From The Way of the Pattern Catcher

What is the relationship you have with yourself?

Look inward:

What do you notice?
What do you name?
What do you nurture?

On your journey inward, what do you see, what do you find?

Do you find any harshness?
Do you tread near a softness?

Do you touch numbness?
Do you taste kindness?

Do you sense a certain disquiet?
Do you happen on a joy?

And if so:

What is it to notice your harshness?
To be with it for what it is – to acknowledge, accept and appreciate its role.
To see what harshness has for you. To hear of its purpose. To hold its counsel.
What do you notice when you enter the relationship with your harshness in this way?

What is it to notice your softness?
To be with it for what it is – to acknowledge, accept and appreciate its role.
To see what softness brings you. To value its salve. To offer it gratitude.
What do you notice when you enter the relationship with your softness this way?

What is it to name your numbness?
To be with it for what it is – to acknowledge, accept and appreciate its role.
To feel the absence of feeling. To recognise it exists. To honour its place.
What do you notice when you enter the relationship with your numbness in this way?

What is it to name your kindness?
To be with it for what it is – to acknowledge, accept and appreciate its role.
To savour the safety it offers. To value its nature. To delight in whom it touches.
What do you notice when you enter the relationship with your kindness this way?

What is it to nurture your disquiet?
To be with it for what it is – to acknowledge, accept and appreciate its role.
To recognise what it points to. To welcome its presence. To listen deeply to what it has to say.
What do you notice when you enter the relationship with your disquiet in this way?

What is it to nurture joy?
To be with it for what it is – to acknowledge, accept and appreciate its role.
To let it bubble inside you. To follow its lead. To share as it wants to be shared.
What do you notice when you enter the relationship with your joy this way?

And as this is so and as it is as it is: What are you noticing now?
What is the relationship you have with yourself in this moment?

For the relationship you have with your self
Is the relationship you have with the world.

Martin © 2023