Journal entry by Al Negstad — a minute ago
"If the bad news is that we can know another, and be known, only as deeply as we know ourselves—and coming to know ourselves can be a long and arduous journey—the good news is that love helps and inspires us to develop this deeper self-knowledge. . . . For this reason, relationships can help us face and understand ourselves more rapidly and profoundly than any other aspect of worldly life. Seen in this light, love becomes a path of awakening—rousing us from the sleep of old, unconscious patterns into the freshness and immediacy of living more fully in the present, in accord with who we really are. This is the source of a deeper kind of happiness, which goes far beyond pleasure and comfort, and the only real basis for healthy and satisfying relationships." from Richard Rohr's daily post forwarded to me by a friend.
"...we can know another, and be known, only as deeply as we know ourselves..." is a truth to be embraced. Often called "inner work", it is that lifelong process of coming to know one's self. What makes me reactive and why? Why do certain people and situations 'hook' me? Why do I get upset over one situation and not another? What triggers a defensive reaction in me? How are my reactions as an adult related to elements of my childhood? Someone has said that "the unexamined life is not worth living." Another person said "above all to thine own self be true." Soren Kierkegaard said "Purity of heart is to will one thing." All of these aphorisms are directed at knowing oneself, i.e., inner work.
"...the good news is that love helps and inspires us to develop this deeper self-knowledge..." Certainly Joanne's love of me inspired my deeper self-knowledge. The gift of relationship with her over five decades led me to ever deeper understandings of myself. "...coming to know ourselves can be a long an arduous journey..." is certainly true and one that is never finished. But in it is freedom to live and act as responsible adults, choosing appropriate responses to the situations which confront us rather than simply living re-actively.
There is no better current example of the danger posed by people in power, who have done zero inner work, than the "current occupant" who is totally reactive while having the capacity to create chaos, destroy people and sow discord. Lord deliver us from those who do not know themselves.
Takk for alt,
Al
"...we can know another, and be known, only as deeply as we know ourselves..." is a truth to be embraced. Often called "inner work", it is that lifelong process of coming to know one's self. What makes me reactive and why? Why do certain people and situations 'hook' me? Why do I get upset over one situation and not another? What triggers a defensive reaction in me? How are my reactions as an adult related to elements of my childhood? Someone has said that "the unexamined life is not worth living." Another person said "above all to thine own self be true." Soren Kierkegaard said "Purity of heart is to will one thing." All of these aphorisms are directed at knowing oneself, i.e., inner work.
"...the good news is that love helps and inspires us to develop this deeper self-knowledge..." Certainly Joanne's love of me inspired my deeper self-knowledge. The gift of relationship with her over five decades led me to ever deeper understandings of myself. "...coming to know ourselves can be a long an arduous journey..." is certainly true and one that is never finished. But in it is freedom to live and act as responsible adults, choosing appropriate responses to the situations which confront us rather than simply living re-actively.
There is no better current example of the danger posed by people in power, who have done zero inner work, than the "current occupant" who is totally reactive while having the capacity to create chaos, destroy people and sow discord. Lord deliver us from those who do not know themselves.
Takk for alt,
Al
