Reading

From my photo-archives... This is the claybank in Naramata, BC (January, 2010)

I just finished the readings for my Therapeutic Communication class (Tuesday afternoons). I read a chapter called "Befriending Emotion" in Awakening the Heart by John Welwood. He writes about "the intense tenderness of our aliveness." These observations are important in the process of learning to be gentle with emotions:

"The word 'sad' comes from the same root as the word for 'sated' or 'satisfied' which indicates that it may actually be a kind of fullness, in this case fullness of heart" (83).

"In their raw state, emotions are fluid expressions of our aliveness, and they are constantly changing" (85).

"We can appreciate loneliness as a longing to share and sadness as a fullness of heart; then we have a certain dignity rather than simply indicating some lack or failing on our part. In judging these feelings, we cut ourselves off from our own aliveness; in feeling them fully, their energy becomes available to us, enlarging our sense of what life is about" (88).

My schoolwork will continue... There's LOTS to read and explore and understand. In the midst of this hard work I'm so content to be studying these topics.
o