"When experience is viewed in a certain way, it presents nothing but doorways into the domain of the soul." - John Kabat-Zinn.
Openness means being receptive. Life will present you with innumerable lessons, none of which will be useful to you unless you recognize them and are open to their inherent value. These lessons will show up every day of your life, and as difficult as some of them may be you need to change your perception and come to see them as gifts,or guides along your path toward living as your authentic self.
Hundreds of people experience the profound transformation that comes when they understand that every event in their lives occurs to teach them something about themselves. When you accept the lessons that life brings you, no matter how unpleasant or challenging they may be, you take the crucial first step toward finding your true self and your purpose. You begin to cultivate the essential attitude of openness.
Each person's lessons are always self-evident; it is just a matter of what lenses the person is wearing at the time. If they are wearing the lenses of resistance, they may become angry or bitter and this stubborness will prevent their personal growth. IF they are wearing the lenses of openness and clear discernment, they will gain a deeper understanding of what different life situations can teach them.
It is easy to spot those lessons that you perceive as opportunities, because they are attractive. Getting a big promotion at work does present certain lessons, such as responsibility and willingness. Embarking on a new love affair presents some lessons, like trust and compromise. Becoming a parent for the first time teaches the lessons of patience and discipline. These lessons are easily recognized because they come wrapped in attractive packages. Being open to these lessons isn't so hard.
More difficult to recognize are the lessons that make it seem as though you are getting a raw deal from life. These lessons come wrapped in less attractive packages and tend to cause most people to quickly put on their resistance lenses. When you are not open to seeing your lessons, losing your job looks like a catastrophe rather than an opportunity to learn the lessons of forgiveness or flexibility. Experiencing heartbreak can look like a crisis, rather than a hint to learn the lessons of kindness or unattachment. Becoming a parent for the first time to a child who is disabled can appear to be punishment, rather than a chance to learn about healing or support. While the less attractive lessons may not be fun, they can actually be the biggest gifts you receive.
For me, the lesson that came up recently is patience. I knew it was a lesson I needed to learn because I constantly found myself in situations in which I felt rushed, irritated and annoyed. I needed to learn this one, but every time it presented itself, I seemed to get those resistance glasses on before I was able to see the opportunity to work it out. I was convinced that this particular situation was one in which I really, really needed to get things done my way quickly, and that my resulting frustration had absolutely nothing to do with my needing to learn the lesson of patience. The lesson was camouflaged by my resistance.
How can we move from resistance to openness?
By first recognizing the feeling of resistance. Resistance usually manifests itself physically in clenched jaw, a tightness in the chest, or sighing. Mentally, it shows up in thoughts like, " Why do I have to deal with this issue? I don't want this, I don't need it, I don't like it!" Once you discover where in your mind or body resistance anchors itself, you can more easily identify it in the future.
The next step is to remind yourself that you have a choice. You can either continue with this resistance and feel badly or you can learn whatever the lesson is there to teach you. Presenting yourself with a choice allows you to see that you have control over your resistance and how you choose to deal with life's challenges.
The last step is to ask yourself, "Am I willing to give up the resistance and learn whatever lesson is presenting itself?"Remember, if you want to truly live from your authentic self, you must be open to learning all the lessons you are given so that you may grow into the person you want to become.
What lessons are you resisting?
Openness means being receptive. Life will present you with innumerable lessons, none of which will be useful to you unless you recognize them and are open to their inherent value. These lessons will show up every day of your life, and as difficult as some of them may be you need to change your perception and come to see them as gifts,or guides along your path toward living as your authentic self.
Hundreds of people experience the profound transformation that comes when they understand that every event in their lives occurs to teach them something about themselves. When you accept the lessons that life brings you, no matter how unpleasant or challenging they may be, you take the crucial first step toward finding your true self and your purpose. You begin to cultivate the essential attitude of openness.
Each person's lessons are always self-evident; it is just a matter of what lenses the person is wearing at the time. If they are wearing the lenses of resistance, they may become angry or bitter and this stubborness will prevent their personal growth. IF they are wearing the lenses of openness and clear discernment, they will gain a deeper understanding of what different life situations can teach them.
It is easy to spot those lessons that you perceive as opportunities, because they are attractive. Getting a big promotion at work does present certain lessons, such as responsibility and willingness. Embarking on a new love affair presents some lessons, like trust and compromise. Becoming a parent for the first time teaches the lessons of patience and discipline. These lessons are easily recognized because they come wrapped in attractive packages. Being open to these lessons isn't so hard.
More difficult to recognize are the lessons that make it seem as though you are getting a raw deal from life. These lessons come wrapped in less attractive packages and tend to cause most people to quickly put on their resistance lenses. When you are not open to seeing your lessons, losing your job looks like a catastrophe rather than an opportunity to learn the lessons of forgiveness or flexibility. Experiencing heartbreak can look like a crisis, rather than a hint to learn the lessons of kindness or unattachment. Becoming a parent for the first time to a child who is disabled can appear to be punishment, rather than a chance to learn about healing or support. While the less attractive lessons may not be fun, they can actually be the biggest gifts you receive.
For me, the lesson that came up recently is patience. I knew it was a lesson I needed to learn because I constantly found myself in situations in which I felt rushed, irritated and annoyed. I needed to learn this one, but every time it presented itself, I seemed to get those resistance glasses on before I was able to see the opportunity to work it out. I was convinced that this particular situation was one in which I really, really needed to get things done my way quickly, and that my resulting frustration had absolutely nothing to do with my needing to learn the lesson of patience. The lesson was camouflaged by my resistance.
How can we move from resistance to openness?
By first recognizing the feeling of resistance. Resistance usually manifests itself physically in clenched jaw, a tightness in the chest, or sighing. Mentally, it shows up in thoughts like, " Why do I have to deal with this issue? I don't want this, I don't need it, I don't like it!" Once you discover where in your mind or body resistance anchors itself, you can more easily identify it in the future.
The next step is to remind yourself that you have a choice. You can either continue with this resistance and feel badly or you can learn whatever the lesson is there to teach you. Presenting yourself with a choice allows you to see that you have control over your resistance and how you choose to deal with life's challenges.
The last step is to ask yourself, "Am I willing to give up the resistance and learn whatever lesson is presenting itself?"Remember, if you want to truly live from your authentic self, you must be open to learning all the lessons you are given so that you may grow into the person you want to become.
What lessons are you resisting?
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