The 2nd movement on the Journey:
Opening Mind & Heart
Opening to the Emerging Future
It may be that, when we no longer know which way to go, we have come to our real journey. The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings. WENDELL BERRY
Open Mind The conversations we have and the words we use shape our perception of what is real. What we habitually tell ourselves and others about the nature of reality profoundly influences the quality of our lives and relationships. The recital of our script or personal narratives happens often at an unconscious level.
When what we hope for or long for seems beyond our reach, we are likely to hear a voice of judgement inside us saying, “There’s no point even thinking about this; it just isn’t going to happen.” or "I could never think this way." To hold on to an inspiring vision, a dream of transformation, we need to pause to notice this voice and suspend judgment to give the new a chance to take form. It is time to open up our minds to consider replacing outmoded ways of thinking with inspiring, fresh ideas that have the power to hold the Wind of change that is sweeping our lives. Challenge: Judgment Practice: Suspending Judgment. Curiosity |
Open Heart"To open deeply, as genuine spiritual life requires, we need tremendous courage and strength, a kind of warrior spirit. But the place for this warrior strength is in the heart." Jack Kornfield
Cynicism is a formidable foe. Cynicism and passivity threaten to constrict our hearts. It takes courageous open hearts to engage in deeply spiritual and ethical work, to stand up against violence, to end poverty at home and abroad and to attend to the ecological crisis. This is the work of those whose hearts are open to Love. The profound implications of the message of love are being reclaimed and must be reclaimed. Faith, spirituality and economics need to be reformed, rediscovering the centrality of love-in-action for our own sake as individuals and for the survival of human civilization on planet earth. Challenge: Cynicism Practice: Love |