I have spent a good part of my day today reading other peoples’ amazing blog posts of both their hardest moments in 2009 and their best moments in 2009.
Here are two that I just love: The Fluent Self and Victoria Bruhard (be sure to read their comments, also – you will find a community of amazing people candidly sharing and an outpouring of support for the releasing of the old and the embracing of the new)
I now feel so FULL of inspiration and hope and creativity. (I have been really struggling these past few weeks – but this is for another post.)
Connection and communication are two very important concepts to me – they are my passion.
They are also the foundation of my business, Animals’ Wisdom.
Aside from my work here on this blog with animals and the people they live with, I work with a small group of older adults.
They are ‘challenged’ people, as some say.
After getting to know them, I choose to think we (the so called mainstream people) are challenged. Not these amazing people – my guys – as I lovingly refer to them.
These people have been living their entire 40+ years here on earth communicating in non-conventional ways. Some use sign-language, some speak in broken sentences, and one does not speak, as we do, at all.
Yet, I communicate with each of them fluently and I feel deeply connected to each of them.
I have had the opportunity to observe how many different people interact with my guys. Some people are uncomfortable. They feel they do not understand what my guys want at times.
Some people do not even seem to believe that communication and connection can really exist without the full use of language or a full conversation.
Some people don’t even think my guys understand.
It has taken me over a year of practicing non-judgment (lots of practice) and stepping back to observe these peoples’ reactions to my guys and to learn from what I was seeing – and to not get angry and segregate them.
After all, isn’t this what they are doing to my guys? Segregating them? Separating them? Or segregating themselves from my guys?
Even me, one who can’t get enough of the subjects of connection and communication – didn’t realize to apply the same thing to the people who are so uncomfortable with my guys due to my judgment and intolerance getting in the way.
I realize that we ALL want the same thing.
My guys. AND the people who are uncomfortable with my guys.
To feel connection. To feel heard. To feel acknowledged. We are all the same at a very basic level.
So what fosters connection in ourselves? And what betters communication?
The exact same principles apply that I share with my clients who are living with challenging relationships with their animals.
Learning how powerful your intention is in relationship, your thoughts and your energy is key. Incorporating gratefulness with sincerity transforms relationships.
If you can experience how powerful you are you can’t help but realize how connected you can be to others AND to yourself.
Animals taught me this.
If you are visiting my blog, you know that animals do not speak as we do yet we communicate with them. And we connect deeply with them, also.
If we allow them to teach us and allow ourselves to open and grow, we can ALL feel connected, heard and acknowledged and it will strengthen every relationship we have.
We will strengthen the relationship we have with ourselves and the relationship we have to the world.
I am taking the two words connection and communication into the new year with me – with an even deeper understanding thanks to my experiences with animals, my guys and to the awareness that has come from being able to write about these experiences here, on my blog with you.
I welcome 2010 with wide open arms and a peaceful knowing that new energy is coming – shifts for us all. More opportunity. More connection. Yay!
Thank you for joining me here and thank you for reading.
What are your thoughts on connection and communication? How are these two concepts important to you and your life?
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Thank you for this beautiful post, Maya! Connection and communication are wonderful words to bring into the new year.
“If you can experience how powerful you are you can’t help but realize how connected you can be to others AND to yourself.”
I believe one of the big lessons I am learning right now is how to connect with myself. Connecting with others is usually fairly easy for me, but without “self-connection” to balance it out, I wind up feeling drained.
Wishing you joy and abundance in 2010 and always!
Victoria,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment!
I am actually choosing to look at that same stuff myself – even more clearly now – still haven’t figured out how not to wind up feeling drained after certain situations.
It is beyond great to know that we belong to this virtual community where we are all working on our stuff and there is support and lots of “been there done thats” and “I can relates”.
Means so much to me!
To joy, abundance, support and fun, fun, fun in 2010 for us!!!
What a beautiful and heartfelt post. How lucky your guys are to have connected with you. I can only imagine how much peace they must feel in connecting and communicating with you. You have much to teach the mainstream world.
All the best to you in this new year.
Maya,
Once again a great post. It really is a blessing when we have the opportunity to learn such great lessons from those we least expect to. Keep it up my friend.