I yearn to be held
In the great hands of your heart-
Oh let them take me now.
Into them I place these fragments, my life.
~Rilke
receiving gentle whispers from a caring heart makes all the difference between getting by and thriving…….may we know peace, be held, and carry each other along……
When we feel held by a caring presence, by something larger than our small frightened self, we begin to find room in our own heart for the fragments of our life, ad for the lives of others. The suffering that might have seemed “too much” can awaken us to the sweetness of compassion. When we feel disconnected and afraid, we long for the comfort and peace that come from belonging to something larger and more powerful. When we are suffering and turn to prayer, no matter what the apparent reasons for our pain, the basic cause is always the same: We feel separate and alone. We reach out to be relieved of this pain of isolation. Celtic poet and scholar John O’Donohue writes, “Prayer is the voice of longing; it reaches outwards and inwards to unearth our ancient belonging.” This is a beautiful description of what I call mindful prayer. We reach not just outward to know our belonging, but with mindful prayer we also turn inward and listen deeply to the suffering that is giving rise to our prayer. When we are willing to touch the pain of separation, our longing carries us to the tender and compassionate presence that is our awakened nature. ~Tara Brach
It is a wonderful day in a life
when one’s finally able to stand
before the long, deep mirror of one’s’ own reflection
and view oneself
with appreciation, acceptance, and forgiveness.
On that day
one breaks through the falsity of images and expectation
which have blinded one’s spirit.
One can only learn to see who one is
when one learns to view oneself
with the most intimate and forgiving
compassion.
~John O’Donohue
