What Does it Mean to Communicate With the Intention to Learn Truth?

Carolyn shares her waning phase journey: I decided at the full moon that I really wanted to 'Learn Truth' regardless of how uncomfortable or unpleasant those Truths might be.  My intention for this waning cycle is two fold: 1) to watch myself and notice when I am tempted to alter my words when I am talking (or writing). To notice the people I am most likely to speak 'less than' what is truth for me. And to make every effort to speak truth at these times.  2) I also committed to listening for the truth in what others say. I committed to ask questions from an intention to invite others to speak the truth, and feel safe in doing so.

As we come near the close of this waning moon phase, I have gathered enough data to give a partial report on my experiment (which I hope will become a habit, then a way of living). Here is what I know of myself so far:
1) There are certain people where I am more likely than not to shift my words, to soften the truth of my feelings and thoughts.  Sometimes, I want to hide my feelings, protect the other, impact their response, look better than I feel, get something I want.
2) When I listen and hear something I don't like, I feel my reaction keenly in my body.  I instinctively want to either withdraw (clam up) or strike out (with sarcasm, sharp words or trick questions).  But I am conscious of my commitment, so this month, most of the time, I am able to sincerely invite more of the truth from the other.


Self-Reflection: Have I been willing to communicate with an open-hearted intention to Learn Truth?

Learning Truth the Hard Way: Ignoring My Body's Message

Carolyn Shares: My sense of touch is overly sensitive today. My skin hurts with every touch, my muscles ache with every movement. Even my ears hurt, and I don't want to hear anything or anyone, My brain seems to hurt as well, and yet I fight against the calling of my body to go and rest for the remainder of the day.  I have my own agenda to complete and goals to move toward.  A 'sick day' interferes with 'my plans'.

Clearly, I am once again learning things the hard way!  This month I am searching through the wisdom teachings for messages about how we learn truth.  I am no longer surprised that in my readings across cultures and spiritual teachings the same themes surface at the same time across the different lineages.  This week it has been no different.  I read Richard Rohr's posting on learning the Truth about how the body and soul teach us when the body is hurting and the soul fearful.  And then a reading from Hafiz, and a psalm about resting in the Divine. Finally, I came across a reading from Talks With Relations, Jamie Sams name for the clan mother of the January Moon: ..."she must also learn the importance of resting when her body's rhythms are being pushed beyond their capacity to endure. It must be difficult for her, no longer in Spirit-form, and having to limit herself to the perceptions of a human body." (Blue Jay's commentary-pg. 39 in 13 Original Clan Mothers).

Self-Reflection: Learning through my sense of touch, and learning to communicate willingly with my body is my practice for this month's teaching.