"Genuine listening requires that you willingly bare witness to what someone else needs to say while simultaneously sparing them of your own solution, defense, dismissal, alternative reality, rebuttal, counterpoint, comparable story or more extreme example. This kind of listening is a very "active" part to play in a conversation. You have to believe for those moments that none of the things you might say could possibly be as valuable as hearing someone out. You may need to employ every ounce of your strength of character to actually pay attention and not butt-in with your own bit. That kind of attention paid to another is powerful medicine." - Gil Hedley
Be present. Be here.
Feel your feet on the ground,
your belly rising and falling.
Be open and receptive
to the life all around you.
The sounds, smells, tastes.
Feelings rising unexpectedly.
A tingling in the belly.
A contraction in the throat.
Heaviness in the head.
An old sadness coming to visit.
Stay curious as the moment dances.
Listen. Listen with your entire body.
Hear yourself. Hear the other person.
Hear the silence in between the sentences.
Let the silence linger a little while longer.
There's no rush. There's no 'better' moment to get to.
Silence doesn't always need to be filled.
Be a little more naked. A little slower.
Know a little less what you're about to say.
Be a little less prepared, a little messier,
a little more willing to expose your vulnerable heart.
Be surprised at your own responses.
Don't numb yourself with the same old stories.
Stumble if you need to. It's okay. You are held.
Let your words emerge from silence and return to them.
Friend, in silence we truly meet.
Genuine understanding is beyond mind.
Love is wordless; needs no more words.
Listen to the silence; it is volcanic.
~Jeff Foster
Notes On ROSE:
by Ana
Rose was the first flower I ever fell in love with. She lured me into the world of plant allies
Rose reminds us that softness and strength can coexist. True strength contains vulnerability.
Conversely, softness requires structure and a strong sense of self, so you don’t lose yourself in other people’s expectations
Sharp thorns juxtapose roses velvety petals, displaying this crucial balance between strength and softness, reminding us to show discernment around who and what we let into our lives
.Rose medicine has been recommended across different modalities for everything from grief/heartache, wounds, inflammation, women’s health, stomach ailments, and colds and flus
Needless to say, Rose has a wide range of healing properties
She’s an aphrodisiac- moving blood & opening us up to sensuality
She’s an astringent, helping to tighten tissues,
and a nervine- soothing our nerves
Rose has an affinity for the womb space. Physically, she’s a blood mover, and used as a pelvic decongestant, breaks up stagnation. This circulatory action to the pelvic region helps with menstrual difficulties, cystic growths, and volatile emotions
Massaging rose oil and drinking rose bud tea are 2 ways in which you can use rose medicine.
Also, using rose essential oil, inhaling her aroma, can have a calming affect
When foraging rose for medicinal use, the best source are aromatic, wild roses
True wild roses have 5 petals and a strong rosy scent
As beautiful as they may be, domesticated roses have lost most of their medicinal properties.
You can still use domesticated roses but they won’t be as potent
You want to definitely make sure to stay away from roses that have been sprayed and never use rose from a florist - they have most likely definitely been sprayed
You can also buy organic rosebuds from apothecaries
Herbalist Rebecca Altman writes: ‘Rose unwinds stuckness often rooted in old grief & trauma. These are things that get locked into our body because we don’t know how to process them. I’ve seen rose help with this so many times. At its core, rose is a medicine of deep trust, vulnerability and softening, allowing us to trust our bodies and the world around us’
You can also sit and meditate with rose. Using rose in all of these facets can open you up to deep, beautiful healing
Listen to Me
Listen to me, please, I need to talk to you;
Give me only a few minutes;
Accept what I experience what I feel,
Without reserve, without judgement.
Listen to me, please, I need to talk;
Do not bombard me with questions, advice and opinions;
Do not fee obliged to settle my difficulties,
Could it be that you lack confidence in my competence?
Listen to me, Please, I need to talk;
Do not try to entertain or amuse me,
It would make me think you fail to understand the importance of what I am going through.
Listen to me, please, I need to talk;
Do not fee lit your duty to approve.
If I need to tell my story
It is simply to be set free.
Listen to me, please, I need to talk;
Do not interpret and try to analyze;
I would feel misunderstood and manipulated,
And could no longer tell you anything.
Listen to me, Please, I need to talk;
Do not interrupt me to question me;
Do not attempt to force me to reveal what is hidden.
I know how far I can go and will go.
Listen to me, please, I need to talk;
Respect the silences that help me to make progress;
Be very careful not to break them;
It is very often through them that things are clarified.
So now that you have let me have my say.
I beg you, now you may speak;
Attentively and at your disposal,
I, in my turn, will listen to you.
~Author unknown