Yesterday, I shared about our chickens and how there seem to be similarities to people. It reminded me of something I saw at a lecture once about Johari's Window.

Johari's Window is named after Joseph Luft and Harry Ingram using parts of their names. It represents our own inner landscape and how it affects our interactions with others. Here is Johari's Window.

The Open box represents what I know about myself and what other's know about me.

The Blind box is what other's can see about me but I don't see in myself. This one can make us squiggle a bit when someone points it out because we often don't want to know.

The Hidden box is what we know about ourselves but don't allow others to know. This can often be the secrets we keep hidden away.

The Unknown box represents what neither we nor others know about us.

If you imagine the lines of the box are movable, it shows what happens when we open ourselves to the idea of learning more about ourselves. When we share more of ourselves with others, the horizontal line moves downwards. When we open ourselves to what others have to share about us, the vertical line moves to the right. In either instance, we can open more of the unknown area and create a greater sense of self.

This is the work of spiritual warriors. It takes courage and trust in another human being to begin to move beyond the surface, "open" interactions. We learn to value others more deeply as we understand what is beneath that surface. The greatest reward may be the deep level of intimacy that comes with this kind of connection.