Once we make the connection to the eternal part of us, it can nourish us and allow our priorities to shift from chasing after an elusive feeling to being fully present in the moment so that we can live our lives in the now. <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" />Sometimes we need to look to those we love and admire in order to realize what we value about life. We can take time to note what we like about others, and then turn the mirror to reflect the light of those same words and feelings toward ourselves. It can be quite a revelation to see ourselves in this nourishing light. When we can put the energy that we've been devoting to a phantom sense of achievement into the truly satisfying aspects of our lives, we can restore the balance between our inner and outer worlds and experience true joyful peace. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span><span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><br />
</span></span></div>Lisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-433426467489204693.post-71490201518840284902010-12-12T13:11:00.001-08:002010-12-12T13:11:20.789-08:00Changing the Way We Relate<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><b style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">Changing The Way We Relate</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15px;"><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><i style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">Making Over Our Partners</i></span></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; display: block; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial; font-size: small; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">A relationship, in the truest sense of the word, means relating to another. Usually when we say that we relate to someone, it is because we’ve found common ground. But part of relating is finding ways to make ideas that seem different come together. So often when we choose relationships, we try to fit another person into our predetermined ideal. When they don’t fit perfectly, we may try to make them over, creating our own vision from the raw material they’ve brought. But unless someone asks for guidance and direction, entering into a relationship with someone we want to change is dishonest. Then our relationship becomes with someone we’ve imagined, and anytime our partner steps outside of that imaginary projection, we will be disappointed. An honest relationship is one in which we accept each other as whole individuals, and find a way to share our life experiences together. Then, whenever we want, we can choose as a couple to give the relationship a makeover by renewing the ! way we interact. <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" />By wanting to give another person a makeover, we are basically saying we don’t accept them for who they are. If we take a moment to imagine the roles reversed, we can get a sense of how it would feel if our beloved only committed to us because they thought we were, or would become, someone else entirely. In such an environment, we are not relating to each other from a real place, and we are keeping ourselves from being able to learn and grow from the different viewpoints that our partners offer. <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" />If we feel that a change is needed in our relationship, the only makeover that we truly have the power to make is on ourselves. By accepting our partners for exactly who they are—the ideal and the not-so-ideal—we will create an energetic shift in our relationships, and we may find ourselves really appreciating our partners for the first time. Working from within, we determine how we relate to the people and the world around us, and when we can accept it and embrace it all, without conditions, we make every act of relating a positive one.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><div style="display: block; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><hr style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span><span style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span>Lisa, Shining Light Yogahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16546232960828737858noreply@blogger.com0