The YouMeVerse E9: Conscious Relationships | Listener Questions
Jeffrey and Odette celebrate the launch of the YouMeVerse Patreon page, the first Inwards Yoga series, and the upcoming yoga and meditation Metreat in Kauai.
Odette brings up a listener’s question about how to have better and more “conscious relationships”. Jeffrey helps define what a “conscious” relationship is by explaining how, in an “unconscious” one, people resort to blaming and projecting. This applies to relationships of all kinds (professional, family, friendship, intimate, etc.).
Jeffrey shares his opinion that relationships and interpersonal interactions can help us become our best selves and to source what we desire from within.
When asked about the role of expectations in relationships, Jeffrey shares how we should hold ourselves to our own expectations instead of imposing them on others. Odette adds that personal boundaries are still important for practicing energy management.
Odette muses about how people tend to expect others to be the source of their happiness and love, and how that is directing expectations outside instead of inside.
Jeffrey shares that many people recreate the same relationship problems until they look within themselves to understand and transcend old patterns. He also shares how cookie-cutter-type therapy approaches may not be nuanced enough to capture or direct everyone’s experiences with relationships. Odette adds that therapy can be helpful, so long as a person does not get stuck in a loop of validation-seeking or victimization.
Odette asks Jeffrey’s opinion about how to shift beyond traumatic or abusive experiences so that future relationships can improve. Jeffrey responds about the importance of self-reflection and about the power of meditation as a tool to help develop and strengthen one’s inner power and sense of Self.
Odette shares a personal example to illustrate how she changed her perspective about a perceived betrayal. She discusses how she gradually shifted from pain to gratitude by focusing inward, listening to several teachers, by meditating, and by redefining her concept of love. Jeffrey notes that we tend to play roles for people to help them understand themselves, and that others do the same for us.
Jeffrey describes his felt understanding of the concept of love and of Source, presenting them as one and the same, and shares how nothing external compares to connecting with that feeling within. He explains how people often unknowingly try to use other people as their source of love and connection until they experience it from within.
Jeffrey and Odette discuss relationships people can have with material things and ideas. Jeffrey shares that while external things play important and necessary roles, they can be mis-used to avoid or substitute for a connection with Self.
Odette shares how it is nice to know that any relationship can be improved, but also appreciates knowing people who already have a “conscious” relationship with self.
Both Jeffrey and Odette invite your questions, which can be directed to them on Patreon. Thank you for listening!
