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Wisdoms 
Thursday, August 21 2014

Beyond Self-Protection

 

       Pema Chodron’s approach to spirituality inspires courage and self-compassion.  In a book of short meditations, The Pocket Pema Chodron, she invites us to move beyond self-protection.

 

 

       “We think that by protecting ourselves from suffering we are being kind to ourselves.  The truth is, we only become more fearful, more hardened, and more alienated.  We experience ourselves as being separate from the whole.  This separateness becomes like a prison for us, a prison that restricts us to our personal hopes and fears and to caring only for the people nearest us.  Curiously enough, if we primarily try to shield ourselves from discomfort, we suffer.  Yet when we don’t close off and we let our hearts break, we discover our kinship with all beings.”    (p. 123)

 

  

       Her words remind me of Michael Singer’s passionate encouragement in The Untethered Soul to keep the heart open, no matter what.

 

       “Remember, if you love life, nothing is worth closing over.  Nothing, ever, is worth closing your heart over.”   (p. 47)

 

 

       Spiritual courage and self-compassion meet in an open heart.

 

 

Posted by: AT 08:31 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
Saturday, August 09 2014

       Joanie and I just finished a four-day backpacking adventure, hiking through woodlands and along ridgelines roughly paralleling Lake Superior.  Carrying 45 pounds up and down steep inclines is a wonderful way to slow the pace of life and shift one’s experience of time.  A couple nights ago in the tent, camped next to rippling waters, during that inner twilight just before sleep, this came to me.

 

 

Always Now

 

Hurry Hurry

Eat Fast

Work Fast

Go Fast

 

You Say

You Have

Less Time

 

Life Says

You’re Timeless

 

Always Now

.

 

 

        

       P.S.  When the busy-ness gets overwhelming, we may be tempted to conclude there’s just no time.  What if, in some deeper way, we’re right about that?

Posted by: AT 09:15 am   |  Permalink   |  Email

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