Enhancing Connections to People

I was asked to write a letter to detail why I volunteer with Shanti, a program of Rosehedge/Multifaith Works.  What initially drew me to look for a volunteer position was a recent job loss.  Previously, the jobs I had always incorporated some sort of volunteering but nothing regular and I wanted to find an opportunity that would add value to my life.   I set out to find a volunteer position that would enhance and enrich the quality of my life.  When I came across the Shanti program the concepts of non-judgmental compassionate listening stood out to me, along with helping others that where suffering through challenging illnesses.

My grandmother died from cancer a few years ago and I wasn’t able to be with her as she transitioned from life to death.  I wished I had the opportunity to be there for her and I hoped this volunteer opportunity would give me a chance to fulfill that need for someone, and perhaps help me heal from the loss of my grandmother by providing emotional support for someone.  Additionally, I am a ‘people person’ and I thought the Shanti program would be a great fit with my interpersonal skills.   I submitted my application I was offered in invitation to attend the training with the hopes of becoming a volunteer.   During training I quickly realized that the ideas behind the Shanti model resonated with my personal beliefs and ideals.

After practicing the Shanti model of heartfelt active listening, I have incorporated aspects of the model as a way to re-conceptualize society.  The lines between disadvantaged or marginalized cultures and mainstream society is very present in my day to day life living downtown Seattle. Before, I would see homeless on the street and, not intentionally, I would almost see through them. But after the Shanti training I learned the metaphoric lines that separate mainstream society and those suffering from hardship are borders  that can be taken down and allow for a deeper relationship to develop with people all around me including my family, friends and,  causal interactions.   Understanding that we all at one time in our lives  will be subject to discrimination in some form or another has helped me to feel more at peace with my own anxieties and has enabled me to feel a connection to humanity.  In my life I have had experienced what it feels like to be subject to societal judgments  and with the tools I learned from Shanti training I have come to the understanding that none of us are immune to hardships in life.  Realizing this has enabled me to let my guard down and trust people more which has opened a completely new level of compassion and understanding of humankind.  By connecting people from marginalized sections of society I am able to form meaningful connects with others and on a larger scale I feel more in touch with my community.  Moreover, the Shanti model continues to teach me how to ‘let go’ of the need to fix others and myself for that matter.   Allowing others to make mistakes and be exactly where they are on the path teaches me to accept the present.
   
The relationships in my life have improved sense I have become a Shanti volunteer by enhancing the connections to people and thus the world around me I have a richer appreciation for my life and life in general.  Shanti has given me relationship tools that help me achieve my best self and for that I am incredibly grateful and thankful for this opportunity.

Sincerely,

 Christine Mesquita Phelps