"In contrast to the notions of climbing up a ladder seeking perfection, psychologist Carl Jung describes the spiritual path as unfolding into wholeness. Rather than trying to vanquish waves of emotion and rid ourselves of an inherently impure self, we turn around and embrace this life in all its realness--broken, messy, mysteriously and vibrantly alive. By cultivating an unconditional and accepting presence, we are no longer battling against ourselves, keeping our wild and imperfect self in a cage of judgement and mistrust. Instead, we are discovering the freedom of becoming authentic and fully alive."
Buddhist teacher Tara Brach writes in her book Radical Acceptance:
"In contrast to the notions of climbing up a ladder seeking perfection, psychologist Carl Jung describes the spiritual path as unfolding into wholeness. Rather than trying to vanquish waves of emotion and rid ourselves of an inherently impure self, we turn around and embrace this life in all its realness--broken, messy, mysteriously and vibrantly alive. By cultivating an unconditional and accepting presence, we are no longer battling against ourselves, keeping our wild and imperfect self in a cage of judgement and mistrust. Instead, we are discovering the freedom of becoming authentic and fully alive."
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Jack Kornfield in After the Ecstasy, the Laundry writes:
"We may secretly believe that if we truly allow ourselves to experience our feelings and desires, our self-indulgence will run rampant, or our aggression and indolence with overwhelm us. In thinking this, we confuse our true nature with the feelings of a deficient and small sense of self. For while emotions are indeed powerful forces, it is not fear and repression that will release us from their grip - awareness is the answer. We fear the destructive power of emotions when we haven't seen them for what they really are. We confuse allowing ourselves to be aware of them with the necessity to act them out. But to include our full selves in our journey we need to understand how we have been entangled by and identified with our emotions. We need to see the identity of 'the body of fear,' to see how the hurt and frustration of childhood, the forces of anger, greed, pride, sexual longing, and need have been conditioned in us. Experiencing the full range of these feelings as they come and go in our consciousness, we can begin to ask of each the questions, "Is this who I am?" If we can hold our feelings in a spacious and fearless heart, the lonely, broken, spiteful, confused feelings arise in a new way, transformed by our acceptance." From Jack Kornfield's After the Ecstasy, the Laundry:
"The emotional wisdom of heart is simple. When we accept our human feelings, a remarkable transformation occurs. Tenderness and wisdom arise naturally and spontaneously. Where we once sought strength over others, now our strength becomes our own; where we once sought to defend ourselves, we laugh. Allowing room for our dependency and needs brings forth hidden wholeness. Happiness and love come naturally in letting go of fear. They bubble up like spring wanter, they spread throughout our being." "To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best to make you everybody else, means to fight the hardest human battle ever and to never stop fighting." e.e. cummings
Today, accept and appreciate your own nature and don't try to pretzel yourself into a shape that doesn't match your nature to earn praise or acceptance. Today, be willing to attend to the important and the difficult. Trust that you do actually know what in your life most needs your attention right now. Although the rewards are great, this process isn't always easy, so don't be surprised, worried, or distracted by the emotions that may arise for you: fear, resentment, resistance, frustration, blame, guilt, weariness, the desire to escape. Work, one step at a time, with plenty of breaks and self-acceptance and a not-too-rigid outline of timelines or final results. You are attended by Love who helps you see truth and gives you courage, humor, and resilience.
Today, in order to counter the sense of dreariness or repetitiveness that can sometimes accompany many of our daily tasks, pay attention to the deeper spiritual purposes of your activities. Your task is most likely an expression of love toward yourself or others. Maybe you are taking steps now that will result in blessings in the future: tilling, planting, and weeding your life. Notice when you are expressing valuable spiritual qualities, such as order, creativity, patience, humility, service, insight, and integrity. In those active spiritual qualities is the vitality, satisfaction, and effectiveness of our work.
Diana Winston, director of mindfulness education at UCLA, uses this version of the lovingkindness prayer/meditation:
May I be happy. May I be peaceful. May I be safe and protected from danger. May I be healthy and strong. May I be at ease. (Do this slowly and sincerely, feeling your blessing permeating your being.) Then, include others: May we be happy. May we be peaceful. May we be safe and protected from danger. May we be healthy and strong. May we be at ease. Today, feel Love as your Comforter. Love comforts anything that is unsettled in your body. Love comforts anything that is unsettled in your heart. Love comforts your busy, planning mind. Feel the active and powerful presence of this comfort.
If you have a moment in which you feel you have received more love or generosity than you think deserve, instead of feeling unworthy or rejecting it in any way, accept it. Say thank you. Today, even though you do not feel as if you know how to effectively pray for yourself or others, Love itself prays for you and those you love. Love is attending to and restoring your spirit, mind, heart, body with great wisdom and tenderness.
Today, when you feel overcome by all the problems and issues you don't know how to solve, all the questions for which you don't have answers, let them go and begin by feeling yourself deeply loved by Love. Take a vacation from your rumination and bask in the sunshine of Love embracing you. Then, when you feel Love around you and alive in you, as a presence and a certainty, then feel that same Love embracing any person for which you have a concern. Do that before you devise any advice or solutions.
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AuthorTarn Wilson is the author of the memoir The Slow Farm and numerous essays. You may read more of her work at tarnwilson.com. Archives
September 2020
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