Rumi said "Say I Am You"

This day has been a relating day. We came together this morning to meditate and reflect on the big issue of life, that is, relationship. Our time together began with some moments of sacred silence in this growing circle of connection. Somehow a tiny pair of sycamore seeds, joined in an arc, like two little keys, found their way onto the floor of the healing room, at the start of our learning journey for the day. They were a timely reminder of the two keys to understanding life -- the relationship we have with our self and the relationship we have with others. Astrologically, we are now moving through the closing days of Libra. Libra is the second 'air' sign of the zodiac, associated with communications, as is each sign operating in the air trinity. Libra's planetary ruler is Venus, the guardian of balance and harmony in life and the overseer of all relating and relationships. Relationships in life are often our biggest spiritual testing ground. The best way to find out who we truly are is to be 'in relationship' with another. Life is full of relationships and living life to the full is all about relating. And just when we think we are beginning to understand who we truly are, along comes our next 'teacher in disguise' to remind us of the distance we still need to travel in becoming true to our self and accepting who we are. I'm reminded of the play Hamlet and Polonius' fatherly advice to his departing Laertes, .... "but this above all, to thine own self be true". But "being true" can be a challenging task for many of us. For some, being true is too high a price to pay. "Better to be safe than sorry" we say. In relationship, some prefer to forfeit their right to be true, being swayed by an 'other', rather than to be true to themselves. Life is full of spiritual teachers and guides in disguise, though we may not always be able to recognise them as such, especially in the subtle ways they tend to make their entrances into our lives. The most effective teachers can often trigger those deep, deep feelings that we don't wish to see in our self -- irritation, coldness, phoneyness, loudness, annoyance and lack of acceptance. In relationship, we allow others to become our mirror, so that we can learn more about our own truth. No one, with whom we are in any kind of relationship ever needs to do anything to change the way they are. There isn't anyone in our life who isn't supposed to be there. The only way to accept every part of who we are, is to accept every 'other' in our life, without conditions. And when this begins to happen, something quite indescribable and magical starts to unfold right there in front of us.