Hello and welcome to May!
Let's begin with a great piece of advice from the musician/ activist, Nina Simone:
"You've got to learn to leave the table when love's no longer being served".
Wow—and there it is in just a few words—the crux of our boundary practice. Staying with the metaphor, how many times have we all sat at that
table?—waiting, hoping, wishing for a particular serving? willing to compromise our needs? adjusting to smaller portions, crumbs —or even nothing at all? I sense too often for all of us.
And this concept isn't limited to just love. Love is the umbrella term for what matters to us in any relationship: respect, consideration, regard, caring, compassion, being truly heard, honored, appreciated—fill in your own blank.
The key, as it is in so much of our practice, is to be able to take this awareness into action. And how can we do that? There are any number of ways: stand up and tip over the
table; pull the tablecloth out as you leave; break the glassware and cutlery—or—take smaller steps: sit with your awareness for a bit; get to know your "hunger" and what it needs; start to decline certain servings; take fewer bites; realize that you're in a large banquet hall and you're curious to explore other options. Then go do just that.
When needed, can you "Leave The Table" (3:02)?
