Open : allow : some thoughts

You can open your heart to your pain.. Whatever you have suffered please know your pain is important and that is heard, when you allow yourself to give it a place. I know in my own life there were so many painful experiences that went down.. So often I had to tough it all out alone, I had no one to turn to at all and even if I did I would not have known how to turn to someone and ask..

I read a lovely piece of writing by Buddhist Monk Thich Nhat Hanh today in which he said if we are suffering or someone else is suffering its best to be honest and own that while asking for help,or simply to be heard.. If someone else is suffering instead of trying to minimize it or ‘fix’ or change it why not just say .. “I am so sorry you are suffering, what can I do?” or “You are not alone. I care!” The person may not know but at least you acknowledged where they are and were present for them. That is all anyone really wants.

I had to say this to my sister today.. I told her I am there for her even though I cannot fix or change things.. I will still think of the kind thing to do and do it when I feel well enough and full up enough myself to give, but I must also nourish myself, attend to my heart and be honest.. as well as open to my own pain.. Too often the critic steps in when I am suffering, it makes my pain worse by how it speaks to me..

Today I was also reading something written by Joyce Meyer on giving ourselves encouragement.. Even when we face storms we must tell ourselves we can cope, that we do have the capacity.. In the end its about being a loving mother and father to ourselves, not drowning in self pity but simply acknowledging the emotional truth even when tough..

And then there is the our loving mother and father in the forces of nature and sun wind and sky that can help us too.. Sometimes for me stepping out into the elements is what most refreshs my soul.. Its all about moving, opening up and breathing in.. When I do the opposite : contract, close up and shut down things cannot flow..

Lately I am trying my best to find the ways to open, to stop swallowing down pain and to giving a voice without guilt or shame to what is REALLY GOING ON DEEP INSIDE OF ME. This for me is how I get to move through and with the force of healing instead of blocking it up and resisting it.. By allowing it I let it be and breathe fresh air, I allow at the same time an open field in which it can transform. By not attaching to it or holding onto it so tightly with my mind that also allows the pain I feel to change slowly over time into something else.. I do not have to bite down hard on things I do not have to hold on so tightly sometimes I can just trust if I allow life to flow in time it will flow and expand in wonderful new and possibly joy filled directions..