[7luminaries]

Originally Posted by A human Being

...whilst it might seem counter-intuitive on the face of it, self-care and self-love don't just serve us, as you say, it serves everyone we come into contact with...

our greatest gift to the world is our own awakening (or healing - I think the two things tend to go hand-in-hand).

HumanB, agreed...very much so. And it's not just the doing, or how we behave and how we treat others. It's also in the being, or simply how we are, and how that impacts others with whom we are interconnected as people and as souls.

It's a suble thing from the exterior, but from the interior connections of the spirit...it's as subtle as a rock in your chest. What I have to keep in mind is that guides and close soul fam and the like -- even my cat, LOL -- they feel it directly as pain, just as I do. And I have to get with the program going forward, because keeping it to myself is something that doesn't exist at a certain level. So you have to clean up your pain and stuff, so to speak, and thus avoid sharing the pain wherever possible. Interbeing is a great joy but also a reminder of our responsibility toward others.

This is why Rabbi Nachman of Breslov spoke of his personal failing to be joyous in his day to day life, due to in his case persistent low mood. It's not just failing to be grateful "to God"..."God" and universe ok with your failings (aside from the fact that you and others are hurting), LOL. I used to wonder why R. Nachman was so fussed. But I understand it differently now. It's your guides & soul fam who feel your emotional pain...it's them you're really hurting, in addition to your own heart centre.

Peace & blessings
7L