"The heart is the sea, the tongue is the shore, whatever is in the sea, will strike to the shore." — Rumi
The essence of individual work is to come to better hear one’s own unique voice in relation to life. The work is a journey towards one’s deepest inner truth and being able to manifest it in the world.
The human being is a social entity. No matter how lonely, there is a world to which he or she is connected to.
Individual work first and foremost aims to access inner safety and then enrich and deepen the connection to oneself.
In my work with individuals, I prioritize addressing the pressure to succeed. Success in individual work is not measured by how many tears one cries or how authentically one is connected to oneself — in the sense that one has all the "right" answers and behaviors (whatever "right" means).
Often clients are harsh with themselves in thinking that they are failing if they are in a place of not knowing. They may believe that a place of inquiry is not enough, therefore they are not enough or simply they must be "wrong."
Individual work in its essence is really about cultivating the stamina of shining the light of awareness inside, thus making contact with the moment-to-moment process of being a human.
Many clients who experience anxiety or symptoms of depression report that their internal sense of safety and trust has not been easily accessible to them. This is usually a result of attachment injuries, relational trauma and a lack of learning and practice in containing and expressing emotions along with unexamined internalized beliefs that may be coupled with the injuries.
Relationship injuries under the light of awareness may offer unusual, unforeseen, and unprecedented gifts. Those gifts may be unexpected offerings of depth, understanding, acceptance, a greater sense of trust. Out of this inner work can come greater outer authenticity in relationship to others.
Inspired by Rumi’s quote above, as we take the time to listen, observe, explore, and contain, then in its own timing, what strikes to the shore from the heart starts shifting.