Rabia's devotional practice of witnessing the Divine in all moments offers adoptive parents a framework for truly seeing their child's authentic self beyond expectations.
Rabia practiced continuous presence and witnessing of Divine presence in each moment, cultivating radical attention to what is rather than what should be. For adoptive parents, this translates into the practice of witnessing: truly seeing the child's personality, gifts, struggles, and wounds without the distortion of projection, hope, or narrative repair. Many adoptive parents unconsciously try to rewrite their child's story through devoted effort, seeing potential rather than presence. Rabia's witnessing practice invites the reverse: complete attention to who the child actually is emerging to be. This includes witnessing trauma responses, identity confusion, and grief without pathologizing or trying to fix them into acceptable forms. When adoptive parents develop the capacity to witness their child with the same devoted attention Rabia offered the Divine, the child experiences profound acceptance. They no longer have to perform recovery or gratitude; they can simply be seen. This witnessing becomes the ground from which authentic healing and connection unfold naturally.
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
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