Sign up to receive Going Upward, a weekly newsletter where clarity and action meet what matters most.
the key word is PRACTICE
|
Back in college, I was assigned to read an article about how romantic relationships could be a place where spiritual paths and practice converge. My mind was blown. At the time, I hadn’t been in any long-term relationships, but I knew this was something I wanted to bring into my future partnerships. And I tried. Turns out, reading about it was MUCH easier than actually doing it. But not impossible. There’s one word that’s been a cornerstone for me on the path of conscious relationship—can you guess what it is? Practice. Just like anything else, learning to approach relationship with awareness—of yourself, your patterns, and what gets stirred up with your beloved—is a skill. It’s not a one-and-done thing. There’s no box to check. Some days I’m very aware of what’s coming up for me. Other days… not so much. The gift is seeing relationship as a teacher—about myself, about others, about my relationship to something greater (beloved, community, God/Goddess/Universe). There’s always more to learn. It’s an ongoing practice. If you’re new to the idea of conscious relationship, you’ll love our latest podcast episode. 🎙️LISTEN HERE Kelly and I share how we each learned about this concept and how we try (key word: try) to bring it into our relationship together. You’ll also hear how we sometimes miss the mark. It’s okay to be imperfect. To be human. To make mistakes. Accepting that in myself makes it easier to accept it in my partner (or maybe it works the other way around? 😄). Take a listen—and if you’re in relationship, share it with your beloved. In Joy, P.S. If you're looking for another great way to connect to your loved one, check out our next Partner Thai Massage Workshop coming soon in February! Learn more here.
|
Nyssa Hanger
Sign up to receive Going Upward, a weekly newsletter where clarity and action meet what matters most.
When I first encountered the Buddhist teaching of emptiness, it honestly kind of bothered me. 🙈 I didn’t like the idea that there wasn’t an essential nature inherent in the things I loved. My spirituality resonated more with feeling like there’s something out there – some being, some ultimate reality, some personified divinity that I could have a relationship with. Over time, I found other Buddhist teachings that did resonate. The practice of loving kindness, or metta, is one I lean into...
If there is one thing that helps us to keep pressing publish on our weekly podcast it's this: Done is better than perfect. (Believe me, that's also easier said than done!) I can't tell you how many different versions of our cover art we went through before deciding it's "good enough." Or how listening back made me realize I didn't get the sound levels right. Or how many times we've been interrupted by Papi, our dog, barking or chewing things he's not supposed to. But it's all okay. We just...
A client of mine referred to their new dog as a “dopamine dispenser,” and I couldn’t agree more. 😍 It’s like, “Move over phone, Instagram, all the apps and devices that vie for my attention. I’ve got something REAL here.” This reminded me of a visit to my cousin after she got a new kitten. We were on the floor playing with it when, inevitably, a phone came out to show a funny cat video. Apparently, at some point I broke from my haze and said, “Wait, why are we watching videos of cats when we...