Tag: Fearlessness

Learning to Soar.

I once stood at the edge of a very high cliff and thought, “I wonder if birds experience the same?”

Meaning, I wonder if they suffer from the same sense of nervousness – that fear of stepping off into the unknown.

Does their stomach flip as they contemplate the leap? Or, are they far too transfixed by the possibility of freedom?

Do they dream over the currents beneath their wings long before they’ve ever learned to fly?

Perhaps, there is something to be learned, my loves from these, our ‘fearless explorers’?

“You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves,” shares poet, Mary Oliver. “Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting – over and over announcing your place in the family of things.”

Though, all to often, we barter our moments against the promise of ‘another day.’

Meanwhile, those who do not hesitate – soar.

This Blessing of Heart.

I remember listening to a lecture once given by American Buddhist nun, Pema Chodron. The topic was that of vulnerability, more specifically — maintaining fearlessness in uncertain times.

“When I was about six years old I received the essential bodhichitta teaching from an old woman sitting in the sun,” she shared. ‘I was walking by her house one day feeling lonely, unloved, and mad, kicking anything I could find. Laughing, she said to me, “Little girl, don’t you go letting life harden your heart.”

It marked the beginning of her lifelong appreciation and discourse regarding the role of attitude within more difficult circumstances.

“Little girl, don’t you go letting life harden your heart.”

Oh, my goodness – how often I’ve felt the very same thing. That no matter the perceived enormity of our challenges, there is always a choice to be made.

That is to say, we can either let these events to harden us — to cause us to become jaded against the wonders of this life and this world; OR — we can allow these situations to soften our hearts, to create a space for compassion to grow.

Facing that which frightens us can seem an insurmountable task. Though, it’s in these moments when we brush against our ‘edges’ that we realize our capacity to grow.

Instead of, as she terms it, building “protective walls made of opinions, prejudices, and strategies” to avoid being deeply hurt. We should, instead, gather the strength to deepen awareness, understanding and compassion for ourselves and others as we navigate through our bodhichitta process.

“The Buddha said that we are never separated from enlightenment,” she offers. “Even at the times we feel most stuck, we are never alienated from the awakened state.”

This is the wisdom, now isn’t it – my darlings. That even in the midst of our most uncertain times we are still empowered to choose.

“Little girl, don’t you go letting life harden your heart.”

Indeed…

Much love, my dearest darlings ~ wishing you the blessing of continuously softened heart.

❤️