A closed heart creates a barrier between heart and mind that allows us to tell ourselves that we are all separate and different, rather than feeling the pain of how much we share similar hurts and yearnings. To experience compassion and lovingkindness as integral parts of daily life means to allow our hearts to open and let in the reality that we all have the capacity to feel rejection, humiliation, fear, rage, love, desire, hunger, and joy.

Fortunately, there is a comforting paradox at work here: the more you open your heart, the more flexible and resilient you become in the face of life’s daily challenges and unexpected demands. What develops is similar to the difference between a tree that is stiff and brittle and one that is supple and able to bend. The first tree is at risk for injury in high winds and storms; the second has a much better chance of surviving intact.

~ Nancy Napier, “Sacred Practices for Conscious Living, 2nd Edition”

Iguazu Falls from Argentina Side, photo from bigstockphoto.com