Today's DailyOM Offerings...
February 11, 2010
A Year to Live
Stephen Levine
1997
Working at the bedside of the dying for over 25 years, Stephen Levine and his wife Ondrea saw the same recurring phenomena repeat itself: egocentric thinking giving way to newfound awareness of human relationships as more precious than possessions, and a longing for "just one more year" to set life aright. Levine and his wife came to the conclusion that if we could work at imagining we had but one year to live-if we were to do all the exercises possible to enhance and deepen this sense of imminent death-we might be able to achieve this transformation long before actually dying and thus get the most from our precious years on earth. A Year to Live is the result of their study, offering tools for life "to deepen compassion and forgiveness, and most importantly to cultivate the ability to live each moment as if it were your last." The three-disc set of A Year to Live is a great way to absorb this information, as the more you listen the more it becomes a part of yo! u.
Levine reads in a measured, relaxed tone that inspires trust and confidence as he takes you through intense realms where mortality is acknowledged as transient by definition. In Levine's practice, we move into this sense of impermanence, so that "the years that follow might be less confined to old ways, to limited expressions of the heart, to shallow investigations of the mind." Levine patiently explores the ways we learn to let go of attachment to personal things like objects, positions, money, and power to see the world in terms of love, wisdom, and forgiveness. It's scary, even terrifying stuff to let go of on that fundamental level of consciousness. But once done, all fear leaves forever, replaced by a something stronger than steeliness, more unshakable than mere courage: a universal love that comes from realizing your true face, the one you had "before you were born."
"In truth, death is a finely polished mirror for the heart to embrace the mind, and fear arises around issues of control," Levine notes. "Indeed death reminds us to pay attention, that there is more spaciousness in letting go than there is protection in holding fast, in holding out, in holding in." The three-disc set concludes with insight into the "Tibetan Phowa Practice," or practice of conscious dying, which "melts the crown of the skull and breaks free like an uncaged bird soaring into a boundless sky." Consider A Year to Live the birdcall that leads you skyward. Even the most blissful meditation will run aground if the practitioner hasn't confronted and acknowledged his or her own mortality. As scary as it sounds, Levine's plan is actually the key to accessing fearlessness and unlimited joy.
February 11, 2010
Accepting What Is
Sagittarius Daily Horoscope
Today may be the day you are called upon to put your faith in the universe. Your thoughts may be filled with visions of failure and mishaps that will likely never occur, yet you may nonetheless be devastated by all you see in your mind’s eye. To regain your peace of mind, consider that there are often two sides of life-one that you can affect and one that is beyond the reach of your influence. Should you feel anxious today, simply remind yourself that you have no doubt done all you can to prepare yourself for unexpected contingencies, and the universe will likely come to your aid when needed. Your belief in universal goodness can make facing challenges a breeze.
One of the simplest ways to eradicate worry is to recognize that we can only do so much because the facets of our lives that we have complete control over are limited. There are times in life where we must face circumstances that will stymie us emotionally and intellectually and strain our resources. When we choose to consider such situations constructively rather than react with anger or despair, we can determine whether we should take action or request the benevolent aid of a loving universe. We can take solace in the fact that we are doing all we can to protect ourselves and maintain our well-being, and enjoy the security of knowing we are not alone in our vulnerabilities. We can move forward without fear today when we accept that some circumstances are beyond our power.
February 11, 2010
Open Heart
Returning Home
Approaching life with an open heart means that we have opened the door to a greater consciousness within ourselves.
Spiritual teachers have always pointed to the heart as the seat of consciousness, and recently Western science has found evidence to support this realization. It turns out that the heart has its own central nervous system and is not simply under the rule of the brain as formerly believed. Anyone who has taken the time to explore the heart knows this and, more important, has realized that the heart is the source of our connection to a consciousness greater than the ego. Approaching life with an open heart means that we have opened the door to this greater consciousness, taking up residence alongside it in the seat of our soul. Fortunately, at this time there is a lot of support for this shift energetically as well as practically. To some degree, approaching life with an open heart is as simple as shifting your attention onto your heart.
Eventually you will be able do this any time, any place, but at first it may help to try it in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Simply sit with your eyes closed and draw your breath into your heart. As your breath expands your chest cavity, your heart expands and opens. You may feel tenderness or sadness in your heart, and you may also feel relief. Any emotions that arise can be effectively witnessed and healed through the meditation process, which benefits both your physical heart and your energetic heart. The more you practice, the more you will find your heart opening to your own presence and to all the situations your life brings.
When we open our hearts, they may feel tender and vulnerable, which simply means that they need our loving attention as we cleanse and heal them of past hurts and blockages. This process asks us to practice some of the heart’s greatest lessons-patience, compassion, and unconditional love. On the other hand, we may take up residence as effortlessly as a bird returns to its nest. Either way, approaching life with an open heart simply means returning to our true home.
A Year to Live
Stephen Levine
1997
Working at the bedside of the dying for over 25 years, Stephen Levine and his wife Ondrea saw the same recurring phenomena repeat itself: egocentric thinking giving way to newfound awareness of human relationships as more precious than possessions, and a longing for "just one more year" to set life aright. Levine and his wife came to the conclusion that if we could work at imagining we had but one year to live-if we were to do all the exercises possible to enhance and deepen this sense of imminent death-we might be able to achieve this transformation long before actually dying and thus get the most from our precious years on earth. A Year to Live is the result of their study, offering tools for life "to deepen compassion and forgiveness, and most importantly to cultivate the ability to live each moment as if it were your last." The three-disc set of A Year to Live is a great way to absorb this information, as the more you listen the more it becomes a part of yo! u.
Levine reads in a measured, relaxed tone that inspires trust and confidence as he takes you through intense realms where mortality is acknowledged as transient by definition. In Levine's practice, we move into this sense of impermanence, so that "the years that follow might be less confined to old ways, to limited expressions of the heart, to shallow investigations of the mind." Levine patiently explores the ways we learn to let go of attachment to personal things like objects, positions, money, and power to see the world in terms of love, wisdom, and forgiveness. It's scary, even terrifying stuff to let go of on that fundamental level of consciousness. But once done, all fear leaves forever, replaced by a something stronger than steeliness, more unshakable than mere courage: a universal love that comes from realizing your true face, the one you had "before you were born."
"In truth, death is a finely polished mirror for the heart to embrace the mind, and fear arises around issues of control," Levine notes. "Indeed death reminds us to pay attention, that there is more spaciousness in letting go than there is protection in holding fast, in holding out, in holding in." The three-disc set concludes with insight into the "Tibetan Phowa Practice," or practice of conscious dying, which "melts the crown of the skull and breaks free like an uncaged bird soaring into a boundless sky." Consider A Year to Live the birdcall that leads you skyward. Even the most blissful meditation will run aground if the practitioner hasn't confronted and acknowledged his or her own mortality. As scary as it sounds, Levine's plan is actually the key to accessing fearlessness and unlimited joy.
February 11, 2010
Accepting What Is
Sagittarius Daily Horoscope
Today may be the day you are called upon to put your faith in the universe. Your thoughts may be filled with visions of failure and mishaps that will likely never occur, yet you may nonetheless be devastated by all you see in your mind’s eye. To regain your peace of mind, consider that there are often two sides of life-one that you can affect and one that is beyond the reach of your influence. Should you feel anxious today, simply remind yourself that you have no doubt done all you can to prepare yourself for unexpected contingencies, and the universe will likely come to your aid when needed. Your belief in universal goodness can make facing challenges a breeze.
One of the simplest ways to eradicate worry is to recognize that we can only do so much because the facets of our lives that we have complete control over are limited. There are times in life where we must face circumstances that will stymie us emotionally and intellectually and strain our resources. When we choose to consider such situations constructively rather than react with anger or despair, we can determine whether we should take action or request the benevolent aid of a loving universe. We can take solace in the fact that we are doing all we can to protect ourselves and maintain our well-being, and enjoy the security of knowing we are not alone in our vulnerabilities. We can move forward without fear today when we accept that some circumstances are beyond our power.
February 11, 2010
Open Heart
Returning Home
Approaching life with an open heart means that we have opened the door to a greater consciousness within ourselves.
Spiritual teachers have always pointed to the heart as the seat of consciousness, and recently Western science has found evidence to support this realization. It turns out that the heart has its own central nervous system and is not simply under the rule of the brain as formerly believed. Anyone who has taken the time to explore the heart knows this and, more important, has realized that the heart is the source of our connection to a consciousness greater than the ego. Approaching life with an open heart means that we have opened the door to this greater consciousness, taking up residence alongside it in the seat of our soul. Fortunately, at this time there is a lot of support for this shift energetically as well as practically. To some degree, approaching life with an open heart is as simple as shifting your attention onto your heart.
Eventually you will be able do this any time, any place, but at first it may help to try it in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Simply sit with your eyes closed and draw your breath into your heart. As your breath expands your chest cavity, your heart expands and opens. You may feel tenderness or sadness in your heart, and you may also feel relief. Any emotions that arise can be effectively witnessed and healed through the meditation process, which benefits both your physical heart and your energetic heart. The more you practice, the more you will find your heart opening to your own presence and to all the situations your life brings.
When we open our hearts, they may feel tender and vulnerable, which simply means that they need our loving attention as we cleanse and heal them of past hurts and blockages. This process asks us to practice some of the heart’s greatest lessons-patience, compassion, and unconditional love. On the other hand, we may take up residence as effortlessly as a bird returns to its nest. Either way, approaching life with an open heart simply means returning to our true home.