Tag: heart

Editing ourselves

Karl DuffyLeave a comment

One of  the members of our group worked as an editor for a local magazine. She arrived often carrying bundles of page proofs from her still-unfinished work at the office. One wintry evening she was the first to speak: “It’s like we’re all trying to be editors over our emotions. We look ourselves over and decide what gets to stay and what has to go. We move from first drafts to smoothly polished paragraphs by crossing out certain grammatical mistakes and supplementing the weaker parts of the prose. When it comes to feelings and meditation, we’re all desperately trying to edit ourselves for improvement!“

Gaylon Ferguson, Natural Wakefulness

On staying open today

Karl DuffyLeave a comment

assisi cloisterA lot of the time we practice with what we don’t know, rather than what we do. Some situations in life, or in our day, are not clear. Our practice is to hold open a space, not rushing the answer, allowing the situation or the person to go through the necessary process at its own pace.

The quest for certainty blocks the search for meaning.
Uncertainty is the very condition to impel man to unfold his powers.

 Erich Fromm

Bare awareness

Karl DuffyLeave a comment

Looking Outside

If everything is noted, all your emotional difficulties will disappear.

When you feel happy, don’t get involved with your happiness.

And when you feel sad, don’t get involved with it.

Whatever comes, don’t worry. Just be aware of it.

Dipa Ma, Knee Deep in Grace

More on being kind to ourselves

Karl Duffy1 Comment

acceptWhen we apply the instruction to be soft and nonjudgmental to whatever we see at this very moment, the embarrassing reflection in the mirror becomes our friend. We soften further and lighten up more, because we know it’s the only way we can continue to work with others and be of any benefit in the world. This is the beginning of growing up.

Pema Chodron, Comfortable with Uncertainty

Exploring new areas

Karl Duffy1 Comment

thresholdIn Celtic folk tales a curse that could happen to a person was to get stuck in a field and not be able to get back out of it, to be stuck in that place for ever. It was seen as a definite curse to be unable to venture or to change. We all know this experience in some small way; we all get ourselves stuck in routines and habits that act like shackles. We all refuse to open our eyes to the vision that is before us; too often we select what we hear and what we respond to. The open gate is the opposite of this. It is the invitation to adventure and to grow, the call to be among the living and vital elements of the world. The open gate is the call to explore new areas of yourself and the world around you. It is a challenge to come and discover that the world and ourselves are filled with mystery …. The open gate is the choice that  is always … before us.  It is a sign of the opportunity that is ours.

David Adam, The Open Gate

Training the mind

Karl DuffyLeave a comment

30481195_e1fd7690bbListening to your own heart is really very interesting. This untrained heart races around following its own habits. It jumps about excitedly, randomly, because it has never been trained. Train your heart!…Meditation is about the heart; it’s about developing the heart or mind, about developing your own heart. This is very, very important.

Ajahn Chah, Food for the Heart