Refections from JTTP's theme on rebirth
As I reflected on this past month’s ‘Journey to the Peak’ theme of “rebirth”, I see how a lot came through. I then stumbled upon and anatomically corrected emoji heart. This heart is what reminded me of our need to continually open our hearts. Each breath becoming a rebirth, an opening to the expressions of the heart.
At the beginning of the month we started with Mark Nepo’s Continuum of the seed cracking until fully open in support of our courageous hearts to blossom open! We then dove into remembering each moment is a rebirth, and a gift. We were reminded by Kyle MacDonald and his red paper clip TED talk that each of us have many gifts. That we, ourself, are a gift and to not hold that gift back from the world. And last week we explored rebirth through haikus, poems, and story.
From the emoji to remembering all of these past wonderful weeks, something beautiful transpired within myself. I can only explain it as Source coming through me.
Spirit had me write:
“This is a constant request that we must make of ourselves everyday. For our survival and for the survival of the human race, and the planet. That might sound extreme, but it’s needed and I invited everyone in my classes to start simple, to start within.
Breathe.
What has ever made your heart close?
What makes your heart open?
Practice calling into your heart and mind all that opens your wells of compassion, love, and empathy.
Practice acknowledging where you’ve been hurt, where you’ve been heartbroken, so you can repair, mend, and heal.
Practice wrapping everything in you with Light, warmth, and a smile; No matter how awkward or difficult that feels now, practice so that later it becomes habit/ritual.
Acknowledge the fear of being hurt again.
Release; you won’t be the same in the future.
Practicing that keeping your heart closed blocks the Light and let’s the pain penetrate deeper. This is to practice vulnerability, awareness, acceptance, and unconditional positive regard for ones Self, unconditional love.
And this takes a courageous heart!”
We have to leave space. Space so that the light can get in, and space so that we can be receptive to love.
We also have to leave space so that what is hurting can get out.
Rumi said it so beautifully:
“Very little grows on jagged rock. Be ground. Be crumbled. So wildflowers will come up where you are. You’ve been stony for too many years. Try something different. Surrender.”
Be crumbled. Let the seed crack so it can blossom. Rumi also said,
“You have to keep breaking your heart until it opens.”
How do you open your heart? How do you keep it open?
Some of the things we explored as ways to create open heart were:
- Doing something you love
- Stop doing the things you don’t love
- Stop hurting and blaming yourself
- Start loving yourself
- Connect with loving people
- Share a hug or smile
- Uphold wonder and curiosity
- Name a gratitude, name 20 more gratitudes!
- Name something you love about yourself
- Name something you love about your friend
- Name something you love about your partner
- Name something you love about your pets
What else has opened your heart? How else do you try to keep your heart open? Another way I try to keep my heart open is to really allow myself to feel. To feel all the wide array of human emotions. This is why it takes a courageous heart.
“Even if your hands are shaking, and your faith is broken. Even as the eyes are closing, do it with a heart wide open.”-John Mayer
“No bird can fly without opening its wings, and no one can love without exposing their hearts.”-Mark Nepo
With an open heart,
Shawna 
Breathe and Believe.