Comments on: . . .And Now I See. . . Part 2

By: Maria Theresa Maggi

Maria Theresa Maggi — Sun, 15 Oct 2017 05:56:07 +0000

Thank you, Gena, for sharing this powerful moment of epiphany about your own experience that was prompted by reading this post. I’m very honored to have written something that prompted you to have further insight into a dimension of your experience of feeling dissociated from yourself. It’s very heartening to me that you can now write about it with such clarity and straightforward perspective, and allowing it for what it was, and it makes me feel very aligned with you that both our experiences exist on a continuum of self-awareness that is always evolving. I do believe, as you say, that I have, at times, an uncanny knack for being tuned in to certain parts of myself and my experience–small things, that lead to these feelings of expansiveness and deep connection. That doesn’t mean that small details can’t also lead me into an experience of misinformed aggravation or dissociation from seeing something clearly–witness my “missing” the detail about the dish drainer–but I always trust the other side of the coin is the transportive power of details to open my heart. Thank you for your generous words. It’s always a work in progress, and I’m sure you can relate to that, too. xoxo

By: Gena

Gena — Sat, 14 Oct 2017 21:39:46 +0000

Maria,

I can’t think of a more beautiful way to describe a certain way of seeing, or looking at, the world than “see with the heart, or the eyes in service of it.” I wonder how different things might be for us all if we spent more time looking around in this fashion.

One of the things I experienced in the last couple years was a true sense of dissociation from myself. It resulted in lots of weird stuff, including an inability to know how I was coming across to other people and lots of associated insecurity and social anxiety. But one aspect I didn’t even consciously register until reading this post is that I temporarily stopped being able to visualize myself or summon up a mental image when I tried.

I’m sure there is a lot of complex psychology to help explain this and its relationship to my state (!), but for now I’m just so interested in the fact that your post made me conscious of it. In the last sketch you share and in your recollection of sketching yourself and the dogs from behind, I sense that you were able to create imagery because you were somehow very tuned into to certain parts of yourself and your experience—be they feelings of peace or qualities you channel. What a gift to be able to see oneself, as well as the outside world, with so much heart!

By: Maria Theresa Maggi

Maria Theresa Maggi — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 05:35:33 +0000

Thanks Veronica! I loved hearing about your sightings while sailing–that sounds just great! It is always magical to see these creatures, isn’t it? And so glad you laughed at my utensil basket caper! I sure did. And thanks for the compliment about the sketches, and your faithful insightful readership. xo

By: Veronica

Veronica — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 18:18:29 +0000

I’m always in awe when I see whales and seals and sea lions and dolphins… and well, all the critters. 😉 We’ve been doing a lot of sailing lately in the Bay and still get so excited when a porpoise pops up next to us, or a seal lazily floats by… We went to Pier 39 in SF and sailed right by all the many sea lions hanging out on the docks on our way to our assigned slip – it was quite magical and wonderful. I could watch them all for hours, just hoping for another peek.
I also laughed at your realization two years later about the ability to remove the utensil basket! I know I’ve caught myself with similar realizations (or had someone else point it out!) on other things. It’s funny how our minds sometimes just don’t “see.”
Your sketches are beautiful, as always. xoxo