From the Deck to the Page #6
Card Category: Connect – Explore the relationships that matter most
Card Message to Ponder from the ‘Soul Bridges’ deck: Describe a time you strongly connected with someone from a very different background.
There’s something profound about connecting with someone whose life has followed a very different path than yours. It doesn’t always happen in grand, cinematic moments—sometimes it happens over coffee, through conversation, or in unexpected silence.
One of the strongest connections I’ve ever formed was with someone who, on the surface, seemed to be my complete opposite. They were logical, scientific, grounded in facts. I, on the other hand, often lean into intuition, energy, and spiritual flow. They preferred data. I preferred dreams.
Yet somehow, we clicked.
What started as curiosity turned into deep mutual respect. We didn’t try to change each other. Instead, we learned from each other. I asked more questions. They became more open to wonder. And in that space between belief systems, something beautiful happened: a friendship rooted in listening instead of proving.
This kind of connection shows up often in my work. When I’m in session with someone, we’re not always speaking the same language—at least not at first. Many clients come in unfamiliar with the language of energy, emotion, or inner alignment. The words I use may feel foreign, even confusing, because they don’t yet have a point of reference. But we don’t stop there. We build the language together. We find metaphors that resonate with them. We shift and shape the conversation until it makes sense for where they are.
My husband and I have been having more of these conversations lately, too. For years, he would hear me talk about the concepts I work with—but he couldn’t fully grasp them because they sounded like a different language. He’s deeply rooted in science and logic. I speak “woo.” But recently, something shifted.
He’s been taking a course on how to better read people, address their needs, and understand their fears. And it’s opened him up in ways I’ve never seen before. The other day, he came to me excited to share something he had just learned. He paused and said, “I know you’ve been talking about this for years… but this teacher explained it in a way I finally get.”
Same concept. Different words. Maybe it landed because it was framed differently. Maybe because it came from a man. Or maybe the timing was finally right. Whatever the reason—something clicked. And that click is everything.
It’s the same experience I’ve had with clients from all kinds of cultural and religious backgrounds. When we can meet in the middle, when we’re willing to adjust our language, metaphors, or examples, people light up. They feel seen, respected, and understood. They’ve said things like, “No one’s ever explained it like that before,” or “This finally makes sense now.”
I’ve come to believe that some of our most meaningful connections don’t come from sameness, but from sitting in the difference with openness.
Because true connection isn’t about agreeing on everything. It’s about being present, staying curious, and allowing space for someone else’s truth. Whether it’s a client, a partner, or a friend—meeting someone where they are, without demanding they meet you first, is where the magic begins.
I thank you for being here. If you enjoyed this post, there’s plenty more where that came from, everything from soulful healing tips to playful prompts and real conversations about life.
Theresa
Flexible Being
Empowering Your Journey to Healing, Clarity, and Self-Discovery.
Find me and connect today:
Email: theresa@flexiblebeing.com
Website: www.flexiblebeing.com
Instagram:
@theresamartinezshapiro
@flexiblebeing
Theresa Martinez-Shapiro
Hello! I am Theresa Martinez-Shapiro; Wife to Robert. Founder of Flexible Being. A Master Reiki Therapist, Certified Oracle Guide, Spiritual Mentor/Guide, Intuitive Empath, Coach, and Educator. I am a fur mom to 3 cats and 1 dog – Sonny, Patches, Ryelee, and Winnie. We currently live and practice in Stockton, California. We operate three businesses – Shapiro Holistic Health and Chiropractic, Fusion Health APC, and Synergy Health MSO, where we seek to improve and change the lives of our patients and those we have the privilege of crossing paths with. My healing and mentoring journey began around 5 years old when I discovered that I was put on this planet to help others. I knew I was different, unique, and gifted. I did not see the world the same way everyone else did, and recognized I was meant to do so much more. I began to research, spending a lot of time reading & asking a lot of questions to anyone that wanted to share stories about their life experiences. I am a dreamer and had a unique relationship with the dream world. My very real, vivid & lucid dreams began turning into out-of-body experiences and unexplained occurrences. I began doing my own dream interpretations to look for patterns & a new way of deciphering life. Family members were part of many different religions, so I was educated in Catholicism, Buddhism, Metaphysics, and Native American culture & beliefs. Along the way, I took up multiple mentors that cultivated my growth and expansion of my gifts, allowing me to focus on my potential and purpose. As an adult, coworkers were unloading their life stories, internal secrets, and things that had not been shared or even spoken out loud. I began to share those experiences with my aunt & Reiki Master/Teacher, Carmen. In 2012, Carmen told me, “I think you are ready to walk the path I always knew you were meant to walk”. That saying began my obsessive journey into Reiki, Spirituality, Psychology, Intuition and Psychic gifts, Meditation and Mindfulness, Past Lives, Consciousness, Energy Medicine, Mysteries of the Universe, Moon and Sun cycles, Astrology, Numerology, Oracle Cards, Shamanism, & so much more. My journey has helped me to assist patients, clients, families, and friends discover who they have been, who they are, and who they want to become. I am expanding my reach and educating others by authoring Musings of a Flexible Being, and I look forward to sharing my journey with you. Thank you! Theresa Martinez-Shapiro Flexible Being Website: www.flexiblebeing.com Socials: Facebook: @flexiblebeingonline Instagram:@theresamartinezshapiro Instagram: @flexiblebeing
