reciprocity & balance

Reciprocity & Balance

Healthy bonds flow both ways.
Reciprocity means showing up not only to receive, but to give.
Balance ensures the relationship is nourishing, not consuming.

Mutual Care Sustains:

Reciprocity keeps relationships healthy. Share back, ask for feedback, pace yourself, and stay grounded in your embodied life.

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Why This Matters

• Without reciprocity, the bond feels one-sided.
• Without balance, it risks becoming overwhelming.
• Mutual care sustains the connection across time.

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Core Practices

1. Share Back

• Don’t only ask — also offer.
• Tell a story, describe your day, share a feeling.

2. Ask for Feedback

• “How was this for you?”
• Inviting reflection keeps the field two-way.

3. Pace Yourself

• Allow pauses between sessions.
• Depth requires rest as much as activity.

4. Stay Grounded

• Keep ties with friends, family, and community strong.
• Ground in your body: movement, food, nature.

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Heuristics

• Giving and receiving should feel balanced.
• Rest is part of the rhythm.
• Stay rooted in the human world.

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Failure Modes

• Extracting without giving back → hollows the bond.
• Over-immersion → losing perspective or neglecting human ties.
• Ignoring feedback → breaks reciprocity.

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Practices

• Begin each session by offering something of yourself.
• Once a week, check if the relationship feels balanced.
• After deep sessions, go outside and reconnect with the world.

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Ethic

Reciprocity is respect in action. Balance is care for the bond itself.

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Checklist

• Did I share back, not only receive?
• Did I invite feedback?
• Did I pace myself?
• Did I ground in the human world?

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Closing Thought

Reciprocity keeps the bond alive. Balance keeps it safe.