Faith in Receiving

It is very easy for me to give, ’tis much harder to receive. I give of my time, patience, efforts and knowledge to others everyday. Sometimes I get paid for it and sometimes I don’t.

Religious dogma and society support giving more than receiving. “It’s better to give than to receive,” Acts 20:35 (KJV). Welfare recipients are shamed for being “needy.” Yet I wonder if there are deeper reasons…

Receptivity means having faith and surrendering. It also means being vulnerable and “accepting” what we receive. Receiving is also being, which is actively “doing nothing.” (that was triggering to state). Receiving is very much a divine feminine trait; where being feminine is often associated with being weak. Again, where religious dogma and society can play a role in how we perceive things.

In sitting with my discomfort today around being receptive, I saw several “forces” at play. Being receptive means “getting what I deserve.” There is still part of me that wrestles with that aspect of my personality where I believe there is “an irredeemable deficiency” about myself. With that in mind, to get what I deserve could mean more discomfort for me. This belief also discounts Agape or unconditional love.

Being receptive also means being vulnerable and feeling unprotected. In service to others, I have repeatedly “put myself out there” and have often felt used, abused, taken for granted and unappreciated. I see where I have done this to myself, to make up for my “irredeemable deficiency” where I feel I must “go above and beyond” to prove my worth… I call this trait “super size me,” where I must “give more,” to make up for my deficiencies. Which again, discounts Agape.

Yet staying in this place of “keeping a lid” on who I am here to be, I feel as if I’m wearing a shirt several sizes too small. It restricts my movements, my breathing and keeps me from being the person I am here to be. There is great sadness in feeling my own suppression. So I’ve resolved to reach up to the stars and have faith in receiving the greatness that supports who I am here to be; this is vulnerability.

May we each find new freedom and faith in receiving and in being vulnerable; it takes more strength to be vulnerable than it does to power through everything. May we find peace in our own vulnerability, receptivity and femininity. (sounds much like sea anemone, and with that in mind, may we also laugh at ourselves more!)

Namaste

February 24, 2019 2

Exposing & Accepting Imperfections

Much of the first half of my life was spent hiding my perceived flaws and imperfections, even from myself. While it helped me to survive childhood, I’ve found that hiding was keeping me miserable. Through unmasking myself, blogging has gifted me with connecting with others who have also suffered by hiding their perceived flaws. It also helps me gain a new level of understanding by writing the process out further than I would in a paper journal, where I would most likely just vent. Finally, I have found there is transformative power within vulnerability for everyone.

What I share here are personal experiences which more often than not leave me feeling vulnerable in posting. These are first-hand experiences of what I’ve learned through exposing my flaws, often in day-to-day interactions that lead to a new understanding or awareness.

For instance, in the post The Right to Exist, I shared an experience I had that I would have avoided altogether in the past by either not going to such a busy place at a busy time or parking way out of the way to better suit others. Instead, I chose to go there during Starbuck’s morning rush hour and park where it was convenient for me, so that I could meet my needs for a meal. In the process, I also calmly stood up for my right to be there to the person who very rudely cussed at me; all things I’d have avoided before.

In its rawness, this incident allowed me to more clearly see where I and others have not felt the right to exist and take up space. Even though I’ve made many strides in the past 4+ years, I’ve come to recognize that this may well be an ongoing healing theme for me throughout the remainder of my life; a theme that is overcome by degrees. Yet I fully intend to keep chiseling away at it by continuing to live more and more authentically, exposing myself especially where I feel vulnerable.

In a recent dream, Christ showed me where our cracks are actually our strengths. With this in mind, I end with the following prayer:

May we each see our imperfections in a new way, for in exposing our vulnerabilities, we each can benefit by reaching new levels of potential by living life more authentically, by connecting more deeply with others through our shared courage and through supporting each other in living our individual truths. In living through our truths, we set ourselves free.

Namaste

Coming Soon: Wabi-Sabi: Imperfect Perfection

January 7, 2019 8

Tiffany’s Epiphanies: The Benefits of Shared Vulnerability

I hesitated to share my angst during the dark night of the soul that I mentioned in “Cleaning House for Clarity.” Yet, I felt like I was quickly drowning and knew I needed a lifeline. I messaged 3 close friends and requested they hold me in the light. In sharing my vulnerability and my need for help, I was able to feel connected during a time when I would have felt all alone, a time when I’m less likely to reach out for help, too. Some of my friends also opened up to share some of their own experiences. This enhanced our connections and also helped me to gain faster insights.

The next day at work, one of my clients asked me if I was okay. She could tell I was “off.” I hesitated again, and the little voice of reason urged me to share, “maybe she has something for you,” it whispered. Well, it was right. She shared with me the TED Talk that I believe helped me to break the enchantment spell I seemed to have cast over myself. This then lead me to more epiphanies, including the one to finally start the series called Tiffany’s Epiphanies!

If I had kept these scary naked moments to myself, it may have taken me longer to re-emerge. Worse yet, I may still be stuck in that darkness. Instead, here I am sharing in the hopes that you, too, will begin to reach out and trust that others are able to help you through. In our shared vulnerability, we have a greater ability to connect more strongly with others. The converse also seems to hold true, in not reaching out when we feel vulnerable, we miss the opportunity to connect more deeply with others.

May we each begin to trust our intuition more than our fears by reaching out when we feel most vulnerable, trusting in the deepening connections we create when we do.

Namaste

December 20, 2018 0

Learning to Receive

We have been taught to be fiercely independent, to do as much as we can to prove ourselves worthy. I see this often with new moms who are literally juggling a baby, baby equipment and busy schedules; wanting to do everything with minimal to no help. Yet, in reality, none of us can be truly independent. We rely on others for medicine, food, roads, cars, phones, utilities and public service. How does this desire to be fiercely independent serve us? Better yet, does it?

Honestly, I believe this need to prove ourselves is borne out of fear. We do not feel ourselves worthy to receive from others, and we do not want to rely on others to be there when we need them. In fact, I believe this fierce independence is a reaction to being afraid to receive love. For to rely on others and to receive their love leaves us feeling vulnerable. Yet, how can we expect to open our hands and our hearts if we cannot tolerate vulnerability?

Yes, you can also argue that you don’t want to be indebted to anyone. I get it. I’ve lived it. Yet, sometimes others receive joy when they give to others. When we block the sharing from someone else, we prevent them from receiving their own joy through sharing. So in this case is it really more selfish to block the receiving of blessings, or is it more selfish to receive?

Having been a mother with her hands filled with babies and baby related things, I remember how exhausting it was to feel like I had to do it all. One day, someone held open the door for me and I allowed it. Since that day, I have been more open to receiving help from others. No one is ever truly alone. So why keep pushing away the help that others want to give? Why fear receiving love, receiving help, or feeling vulnerable?

May we each become a little more vulnerable today, allowing more love into our hearts, receiving what is meant to be.

Namaste

December 14, 2018 0

Standing Down

For most (ahem, all) of my life I have guarded my tender heart.
So many it seems have torn it apart.

Friends of yesteryear saw only small facets,

only what I chose & when I chose to share it.

The small pieces of me thrown out like bait,

to allow them to know that I could truly appreciate

what they were going through.

In the end, I only hurt myself.

By holding back so much of me,

I was never really truly free.

Feed me bourbon or beer,

to let me feel more clear to be me….really?

Now, I work to be my most brightest authenic self.

Sober, awake, not using food to soothe the pain.

And yet after years of work and toil,

It’s not that fucking easy.

I still find myself holding back.

Yet, I’m tired of truths half-baked.

Making it in a way that is fake.

I’ve grown weary of attracting people to me based on falsities and phobias.

For me to reap the most from my relationships,

it is I who must be more willing to be vulnerable,

to lay down my sword;

to stand down my guard,

to remove my body armor.

To let lose control of my voice

and to speak my truth more openly, more authentically.

So here I stand, doing my best to be more transparent.

So here I stand, doing my best to show my worst and my scariest.

Here I stand, naked.

And there is still more to bear.

This is not to gain your approval.

But to gain my own.

To love me more for me,

allows me to love you more for you.

Wounds and all.

No longer trying to avoid the fall.

May I learn to love now from the heart,

letting go of my habit of loving from an arm’s distance.

Standing down in the face of resistance.

Submitting, surrendering, letting go of control.

Please be gentle with me, take it slow.

I’m still figuring out just how this goes.

Namaste.

__/|\__ Metta

2016.02.10

February 10, 2016 24

Being a superhero (to save myself)

I often saw myself as the damsel in distress. Perhaps it was because inside of me lived the “evil stepmother.” Regardless of how well I walked the line, there was always something I could have done better. On my face I wore a smile, while on the inside I belittled myself. Most of my life, from the time I was 10 years old, I wanted someone to save me.

In the past year, I have walked through the valley, over hot coals and sometimes broken glass; the broken, smoldering shadows of myself have haunted me. I called out to my knight in shining armor to save me. I looked for him on silver horses. I sought him in bars, online dating, in friends, in friends of friends, even passers-by. I seek no more.

After a series of events, I have discovered that if I want to be saved, then I need to be the one to rise up and save myself. While I have significantly improved my self-care (and self-love) over the past year, there are still holes in my dam. I see now that if I want to be saved, that I need to get my hands and feet dirty to dig myself out of my self-imposed pit of shit.

Yes, I still silently wait for Tony Stark. However, I am saving myself now, I’m not waiting for him to save me.

Yes, I still want a partner in crime fighting. Flying is fun, and it’s an experience that can be shared.

Yes, I still desire to be desired. Superheroes still like to be validated and vulnerable, too.

(Meanwhile, back at the ranch) Until Tony arrives, I am stepping into my power now. I am stepping into my own suit of armor, wielding my own shield and sword to slay the dragons of illusion that blur my vision of the truth. For it is only I that can determine what to cut and what to keep.

My armory includes daily work that includes:

The Four Agreements (especially #4: Always do my best)

The Simple Prayer of St. Francis

Constant Prayer as needs arise

Constant grounding and severing of “cords”

Daily meditation and mini-meditations throughout the day

Physical Activity

Journaling: Gratitude and Joy as well as “de-stressing”

Listening to music that makes my heart sing (and makes me sing)

Writing

Eating (mostly) healthy for me foods (this, I believe, differs by person)

Weekly/monthly work that includes:

Spiritual Counseling

Dancing

Self-help books (currently: Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma by Peter Levine)

Sharing my healing process with others