Simply put, without exception or exclusion, my relationships with people have developed a quality of openness, honesty and love that I express from within me. Prior to attending some of the workshops and presentations by Serge Benhayon, I was sometimes cold and calculating. Even my own mother would agree with this. This just meant that I was protective of myself and had hardened myself against ‘life’ and some of its hurtful experiences.
The work of Serge Benhayon is not some “follow the guru to salvation”, but a presentation of information about how I can begin to honestly look at myself, very deeply, and continue to do so, even when things seemed to be going well in my life. There is a level of responsibility that I have taken for myself, my actions and relationships, and an honesty that I am able to express, that was simply not present before. I was choosing to hide behind a wall or a mask that to most people looked pretty good. But all along I felt the sadness, the lack of connection and the loneliness that I was creating.
Now when I meet people, I get a sense from them that they feel the natural warmth and loveliness of me, as fully and completely as I know myself to be without reservation. My relationship with my mother is a great example. As I have mentioned, it was extremely cold and distant. Now, we share warmth and a connection that in truth is what we both so deeply wanted, but somehow could not get to. When I was able to let go of my pride, defensiveness and hurt, I was able to embrace Mum with an enormous sense of love, gratitude and warmth that felt so natural to share. In fact it feels unnatural to hold it back. My relationship with Mum is not perfect, but it certainly feels amazing. For this, I am so grateful to Serge for presenting what helped me understand and thus experience for myself.
This experience of love within my family has created a foundation for me to carry that love and warmth to all of my relationships, without exclusion. Don’t get me wrong, there are still challenges to face, but the focus becomes not on what the other person is doing or not doing, the focus becomes on how do I feel about myself and as to whether I hold that same deep level of honesty and responsibility for the choices that I make… Am I choosing to be hard, the ‘expert’, the ‘helper’ or am I choosing to connect with and express the simple truth about how I feel? Am I choosing to ‘put on a front’, or am I choosing to be free of that lie within myself? By making this choice every day, my life seems so much easier, smoother, joyful and fulfilled. I am not putting energy into something that is not true and drains me just to keep up appearances.
My mother and immediate family can see the changes also. Mum often comments on how radiant and ‘great’ I look. She can see the sparkle in my eyes all the time. And I can see that growing in her also.
By Marianna Masiorski (39)
The Truth about Serge Benhayon 
I love how you have shared that choosing to reflect on how we are living does not end, not even when we are seemingly going ‘well’. For our responsibility in how we are choosing to live never ends, as we are constantly making choices about the quality in which we are living our lives. Living ‘well’ in one area of our lives does not equate to true fulfillment, unless we are living ‘true’ in all areas in our lives, as you have beautifully illustrated. And through self-honesty we develop a loving relationship with ourselves which then will guide us to know what feels true, and if the quality of life we are choosing truly fulfills us.
Beautiful Marianna, when we take responsibility to be the love we are without the barriers of protection we get that sparkle in our eye that inspires those we meet to reconnect to their own sparkle.
This is so common in the world today, I can relate that I too used to be very protective, ‘I was choosing to hide behind a wall or a mask that to most people looked pretty good. But all along I felt the sadness, the lack of connection and the loneliness that I was creating.’ It is inspirational to see and feel people open up and be love.
The Universal Medicine teachings have been key to me learning to let go of old hurts and developing a loving relationship with myself and how this can beautifully transform and support our relationships to become more true.
It’s so true that if we ever have a ‘problem’ with another, the first place to look is to go within and take responsibility for why we are reacting.
Too many of us today wear masks that may look good on the outside but are worn with the intention to hide not only what we do not want others to see and feel in us but also what we do not want to see and feel in ourselves.
Thank you Marianna, this what you share is so truly important start of starting a relationship with yourself : ”Don’t get me wrong, there are still challenges to face, but the focus becomes not on what the other person is doing or not doing, the focus becomes on how do I feel about myself and as to whether I hold that same deep level of honesty and responsibility for the choices that I make… ”
Along with choosing to take responsibility of my choices and learning to express more honestly like you have, I have found that the greatest gift I have gained from listening to Universal Medicine presentations is having understanding. This has revolutionised my relationships with others and allowed for much greater depth in our connection for which I am eternally grateful.
Isn’t it great when we can let go of the fog we look through in life and see people for who they truly are behind whatever behaviour we before saw as it being who they are.
Lovely sharing Marianna! What I would like to add to this two lines “Am I choosing to ‘put on a front’, or am I choosing to be free of that lie within myself? By making this choice every day, my life seems so much easier, smoother, joyful and fulfilled.” is, that through the teachings of Serge Benhayon I was at first able to see that I make a choice every second! To become aware of this brings in the ability to choose consciously.
Thank you Marianna for a really great story, it is amazing the changes that happen to our lives as we open up and take responsibility for our choices and choose to let our love out to ourselves and others and be open to let their love in.
Marianna, you wrote: “. . . the focus becomes not on what the other person is doing or not doing, the focus becomes on how do I feel about myself and as to whether I hold that same deep level of honesty and responsibility for the choices that I make.” That is really a very good ingredient for a true relationship. Thank you for sharing it.
“The work of Serge Benhayon is not some “follow the guru to salvation”, but a presentation of information about how I can begin to honestly look at myself, very deeply, and continue to do so, even when things seemed to be going well in my life.” It allows for a wider and deeper look at and way of life, learning to take full responsibility of every detail in our life, step by step.
And it is in fact the opposite to ‘follow a guru’ what students of The Livingness study and learn – to take responsibility in full.
Great to read your story Marianna, your line “Am I choosing to be hard, the ‘expert’, the ‘helper’ or am I choosing to connect with and express the simple truth about how I feel.” highlighted for me the simplicity of just being ourselves in relationships and how this truly nurtures a loving connection between people.
Lovely to re-read your words Marianna especially on a day where I felt myself become guarded and hurt by the world. What you share here reminds me to always bring it back to how I feel within myself, when another acts in a way I deem hurtful is this not a reflection that I too am not choosing to be loving towards myself. There is always room to go deeper with our connection to self and when we do we open the door for closer connections with others.
Beautiful and honest blog Marianna. This hardness and cold front so many of us choose to put on is not really us, as you share it is a form of protection while the hurts are held tightly in our body. It is gorgeous to read your openness and joy is what you are choosing allowing everyone to see the shine and sparkle in your eyes and in your body. It inspires others to choose this too.
“The loneliness that I was creating.” These are the words that leap out for me, the fact that the loneliness I used to feel so much of the time was of my own creation as I kept myself shut down from truly connecting to others. Serge Benhayon has inspired me to come out of my self-imposed hard shell and meet myself and others in the fullness and love that I am. I too have chosen to put the sparkle back in my eyes.
All unwanted behaviour in this world always comes from a hurt. It comes from a reaction or protection mechanism so a person can stay in their bubble to not feel what is really going on for them, as it may feel like it is too painful to visit.
Isn’t this the answer, when we choose not to deal with our issues aren’t we saying that I’m ok with holding onto them even if it means abusing another.
We have deep responsibility and the sooner we embrace that the sooner we will live a future we are all destined to live.
Marianna, you have shared so much in your blog and given me plenty to reflect on in terms of where I am still going into self protection and hardness and how this dulls down my ‘sparkle’. Thank you, it was very timely!
Self-protection is a false sense of protection. I agree Gilesch it keeps us separate from others and it certainly dulls down our ‘spark’, as love and joy is in sharing and expressing this forth, feeling the expansion as we connect with ourselves and others openly and fully. This is what ignites and fires up our inner ‘sparkle’ allowing it to burst through and shine onto others too.
Thank you Marianna for a very inspiring and beautiful sharing. I have learnt through the support of Universal Medicine to drop the guard I was carrying to protect myself from getting hurt, which becomes very draining and kept me shutdown to experiencing an openness and warmth with others. I now enjoy a relationship with myself where I appreciate and accept myself and it is forever deepening and the best part is the ‘flow on effect’ where I am inspired to share this love and warmth equally with others.
Beautiful Blog Marianna. I really like how you broke apart those things that keep us separated like ‘putting on a front’, playing the ‘helper’ and so forth. That was really nice to read.
This is soo beautiful, I resonated with the line asking whether we go hard in our roles as teacher/helper etc. and also I felt your responsibility in letting go of what the other person does or does not do (in interactions/relationships) and instead making it about how we ourselves choose to be! Great!!
Very beautiful Marianna. Thank you for sharing the questions you ask yourself when you face challenges, they are very supportive for me, as I can still get caught wanting to make it about what the other person is doing that may be irritating me, instead of bringing the focus and responsibility back to me for how I am feeling. I am only at the mercy of other people and the outside world if I choose to be… I can always make a choice to bring it back to me.
Very honest sharing Laura. In bringing awareness to why we react to certain situations or people, by taking responsibility for our reactions is an awesome way to learn and evolve.
Thank you Marianna, for a lovely sharing. I have hidden myself away most of my life in doing the so called good and being the helper. Since hearing Serge Benhayon’s presentations I have come to know me, more and more, and the deep love I have within me. It is a great joy for me to open up and share this love with others.
I can so confirm what you are sharing here, as I have been very protected in my life, which lead me to being distant, withdrawn and really hard in my relationship to myself and others. Particularly the relationship to my mother was a very difficult one. Through the presentations by Serge Benhayon, I have discovered my love for people and the warmth in my heart and a way to connect to people (and my mother!). The relationships I have today are beyond what I could have imagined possible.
It’s amazing how walls, division and separation can be easily created when we hold onto our hurts not allowing our hearts to open and connect. Our relationships suffer because of our choice to withdraw, be distant but like you shared Judith we can reconnect to ourselves, open our hearts and therefore reconnect deeply in our relationship too once we choose to break down these barriers we’ve put up. Everything is a choice and our choices can suppress us or evolve us.
Thank you for this very inspiring sharing, Marianna. My relationship with my mother has also changed over the past few years. I lived far away from my family for many years. Initially I was very excited to ‘re-imprint’ my relationship with them but I didn’t realise that I was coming from a place of being hurt, projecting that onto them – especially my mother, wanting to change her – and at times things got volatile to say the least. It is only since I started to understand and appreciate her as my equal, a woman who has made her choices to the best of her ability throughout her life, there has been more willingness from both ends to allow honesty and vulnerability to be shared between us. It has been a humbling, yet very beautiful process for me.
The sparkle in your eyes – how yummy this feels, Marianna. After two years of working with Serge Benhayon it is now my daily medicine to look in the mirror and enjoy the sparkling in my eyes for some moments. Now starting to enjoy the same light in the eyes of the ones close to me. And we just got started!
It was wonderful to read how your relationships with friends and family expanded once you took responsibility for the choices you made.
It is beautiful to read how you have been inspired by Serge Benhayon to be honest and responsible in your relationships – with yourself, your family and all others.
Totally true Marianna, Serge Benhayon’s presentations are quite unique. Never before heard of someone sharing something relevant with no need, expectation, desire or investment attached to it.
Thank you Marianna and Eduardo, I agree, the unequivocal nature of what Serge Benhayon bring to humanity with so much harmony and undeniable truth, all of which is paramount for humanity to evolve back to being the Sons of God.
It was really beautiful to read about how you have deepened your relationships with your mother. Attending the Universal Medicine presentations inspired me to look at and address my issues and as a result the relationship with my mother has also transformed exponentially and beautifully so, and for this I am enormously grateful.
It is inspirational to see and feel the way Serge Benhayon is with everyone, and that’s absolutely everyone. From that I myself am still learning to not be judgemental or closed with anyone I meet, for the difference I and they feel when I don’t is remarkable.
Your self responsibility leaps off the page – it’s inspiring to read – thank you 🙂
Absolutely Meg, I agree, responsibility for all we do is all we have to do! As Marianna so aptly portrays her mother is evolving just because of the loving reflection she is getting, this is true responsibility and is so simple with no imposition.
‘Responsibility for all we do is all we have to do’ – this is such a great line Greg, life is so simple – be responsible in everything you do. Responsibility is a game changer!
Thank you Marianna and Meg, I agree, when we take responsibility the simple rules of life that we live by changes.
This is so beautifully expressed Marianna. It is amazing to feel that loneliness has nothing to do with how many friends or people we interact with and everything to do with how we feel about ourselves and we make a choice to express the love we feel and let others love us.
It is so true that when we let go of our defences we allow not only ourself freedom to just be expressing from how we feel but also allows other to do the same. This creates such beautiful openess for a real connection. We are just too scared to let our guard down and then everyone misses out. This is so beautiful to read and feel Marianna. I love your expression of how your mum can see the sparkle in your eyes.. that’s something that can’t be put on and that is just amazing.
‘I was choosing to hide behind a wall or a mask that to most people looked pretty good. But all along I felt the sadness, the lack of connection and the loneliness that I was creating.’ This observation of how we hide a sadness behind a smiling face is something I know is true for me, and I’ve seen it in so many others… There is no true joy in it, just a facade.
Whereas when you describe your sparkling eyes I think ‘yes’, a sign that there is that life and soul in someone and it is always wonderful to see.
Hi Marianna, so lovely to feel your loveliness and sparkle in reading this, which I know is ever deepening and expanding within you. I particularly related to this: “but the focus becomes not on what the other person is doing or not doing, the focus becomes on how do I feel about myself and as to whether I hold that same deep level of honesty and responsibility for the choices that I make… ” This felt very powerful and for me it confirms how integral it is to allow myself to feel me instead of focusing on where others are at. Such a deep level of responsibility comes with choosing this way of living and I appreciate the ripple affect it has made in your connections with others, including me! Thank you.
This is so beautiful, thank you Marianna for sharing how your relationships have grown and expanded as you have dropped your defences and allowed others in. For me, my family have been some of the hardest people to truly be me with because of old hurts but it is so lovely to see how my relationships are evolving as I drop my defences and sparkle.
Beautiful to read, thank you.