Breathe in the Dark, Breathe out the Light
Most of us run from pain, do all kinds of things to avoid it and sometimes the cure for the pain is worse than pain itself in the end. How can we truly feel joy if we never experience pain? I am learning to breathe in those dark, emotional, and sometimes intense feelings and breathe out the release of joy. I do not stay in either place, I just breathe. Life must have contrast, it must have decision, but it is our choice how we will approach that contrast and make those decisions. With resistance, anger, resentment, we can power our way past the pain, or gently, lovingly, with grace, we feel the pain and release joy.
“Today I will breathe in the pain and breathe out the joy, taking in the pain for myself and others and releasing joy for myself and others. This is my gift to myself and the world.”
Keep Silent
Today in my reading of “Becoming Bodhisattvas” by Pema Chodron, I read this: Mindful speech can be a difficult practice, speaking honestly is hard, but but to speak with MODERATION is an even greater challenge. It can be embarrassing to see how much prejudice we convey with words. Without blame, guilt, or justification, If we […]
Resentment Steals Our Joy
Joy is always present, it is our attitude that either allows us to share in the joyful things in the world around us, or closes us off from that joy, choosing to stay in our pain, resentment, bitterness. Who suffers most when we choose negativity? Us, of course! The object of our resentments usually has […]
Words
Our words have the power to uplift, inspire, heal, comfort. They also have the power to destroy, frighten, intimidate, harm. Too often our words come rushing forth before we ourselves have thought about the consequences of those words. Our reactions born out of our own frustration, anger, pain, sadness. When we make the commitment to […]
Fresh Eyes
I was reminded this weekend about the gift of a fresh perspective. Getting out of your comfort zone and embracing uncomfortability can be what it takes to lift the veil of complacent or rigid thinking to a new, fresh, clear mind. Instead of writing the story of what you do not want to experience, pushing […]