“One of the most commonly overlooked spiritual practices is daring to be completely honest with everyone you encounter. Some may say others cannot handle their honesty, but true honesty is not a strategy or a weapon of any kind. 
It is the willingness to be open and absolutely transparent in sharing how any moment feels in your heart. It has nothing to do with confrontation, accusation, or any form of blame. True honesty is the willingness to stand completely exposed, allowing the world to do what it may, and say what it will, only so you may know who you are – beyond all ideas. ”
Matt Kahn

These words are profoundly wise and I love how they encourage us to speak and act in love, choosing words and actions that will do no harm BOTH to ourselves and to those with whom we interact.

To connect with another in that single moment, not solely to reveal ourselves to them, but even more, to awaken to our seeing ourselves anew…

This is the ultimate expression of being Present. It first takes awareness to realize we have been gifted with the opportunity to share Who We Are…

And then it takes courage to seize that only precious chance and go with it….

To see Who appears.

If we are able for even a moment to release our fear of being judged or rejected or misunderstood, we come to realize that it was not just about fearing what another’s response would be…

It was more so about coming face to face with our own judgement, our own rejection and our own misunderstanding…

OF OURSELVES as well.

When all is said and done, it is almost always ultimately never about the other person…

It is about you.

What you are seeing outside you…?

What is affecting you…?

Is sourced within you.

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Pause.

Inquire:

“Why would I ever choose to share honestly how my heart is feeling in any moment? That’s just too much risk and I don’t want to be hurt.”

But what is really my purpose in such sharing?

Am I seeking acceptance?

Reciprocal love?

Appreciation?

Are these really the best reasons for me to reveal deeper pieces of myself?

Or is there a more transformative motive I could choose?

If I could shift my intention instead…to seeking to learn something more of my hidden self…

Some new strength

Some new talent

Some new thought waiting to step onto the stage….

Could I simply be curious about Who might show up, if given this chance….?

If I refrained a bit more from my tendency to place so much importance on the capricious responses of other people, other situations…and rather allowed Myself to stand in instead as the one to be accepted, loved and appreciated…BY ME…

What sort of results might I see then?

************

Pause once more.

Imagine just one thing about yourself that you will reveal today…some piece of yourself you have been avoiding…or maybe not quite being fully transparent about.

Imagine yourself being just a little more open, as you step out from behind that cloak of fear that accompanies this. You turn to see that fear…and you notice that you are separate. You are no longer connected…you are free.

Imagine the words or actions you will choose that show your deep intention…that you will neither harm yourself or another.

Notice how this experience is feeling in your body…and where you are feeling it. Breathe there.

Notice how your mind is responding?

“Shall I

Fight, flight, freeze?!

Or breathe once again and stay a moment more with my avoidance.”

Notice now what your heart is trying to say…

To your choice to be (as Kahn states) :

“Who You Are – beyond all ideas”?

Notice what happens…

When you finally go “beyond all ideas”

And create in your own life…

What you have imagined first in your heart?