Before every session, I take a moment to remember my humanity. There is no experience that this man has that I cannot share with him, no fear that I cannot understand, no suffering that I cannot care about, because I too am human. No matter how deep his wound, he does not need to be ashamed in front of me. I too am vulnerable. And because of this, I am enough. Whatever his story, he no longer needs to be alone with it. This is what will allow his healing to begin. (Carl Rogers)
Rachel Naomi RemenBig messages come in small packages. All it may take to restore someone's trust in life may be returning a lost earring or a dropped glove.
Rachel Naomi RemenWhen we know ourselves to be connected to all others, acting compassionately is simply the natural thing to do.
Rachel Naomi RemenBeing alive is being aware, being able to be touched and moved and changed, being able to respond rather than to react, being able to see and hear.
Rachel Naomi RemenIf you carry someone else's fears and live by someone else's values, you may find that you have lived their lives.
Rachel Naomi RemenIt is said that the Christian mystic Theresa of Avila found difficulty at first in reconciling the vastness of the life of the spirit with the mundane tasks of her Carmelite convent: the washing of pots, the sweeping of floors, the folding of laundry. At some point of grace, the mundane became for her a sort of prayer, a way she could experience her ever-present connection to the divine pattern which is the source of life. She began then to see the face of God in the folded sheets.
Rachel Naomi RemenUntil we stop ourselves or, more often, have been stopped, we hope to put certain of life's events "behind us" and get on with our living. After we stop we see that certain of life's issues will be with us for as long as we live. We will pass through them again and again, each time with a new story, each time with a greater understanding, until they become indistinguishable from our blessings and our wisdom. It's the way life teaches us to live.
Rachel Naomi Remen