April 7, 2007 at 16:15:55 The World Needs To Be Flooded In Divine Love by Dan Joseph     Page 1 of 1 page(s) http://www.awakeningpath.com

This morning, I was sitting in a coffee shop, trying to do some reading. Three women were sitting at a table next to me. The women were talking about various men in their lives, and occasionally threw in a comment about how men are controlling, how men are not very psychologically aware, how men try to replicate their relationships with their mothers, and so on.

I was strongly tempted to walk over to them, and say no, no – you have it wrong. Not all men are like that. In fact, some men are quite loving, respectful, and wise. Perhaps you’re missing out on the experience of those loving men because of your preconceived notions. Perhaps you should work on opening your own minds.

And that, of course, would have been my attempt to correct – in them – what really needed an internal correction. If I had said anything to them, it would have come from a sense of anger and defensiveness. So instead of commenting, I opened my notebook and asked myself what it was, exactly, that I didn’t like about their conversation.

I made a list: I couldn't stand the tone of superiority that I was overhearing. I couldn't stand their unwillingness to look at their own inner blocks. I couldn’t stand their smug confidence about the "wisdom" of their view.

As I made this list, the problem became clear: These were familiar thought-patterns to me. I had spent years indulging – blindly – in very similar attitudes to what I saw in these women. Perhaps I still did, without realizing it. In fact, it was possible that I was completely mishearing and misinterpreting the women’s conversation – perhaps I was merely projecting my own errors upon them.

Either way, the choice was the same. I could continue to condemn and mentally-distance myself from these people. Or I could say, "I, too, have the tendency to engage in thought patterns like these. I am willing to accept a correction for myself." I asked for that inner correction – and opened to it as much as possible. As a sense of peace returned, my attitude shifted and the situation resolved.

www.DanJoseph.com

Dan Joseph has been writing about the connection between spirituality and psychology for the past ten years. He is the author of two books: "Inspired by Miracles" and "Inner Healing."

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