An Open Heart
I wrote a piece for Facebook that I didn’t want in this
space. I intentionally kept it off this blog because I want to step away from
politics and bring this space back to its purpose. I had a few last words about
the election that I felt were important to say and I wanted to say them before
I get to the work that is in front of me. That thing doesn’t go with this
thing. I’m trying to start fresh here but my human side wouldn’t just let it go
first. We will call it an ego problem. I’m honest if I’m anything.
So having said all that I want to point out that I am just
like you. I am a work in progress. I don’t know what the end result of that
progress will be in this lifetime. What I hope to achieve is an open heart.
I don’t have to tell you all the ways prejudice effects my
progress. If you’ve read here, you know. I am intolerant of intolerance. I
abhor ignorance. It has always been important to me to know for myself. The
thought of formal education feels murderous to my soul. It is hard for me to
accept that others are not like that. It is hard for me to accept that people
will walk through life blindly without trying to find truth for themselves. But
then again what is truth? My conversations have always been short with anyone
that does not share my values. I’ve felt it a waste of my time to get to know
these people. I know you all know this about me. It is my cross. The thing is I
want to do something about all this.
I’m here to suggest that we all examine our prejudices and
be honest with ourselves. You don’t have to share what they are like I did but
you have to be very frank about them with yourself. I think if we all do this
we will be able to do something that has never been done. We can all open our
hearts and face one another with love and welcome.
Prejudice is manmade. It isn’t a real thing. What is
prejudice? It is just what it says. Prejudgment. Not one person alive ought to
judge the soul of another but we do it all day. We all walk our own paths. We
all fight our own demons. We all are damaged in some way. It is the human
condition. If we didn’t judge the souls of others and we saw the beauty in
those around us, the witness to that beauty might be all a soul needs to bring
it forward and let it lead. That includes all manner of people, those thought
both good and evil. We cannot know because this is not what we do.
How many times in a day, a week or a month have you truly
opened your heart to another person? How many times have you looked at others
without any judgment? How many times have you met a person and automatically
recognized them first for the brilliance of their soul? How many times have you
looked at the people in your family and just accepted them exactly as they are
without any feeling that you need to change them? This is your family we are
talking about and I bet you cannot say never even to that.
If you are down to try a little experiment with me, here’s
what we will do for the next week:
1. Smile at every stranger and in the quiet of your
mind, just say to them, Hello Soul.
2.
Do not prejudge a single soul. Not those you
know. Not those you meet this week. Not those who you know have done terrible
things and also those you know who have done awesome works. Just don’t judge
them either way.
3.
Forgive yourself for whatever you feel you need
forgiveness for and don’t take it back.
4.
Send love to the people of the world you do not
personally know. Send it to those you both agree & disagree with and to
those you don’t know either way because you don’t know their reputation at all.
5.
Think on the people who you feel have wronged
you and send them love like beams of light straight to their hearts.
6.
If you cannot do #5 do this meditation:
Imagine you are walking to a playground and as you walk you
get younger and younger until you are about 4 years old. Imagine yourself
playing with your friends and other children that you do not know. Now for a
second think about those people who you cannot send love to. Picture now that
they are walking towards you on the playground and as they get closer they get
younger and younger until they are also 4 years old. Now spend some time
watching them play. See their innocence. See their childlike perfection that
has yet to become a person who in the future might hurt you. Now think about
people you have hurt in your past and see them walking towards you growing
smaller as they get closer. Now you all play together. Think about that time
when you were all innocent with no intent to hurt anyone and yet we all have.
None of us have made it through life causing zero harm to others. We are all
just innocent children on a playground wanting to just be loved as we are. Now
join hands with everyone on the playground and walk yourself back to the
present. Try to keep this innocence with you.
7.
Try as hard as you can to just give love for
this one week. Forget about why you feel any sort of judgment against any
person or any group of people. Doesn’t matter what they’ve done or what you
think they might do.
8.
Every time you fall off this love wagon just
remember to get back on. I know just like you, I will be falling off a lot and
having to saddle back up. I am going to give it my all and I hope you will too.
9.
This week I turn 50 and this is the gift I’m
giving to myself. I’ll be happy to accept the same gift from you.
Let the games begin and the hearts start to open.
The light within me salutes the light within you.
PeAcE