If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher. –Pema Chodron
Hello, spiritual warrior!!! This week we explore healing our heart. We have all been through heartbreak, heartache, and the dissolution of a dream. We need to grieve our losses. But we don’t need to live in the pain or define ourselves by those losses.
The bodhicitta rests inside – our noble, awakened heart rests at the core of our being. All of our heart healing comes from the seed of the bodhicitta. And here are seven tender steps to start that healing process:
- Meditate. Spend time in stillness & silence. Allow a break in your pain. Give yourself the gift of communing with your most divine self.
- Breathe. Throughout the day –as you feel your chest constrict or your belly ache – stop, take a long slow deep breath in, and sigh as you exhale. Release your pain. Release your sadness.
- Make peace with your pain. The most common response we have to our heart pain is leap beyond it with a rebound relationship, emotional eating, or building walls to protect us. All three are short-term solutions that will not nourish you for more than a few minutes. Accept the pain, grieve, cry, sit with your sadness and allow it to teach you.
- Shift your attention from your own situation to some one else. Reach out to someone you know who is suffering. Flow your compassion out into the world – and see how much easier it is receive self-compassion when you have been rooting for others’ suffering to end.
- Pump up the volume. Turn up your favorite music. Dance. Rock it out. Music is a power healer and your favorite tunes will always have a comforting effect and drift you out of your malaise.
- Keep your awareness on your heart. Don’t allow your pain to define you. It’s okay to visit the land of wounds & hurt; but no one benefits by living there. When you realize that you’ve been sitting in pain for more than a few hours – change up your activities and revisit steps 1-5.
- Forgive someone who hurt you. Forgive yourself. Remember the Sufi poet Hafiz’s words: when all of your desires are distilled, you will have but two choices: to love more & to be happy.
If you can commit to these seven steps, you will heal in a nourishing way. And slowly – I guarantee it – you will gently move through your pain. If you find yourself struggling right now, join me in June and, together, we’ll take your life to the next level. And of course join me & peaches – the Buddha princess on Thursdays at 11a PST/2p EST on Hay House Radio.
In the meantime, let’s stay connected. Feel free to share this email with anyone you know who may be in emotional pain. I’ll see you in the gap! Peace. -davidji
P.S. Enjoy the oldie-but-goodie video.