We open the door to healing by bringing a mindful and kind attention to inner vulnerability and fear…

“Learning to stay opens up the space that gives us our life. That’s when it becomes real with our inner life… with others. Let’s do a brief reflection on this.

Closing your eyes and just to take a pause together. Notice what’s right here. What is happening inside me right now? That question… and… Can I let it be? Can I let it be just as it is?

One sage asked, “What have we been unwilling to feel?” You might sense and scan your life a little, and sense… What’s going on that you’ve been in some way not wanting to feel? What vulnerability? What fear? What sorrow?

For these moments let your intention be just to stay a bit… to offer that attention that can truly transform.

You might deepen your attention a little and feel where whatever might be vulnerable… might be scared… might be sad… is living in your body.

Just for these few moments, offer a genuinely kind attention. And that means that if you’d like to also offer a gesture of kindness – that can be a really powerful part of staying – simply putting your hand in your heart… two hands on your heart so that you are really communicating inwardly, I’m here right now. I’m here and attending. I’m with you.

Notice what changes… in just a few moments of offering attention to something that you might habitually pull away from.

Rumi says, “Keep your gaze on the wounded place. This is where the light enters.”

Sensing what happens as you offer your presence, and perhaps noticing more of what I sometimes call heart space… that you’re resting in a more open, tender awareness.

This is the first pathway. Learning to stay begins to open us to our secret beauty… to that tenderness… that compassion… or as Thomas Merton says, “To the divine that shines through.”

Now as you like, you can relax your hands down if your hands have been on your heart and open your eyes if you’d like.”

Listen and watch the full talk: “Secret Beauty – Seeing the Goodness” – Solstice Evening

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Reflection: Cultivating a Loving Heart –

Love is an innate capacity, and when we intentionally cultivate it, love shifts from a state to a trait. This meditation offers guidance on how to access love, and open ourselves to it in a way that serves this awakening of our hearts.

“Know that you’re rewiring your brain, your heart, your body, your mind – and that the more times you do this, the more you really give it 20 or 30 seconds to feel the loving directly, the more access you have to this very innate capacity in your being.”

Listen to the full talk: True Resilience – Awakening through All Circumstances – Part 2

photo: Digwen – Pixabay.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:10 — 3.3MB)

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