The Power of Being With begins with self-awareness.

Being With is grounded in concepts of Life Forward Movement from Gendlin's philosophy.

It can take time to get the depth of trust that is possible here. Maybe this gives you a feel...

Living Forward has no 'fixed' meanings.

Living Forward is not a belief (as our left hemisphere might lean toward). Living Forward is faith (as our right hemisphere can understand).

Life is a paradox. Life is both oneness and difference, held together.

Living Forward is free of judgments and values.

Unless we can fully live the paradoxical reality, it's very difficult to find and trust Living Forward in suffering, chaos, desolation, conflict, disaster, hard times, etc.

Modeling the Power of Being With and Trust in Living Forward is what makes Smartview Stories stand out. 

The process of living Focusing requires courage and tenacity. We are literally rewiring cultural and intergenerational neural patterns that limit us as human beings to faith in ourselves as co-creators. As our own Self-Mentor, it's valuable to cheer on ourselves and each other. 

 

 

We're in this together. 

 

"We're in this together" is one of my favorite phrases as I Self-Mentor my inner world or support someone else with an inner process. It's also something Ashamaya, who represents us as our Self-Mentor in my Smartview Stories books, often says. This phrase invites authentic connection, a sense of safety in belonging, and a sense of cooperating toward a solution that works for all perspectives. 

 

This is the relational space we cultivate as Focusers. We do this first for ourselves, and then as we become more skilled, we extend this relational space for those around us. Experienced Focusers often will say that living from this perspective during life-changing events or during world-changing times like these, is life-changing and for some of us, life-saving.

 

This relational "we space" that we access through the Power of Being With is modeled by Ashamaya in Smartview Stories again and again. Here are the basic steps: 

 

 

Pause.

Turn toward what is around you in this moment. 

Acknowledge the paradoxes, the yum, the yuk. 

Watch for aliveness in your body.

Follow that thread with curiosity. 

Connect.   

Enjoy.   

Savor.   

Repeat as needed.