So here is the quote on my daily Zen calendar…from Jack Kornfield.
We must look at ourselves over and over again in order to learn to love, to discover what has kept our hearts closed, and what it means to allow our hearts to open.
I started thinking about the things that make my heart close. Things like criticism, unmet expectations, judgment. There is enough in these few words to fill a book! Each one evokes a feeling of restriction and tension. Maybe anger or fear or rejection. This is how it feels when my heart is closed.
I know the feeling of an open heart, too. That would include acknowledgement, acceptance, belonging. The feelings are ease, joy and contentment.
Maintaining an open heart requires awareness and courage. You have to be brave enough to not retreat, to stand in the fire and not be consumed by it. To stand in the fire of criticism, unmet expectations, judgment…and not close down.
We can learn to feel what we feel and at the same time to not shrink away and shut down. We can learn to allow life to flow and keep our heart softened toward it. When I do this, I experience a sensation of hopefulness and possibility. I believe that can only happen with an open heart.
Practicing keeping my heart open…no matter what.
Paula
That picture is SOOOO precious! With all that is happening in the world today, there are far too many triggers of fear and anger. Thanks for the thought of keeping an open heart!
Ginny
It’s hard for me to go astray when I pay attention to Jack Kornfield, or any of the founders of the Insight Meditation Society. Same for Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg. I will add Tara Brach to that too. My favorite, though, is Paula Zabkar.