Saturday, October 27, 2012

An Open Heart

I asked the universe to show me what was keeping me from accepting a situation completely and I saw my heart struggling to open fully. I thought it had been open but I came to see that I had been protecting myself. I had my heart half open so that I could slam it shut quickly if necessary. Having our heart wide open often feels like a place of weakness when in fact it is a place of strength. When I saw this, I relaxed and felt myself truly breathe into the circumstance. I do not have to close my heart or protect myself from other’s behaviors.


Feeling joy or pain is our personal choice, no matter what is happening around us. An open heart can be soft and surrendering or authoritative and strong. Our choice. The body completely relaxes when we allow our heart to unwind and drop its defenses. For me, it was a matter of trust. I trust me. I trust I will take care of me. I do not need to carry armor over my heart. I will always be OK. I am divinely supported and loved. No one can cause an emotion in me I have not chosen.

I can look at their actions and see that it is just another point of view. I do not have to buy into their ideas or defend my own. I can be the observer and relax, breathe into my heart. Only with an open heart can we see others and they see us for all that we are. We feel-see them. A half opened heart is looking out through old beliefs and old fears. The minute anything resonates with an ancient wound, we can slam the heart closed. Is that really the way you want to see the world, from behind a broken door?

No. I am so glad I was given this vision to help me see the basis for my discomfort. An open heart allows me to see the truth. It allows me to be all that I can be and expand to my full potential. I do not have to agree or fight, just be.

Acceptance

I loved Don Miguel Ruiz’s book The Mastery of Love. I read it several years ago but sections of it stick in the back of my mind. He asks the question, “Why can’t we accept our lover like we accept our dog?” He was referring to the fact that we don’t say to ourselves, “I love everything about that dog except that his tail is too short, I wish he had spots or he wags his tail funny.” No. We love him because of those things. It makes him quirky and unique. He loves us unconditionally and completely. If we are in a bad mood or happy; he is glad to see us.


I know how important that is to me. I’m sure it is for all of us. How many times have we felt that someone would really love us “if only”? If only you wouldn’t leave stuff around the bathroom, if only you’d get along with my family better, if only you would be more controlling or less.

We want to be accepted for all that we are. I am passionate and funny, and sometimes I’m messy when I cook. I am “chatty Kathy” in the morning but I am quiet and sleepy after 9:00 pm. I can be powerful and dynamic but sometimes I just want to be cuddled and nurtured. I am ok with all of that about me.

A perfect example of this acceptance is when my brother in law got upset with my sister not long ago for her stubbornness, but then he kissed her and said, “yes, but that’s what I love about you.” She can be a tough business owner and knows what she wants. He understands and appreciates her for her tenacity even though sometimes it is not easy.

I think we would all do better accepting our partners for all that they are, all the nuances that make them who we fell in love with. Let go of the need to be right and have them agree with your point of view. Give them a loving scratch behind the ears and let them be them.



Thursday, October 25, 2012

Message of the day

Whether obvious or not, Pat, and usually it's not, everyone in your life is there to help you, AND, they're actually doing so right now.
We call this the Everyone In Your Life Is There To Help You Rule.
Tallyho,

The Universe

 Which, incidentally, Pat, doesn't mean you have to keep them there. In fact, their offering may simply be to teach you to say "adios."   © www.tut.com ®  

Who will you re-fall in love with today, Pat?
Whe-e-e-e-e-e . . .
The Universe

Or you could start from scratch, Pat, and pretend it's for the first time.

I just love these inspirational messages I get from Mike Dooley every morning when I wake up. Yesterday's message was bringing peace to letting go and today's is the excitement of saying "hello" and beginning again. It is snowing for the second time in 3 days. Tuesday we got 4". I havent even had a chance to put my porch furniture away and it is time to put up the Christmas lights, sheesh. The snow makes me feel like hunkering down in front of the fire and writing again, so that is exciting. My best thinking is in the morning. Even though my biorhythms say I am at 0% intellectual, I better get my butt to work. I was thinking of my next horse story. It is about my horse Buckwheat that passed away last fall at 34 years old. She shared my life for over 22 years. I didnt want her because she was so plain looking. No "chrome". What a dunce I was then. It makes for a good story, how Spirit literally put her in my barn and I had no choice but to spend time with her. Best thing that could have ever happened. Later!