Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Earth Heart Healing

Rumi once wrote “there are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.” This for me is a natural remedy for my “dis-being-at-ease” or mental disease. I sometimes visualize a vibrant white light with mystical power mending my broken heart. My deepest suffering comes from my trauma associated with my family of origin and what we are doing to this planet. Accepting this suffering is my first step toward liberation. The power of healing spirit surrounds us if only we can skillfully perform a sort of heart surgery. Since all our “issues are in the tissues” what about the ongoing involuntary circulatory pump that symbolizes not just our compassion but also the source of courage.

I believe we are at critical time where the spirit of earth is knocking at our individual and collective doors. Can we allow it in?

This spirit is wonderfully described in Rumi’s poem “Guest House.”

This being human is a guest house.
Every day a new arrival.

A joy, depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame , the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes.
Because each has been sent
As a guide from beyond.


Have you ever sensed that you have guide from beyond helping you? Not as a form of mental torture yet a door to freedom. The hardest thing in my life is to face my darkest shadow. So I welcome my guide. The question is can I quiet my mind and listen to my heart for this too is my guide. For me my torture can only be calmed by allowing spirit to come in and touch my soul. This spirit comes from the mystery; the wind or just simple beautiful bird at your window. Can we be awake and listen to its silence to let it in?

Sometimes I get very anxious when I look back on all the lost opportunities I have had due to this shadow of fear. From loss, grief, sadness, and the hardest place the unborn part of my heart. Flipping to the opposite side of this emotion, I wish to liberate myself by opening my heart to a new place. Beyond, forgiveness, shame to place of possibility where I can serve what is true deep in my soul.

Only if I am gentle with myself and not so self absorbed can this miracle occur. I guess a revolution of kindness is at our door step waiting to enter if we can just trust our guides. Yes, people are generous in crisis, such as hurricanes, death and many other forms of natural and human forms of disasters. However, our very earth and body are screaming out to be seen, heard, healed and prayed for.

The earth today is filled with increased stress and constant pressure. Our fast-paced world has heightened mental illness since there is less normal balance. Simply we can suffer from greater, illness, injury and tension. However, we can find the eye or I of the hurricane in response to the little everyday problems, noise and increased demands. Our stress is self inflicted and caused by our emotional reactions to events. The key is to change our relationship to these events with a new attitude of “its no big deal or no worries.”

Quieting my mind and listening to my heart is how I have been reframing my stress. If I can show up with the good and bad while treating them as equals. Showing up to what Awakening to my heartbeat I can learn how to manage it and reverse the damage stress and worry can cause. I believe the all wise and enlightened being have found peace this way. If I can step into the consciousness of the heart the more time I can to run the deep with inner peace.

Wise teachers from the beginning of time I learned about the power of this emotional regulation or mending our broken hearts. Just focusing on positive feelings such as appreciation, care, or compassion, I can create dramatic changes in my heart rhythms. This process allows me to alter a series of neural, hormonal, and biochemical events. This lessens my stress and anger and leads to my greater well-being. There is a chain of biological changes including lessening blood pressure and stress hormone levels. I can increase my immune system activity, and anti-aging hormones by simply focusing on my heart energy.

If I can how to engage in my heart more I bring my emotion, body, and mind into balance. Quieting my mind and listening to my heart brings focused clarity, optimal health, and high performance. Also allowing me to accept my shadows provides me with the courage to be present to even the greatest things that haunt me. Whether things are a blessing or a curse, I challenge what Rumi suggests,

Be grateful for whatever comes.
Because each has been sent
As a guide from beyond.

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