Authentic Communication

G. I. Gurdjieff and the glyph symbol for Mercury.



"There do exist inquiring minds, which long for the truth of the heart, seek it, strive to solve the problems set by life, try to penetrate to the essence of things and phenomena and to penetrate into themselves. If a man reasons and thinks soundly, no matter which path he follows in solving these problems, he must inevitably arrive back at himself, and begin with the solution of the problem of what he is himself and what his place is in the world around him." G. I. Gurdjieff



Effectively and authentically communicating one's personal ideas and emotions is not as easy as one thinks. Obstacles that interfere--such as what others will think--vastly impedes honest two-way dialog or personal expression. One of Gurdjieff's spiritual aphorisms is of the like "Be externally considerate of others while not becoming externally influenced by others". Understanding what that really means (at least for me) took a long time. Intellectually I knew what it meant ( my mind knew) but it took effort for my mind AND my body to grasp its message. It took substantial and consistent awareness to dissolve barriers to my expression. Wanting to please others, finding myself saying what others wanted to hear, wanting to be liked by everyone, not being comfortble "making waves"...all these hidden tendencies impeded me from authentically expressing what resided in my Heart.
As for resources to help with this human dilema...there is a vast array of books describing in some detail "how to __________". But in actuality, I have found (note, this is my personal opinion) that one can read all this information in "how to" but it comes down to 2 main points. First, everyone is an individual--there is no ONE right way to achieve authentic expression. Second, the information read needs to practiced via personal action. Information read needs to be put into physical practice.
One's natal Mercury can be a tool for authentic expression. Everyone has Mercury in their birthchart...in one of the twelve houses and in one of the zodiac signs. Knowing and understanding how your Mercury placement works naturally can help you to express yourself in a genuine manner. Mercury is the planet that rules over mental reasoning and communication.
My natal Mercury is in the sign of Cancer. This indicates my mind and communication work in a Cancerian fashion...not in let's say...an Aquarian manner. Mercury in Cancer suggests a reflective mind, introspective, intuitive and has an emotionally sensitive nature to it. The manner of speech may sound (poetic)/watery. Mercury in Aquarius indicates an intellectually innovative mind and one that is detached from the realm of emotions. So if I attempted to void my expression from my innate emotional nature I would be denying my Essence of its natural form of expression.
Finding one's way that "feels" right takes hard work...it is a lifelong practice of trial and error.
ps. Walking your Talk will always speak louder than Talking your Talk. Once your knowledge is integrated into the body and spoken through your actions people are more apt to "listen".
pps. (Thursday, Aug 6, 2009)...just listened to the webcast archive of "Guiding Stars" via www.healthylife.net on Mercury in Libra. The webcast is a great place to go to further delve into your natal Mercury placement by house and sign. The show talks about Mercury as a whole and how it definitely impacts how you communicate. CHECK IT OUT!