I had been operating under the impression that understanding came only from my personal reflection, research and contemplation on a particular issue. To listen to my own intuition as it relates to issues that touch and concern my family and myself. Last year I studied Consultation, a unit of a Baha'i education course. This sentence, " The maturity of the gift of understanding is made manifest through consultation." [You may find the entire quotation at point 3 here ] This had the effect of opening a doorway in my mind to looking at the manner in which I seek to understand my reality. I realise that in speaking about my personal concerns with others, I will be able to better understand or access a solution. I have had the tendency to isolate in such circumstances and not share my hopes, dreams and concerns believing that I would burden the other person or that they may feel that things that concern me somehow shed a negative light on my character, or that they may criticise me. In short, I was preoccupied with my own self and not a possible solution. The difficulty for me now is as I reflect on those difficulties I have encountered, I see how they could have been lessened had I reached out to seek counsel from others. How I could have pursued unity of thought and accessed the power inherent in the process itself. But I must not wallow. I call on empathy to forgive myself as the practice of understanding suggests. This maturing of my understanding has occurred now and I may utilise it to the fullest. It has led me to put my thoughts in this blog and open my heart up to the thoughts and feelings of others. To put myself out there in the world more fully, wholeheartedly and authentically.
Life keeps on getting better and better! 😀