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Copyright
by C.T.B. Harris, Ph.D.
Published by SPES, Inc.
31 College Place, Suite D203
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone & Fax: (828) 251-9719
Introduction
to the Sacred Selfishness Workbook
Notes From the Journey
Manual For the Journey of Building a
Life of Substance: Beginning the Journey
Tools and Friends for the Journey
Embracing Unknown Forces Along the Way
Important Steps on the Journey:
Self-love and Self-forgiveness
More Steps on the Journey:
Awakening and Relationships
The Journey:
Choosing Life
Opening the Door to Self-love
One Day at a Time
Journal Pages
“
. . . it’s better to
take the risk and suffer the needed losses if there are influences
or aspects of our lives of which we must break free. In the long run,
breaking free of the forces that imprison our souls is empowering.”
(pg. 339) |
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paths, then, with two ends. Which will
you choose? The path
that leads into the
wasteland, however rich
and seductive it appears?
Or the path through the
forest, the path of loving
life that begins with
self-knowledge.” (pg. 340) |
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THE
JOURNEY: CHOOSING LIFE
12. Relationships of substance: “For our relationships to grow we
must
learn that the wholeness we’re seeking is ultimately within ourselves
and
that our partners are mirroring the potentials within us. If we fail to
realize this
truth we’ll remain dissatisfied in the long run. Disillusionment
comes as we
begin to realize our partners don’t offer the completion we’ve
longed for and
that we’re locked in conflict with the very characteristics that
first attracted us.”
(pg. 320)
To explore
how your partner or other relationships mirror the potentials within
yourself, make a list of the characteristics you admire or are attracted
to, and a
list of the ones you judge negative or resist.
Name of Partner/Relationship Positive/Attractive
Characteristics
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Name of Partner/Relationship Less Attractive/Negative
Characteristics
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Do you recognize these characteristics within yourself? What are the characteristics
you like seeing in yourself? Which ones do you have resistance to knowing?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
How might your journey of self-knowledge enhance, enrich, strengthen and
deepen your relationships?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
13. Living
the choice: The purpose of life is growth. “During the
journey of growth we may have to confront the structure of values we’ve
been living by, the relationships and jobs we’re in. Growth is not
risk-free or
guaranteed to be joyful. We may have to make some major changes; we may
hurt or disappoint people near to us. Taking such risks is painful and
scary.”
What are you willing to risk in order to choose life and growth?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
The following
chart has been used in seminars to illustrate the path of life and
love, individuation and the path of sickly selfishness and alienation.
If we fail
to grow we begin to stagnate and deteriorate, no matter how good we are
at
presenting the public face we’re hiding behind.
The choice
is yours. Which do you choose?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
The journey of self-knowledge, self-love, and building a life of substance
enables you to glimpse that everything fits together and in the midst
of
seeming chaos there is Divine order. You are experiencing the mystery
of
life, the life force, the Divine, and yourself at the deepest level.
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