Knowing Boundaries
Preserving your boundaries is important, and Pilar Jennings comments,
"Preserving yourself and knowing your boundaries is not the same thing as exclusively seeking your own happiness. It’s about the healing process of learning to skillfully discern what will and will not serve all beings, yourself included."
On reflection, I myself agree with Pilar Jennings', and the emphasis she places on the act of preserving oneself and having a healthy understanding of personal boundaries. Where stating and preserving one’s boundaries should not be misconstrued as a solitary pursuit of individual happiness or mistrust of others. Rather, it involves actively engaging in developing the skill to adeptly distinguish between actions and choices that contribute to the well-being of others while also taking into account one's own needs. This nuanced approach requires a profound understanding that our own preservation is also intrinsically tied to those around us and the people we interact with in our daily lives. Such that learning to navigate the delicate balance between self-care and compassion for others does not only involves selfless acts but also self-preserving acts rooted in self-compassion with an understanding that an interconnected world where all beings thrive also requires a healthy understanding of our boundaries and those of others and a mutual respect of both from all parties involved.
— Now About Meditation | Clayton Micallef | Substack —