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Whenever we are in the presence of another human being, we share one undeniable condition: we both exist simultaneously in the moment of now. Each of us is on our individual journey of life while simultaneously connected as companions within humanity. When together we may directly communicate with each other. The question explored here is: Is that communication Beautiful? That is, will the communication be expressed with qualities of universal Beauty such as loving-kindness, patience, and authenticity?
As I strive to do this in my own life, my basic premise is: Let the Beauty within me communicate with the Beauty within you. My inherent belief is that Beauty resides in every human as an innate attribute. One response to this premise might be: “You gotta be kidding ‘cause I know a lot of jerks!” Well, I’m not kidding and many times I’ve been the jerk. I also know that discretion is required to recognize people who may threaten my safety. In the majority of situations, however, I ask myself one basic question: Am I aware with whom in that other person’s body I am communicating? As an example, am I communicating with the “jerk” or with the Beautiful core of that person?
We humans have very complex individual identities that can obscure our shared presence of inner Beauty. Metaphorically, I imagine I can be covered with “veils of obscurity.” These veils can differ due to my genetic programming, natural disposition, family upbringing, cultural environment, education, life experiences, and more. Anytime I stand before another person, one or more of my veils might present variants of an outer persona in response to the situation at hand. I am not judging the veils as good or bad. The point is that they might obscure the deep Beauty of my most authentic being—the Beauty in me that truly longs to communicate with the Beauty in others.
I assume this can also happen to anyone else. Human-human communication has the potential to be incomprehensibly complex. I nonetheless refuse to be deterred from communicating altogether. I believe I must take responsibility for my side of the interaction. Doing so is a practice of better communication by me and I believe improves how others will communicate with me.
Some veils are socially accepted norms of communication and behavioral interactions followed by the majority to sustain common courtesy. They are not necessarily written down. If we allow these social norms to morph into rudeness by our own contributions, they can compound misunderstandings among us. This will only further obscure our shared Beauty needed for healthy communication and social cohesion.
What have I done to become more aware of my communication?
I first reflected on my most valued virtues in order to better recognize my intent when communicating. I asked myself: What standards of my behavior are significant to maintain my spiritual integrity? Am I willing to listen with both an open heart and mind? When I disagree, am I willing to inquire patiently about the views of others as well as question my own?
I then created visualizations to help maintain my intent. I keep discovering new approaches as I practice. Others might have their own preferences, but here are examples of mine:
*When breathing in, I imagine a brilliant radiance streaming from a Divine source into my heart center (chakra). When breathing out, I imagine that same radiance streaming from my heart toward the heart center of the person with whom I am communicating.
*As I speak and listen, I make eye-to-eye contact and visualize a heart-to-heart connection of radiance. I also stay alert to my physical and emotional sensations, such as muscle contractions or upsetting feelings. These are clues that I may need to pause in order to evaluate the sensation or release it.
Asking the question Is this communication Beautiful? has had a profound impact on me. To even ask it of myself is humbling. It highlights the assumptions I make and exposes hidden prejudices. It increases my attentiveness to veils of obscurity between me and others. It prompts me to be more inquisitive about expressions of universal Beauty within us. Most of all, it encourages me to allow a greater flow of Beauty through me.
I believe when we strive individually to communicate Beautifully we will change as a society. If we recognize the presence of innate Beauty within us all, we can collectively liberate ourselves from the belief that divisiveness is necessary to justify our views. We can experience our ultimate innate connection, Beauty-with-Beauty, as we co-create solutions to our disagreements.
Now I ask, was THIS communication Beautiful?
