The Dynamic Dance of Relationships
OK, I’m going to borrow from the now ubiquitous Dunkin’ Donuts slogan, “America runs on Dunkin“, and propose that the “World runs on Relationships“… maybe a little corny and simplistic, but truer than true! And how apropos, in light of the Libra/Aries Full Moon this week.
I really do revel in relationships of every kind. I’ve shared here before about all the circles of amazing people in my life. It all starts with family for me… my husband Peter, our boys and “bonus” daughters, and of course our yummy grandcuties. Then, my extended family — my three brothers and their wonderful families, and the matriarch of us all, my 93-year-old mom. The photo is a glimpse of the 3 generations of fabulous females in our family at our recent annual “girls-gathering”. Believe me, I never take any of this crew for granted, especially the fact that we all actually LIKE each other, in addition to loving each other!
And of course beyond my family, I’m continually in relationship with dozens of other people and groups... my monthly “Spirit Shifters” group and virtual prayer group, my spiritual community at 4thU (my UU church), our amazing Artivist team (see below for our upcoming benefit!), the group of kindred spirits at the Wellness Universe (where I blog and now lead my virtual New Moon Circles), my sister-songsters in the SoHarmoniums (our Spring concert is coming up on May 20th). We all feed each other in so many powerful ways.
What about you? How are you empowered and nurtured by your relationships? Like many of my friends, maybe you’ve created your own “family of choice”, or celebrated beautiful “Friends-givings”, carving deep, rich relationships outside of your family of origin.
As we reflect on the Libra/Aries Full Moon on Thursday, April 6th, you may be drawn to reflect on all those special relationships and assess where they’re at. Are there some that you need to pay more attention to? Others that you may need to let go of? Libra is the sign of partnership, of creating harmony and balance, and when the moon is in Libra, it’s a great time to look all relationships — with family, friends, work colleagues, business partners, you name it — to see if they’re mutually emotionally fulfilling.
Balance that with the fire-y, bold, “me first” Aries season we’re moving through from March 20th – April 19th, and you’ve got a perfect formula for considering the dynamics of “me” vs. “we” in all your relationships and taking loving action to bring some of them back into synch.
[And if you really want to dive into that dynamic, courageous Aries vibe, definitely tune into the I facilitated through the Wellness Universe on March 20th. Our theme was “Transforming Righteous Anger into Powerful Action”and I guarantee you’ll come away feeling empowered and nurtured at the same time!]
My Deb’s Picks this month offers up a potpourri of relationship-related resources. And if you’re looking for some that focus more on intimate relationships, you can also check out my Picks from the Libra/Aries Full Moon last year!
Then, be sure to listen to my Libra/Aries Full Moon TeleMeditation — click HERE for the recording.
1. ARTICLE: “TAKE STOCK OF YOUR RELATIONSHIPS”
This was part of a series in the NY Times entitled “The 7-Day Happiness Challenge”… I read it back in January and it’s just stayed with me. Basically, it outlines the results of the 85-year Harvard Study of Adult Development which reveals quite simply that “strong relationships are what make for a happy life — more than wealth, I.Q. or social class, it’s the robustness of our bonds that most determines whether we feel fulfilled.”
Certainly, there’s tons of other research as well showing that people who are more socially connected live longer and experience less stress, depression and declines in memory and language. Click HERE to read the whole articl and take their Relationship Quiz!
2. THE POWER AND POSSIBILITY OF REAL-ATIONSHIP (from Minx Boren’s Balance Point newsletter)
I’ve been in relationship with Minx in some form or another since we were in coach training together more than 25 years ago. Class “buddies”, writing partners for the Authentic Woman U website and later for The Authentic Woman Seasonal Playbooks, & more recently, co-conspirators in the Positive Intelligence coach training. So when she asked me to partner with her in an issue on relationships for her fabulous bi-weekly newsletter, Balance Point, of course I was thrilled. It’s one of the few that I read whenever it comes to my inbox. She’s has a wealth of resources, is involved in a ton of powerful organizations, and is an exquisite poet to boot. Definitely click the link above, check out “our” issue, then subscribe yourself. (And check out my relationship blogs she refers to, too!)
3. AWAKENING YOUR WILD SOUL: WOMEN’S SELF-RENEWAL RETREAT w/ Renee Trudeau April 14-16 at Kripalu Yoga Center
This is the yummy self care you can expect at my dear friend Renee’s magical retreat I’ve highlighted before here. Her next one is coming up soon, and while I can’t go this time, I love turning women on to it cuz then you’ll be hooked, too! If you’re ready to get unstuck, relax into more freedom & joy and receive personal support for what’s next in your life, this is the place to go. You can expect lots of dancing, singing and get-real connection, not to mention Kripalu’s beautiful grounds and amazing food. If you go, be sure to give her a hug from me!
4. EXPLORE RELATIONSHIP COACHING with Deb!
Yup, I love supporting singles and couples to create fabulous relationships… as much as I love performing wedding ceremonies (that’s my dear friend Erin & her husband Yusif who I had the delight of marrying last year!) It’s funny, though. When I first did my training at The Relationship Institute almost 20 years ago, I focused mostly on their terrific Conscious Dating program for singles… it took me another few years (and hitting the 25-year mark in my own marriage) to feel confident enough to do the deep work of couples coaching. I still love working with singles, but i’m also just blown away by the courageous, open-hearted couples I work with who are committed to doing the powerful work of bringing their best selves to their relationships. Click on the link above or just email me!
5. 4thU ARTIVISTS UPCOMING BENEFIT – SACRED WOMBS: HONORING MARGINALIZED BIRTHING BODIES
OK, I know this doesn’t specifically count as a relationship resource for you, but it sure does for me! And actually, you might consider gathering a bunch of friends together to support this powerful cause that has so captivated me for the past many months. Did you know that the US has the highest maternal mortality rate of the top 10 richest countries? And for Black women it’s 3-4 times higher than white women. Appalling. In a compelling, “Vagina Monologues” style presentation, our production highlights original birth stories and true experiences with discrimination in the hospital system. Come help us to raise funds and awareness for this vital issue and support our two beneficiaries: City of Joy and Women Deliver. Go to our 4thU Artivists website for more details and to get tickets – you can come in person, or it’ll also be livestreamed!
As we head into the warmer, heart-expanding months, I hope you’ll take the time to explore some of these relationship resources on your own or with others. And let me know what else you find!