Click here to view the embedded video.

That one day, we will live in a world where we recognize all beings as one family.

I have a dream that on that day, when any one of my brothers or sisters, be they known to me or unknown, seen or unseen, animal or human, finds themselves in sorrow for any reason, a dark blossom will flower in my own heart and in yours and yours, until all of creation sways in the darkness of night, together, and together we sing the song of love.

I have a dream that when a brother or sister knows joy for any reason, I find myself also standing under that cascading waterfall and so do you and you and we are each refreshed, nourished, and cleansed by it together, and together we sing the song of love.

I dream that all beings of all the times in all realms have utterly open hearts and are thus capable of living in the great equanimity free from delusion, free from grasping, and free from hatred.

You have a dream.

What is it?

Click here to view the embedded video.

]]> http://www.susanpiver.com/wordpress/2012/01/07/open-2/feed/ 13 http://www.susanpiver.com/wordpress/2012/01/04/seven/ http://www.susanpiver.com/wordpress/2012/01/04/seven/#comments Thu, 05 Jan 2012 02:11:02 +0000 Susan http://www.susanpiver.com/wordpress/?p=3524

Art is a uniquely human endeavor, and act of genius. Art is what we do when we do something for the first time, do it uniquely, and do it to touch someone else. The generosity is built into the act. Painting might be art, pottery might be art, customer service might be art–but none of them are art if all you’re doing is commerce, or phoning it in, or following a manual or a map.

Art is where we expose ourselves, because in addition to being human, we really have no choice but to accept failure. And it’s failure (or the potential for failure) that creates art. When we talk about emulating the bodhisattva, we accept the risk that maybe we won’t touch anyone, won’t shed any light, won’t make a difference.

The only way to do art, real art, is to embrace that risk. To do less is to hide.

This post is #6 in a week of 7 questions that form The Week of Inward Looking. Each day has a different questioner, and a different theme:

Dec 26: Patti Digh On Bendiness
Dec 27 Ken Robert On Shadows
Dec 28 Andrew Mellen On Becoming Organized
Dec 29 Jen Louden On Service
Dec 30 Jonathan Fields On Creativity
Dec 31 Susan Piver On Spirituality
Jan 1 Seth Godin On Becoming an Artist

Today’s question, the 6th in our 7-question series is from moi-self. Tomorrow’s question, on being an artist, is from the beloved and be-respected Seth Godin.

Question: Where, how, and with whom have my spiritual values manifested in 2011? Where, how, and with whom do I wish to express/manifest/share them in 2012?

The Dalai Lama has famously said, “My religion is simple. My religion is kindness.” There are certain qualities that transcend all belief systems and these can be thought of as spiritual values. For me, gentleness (defined as opening to and accepting yourself from moment to moment, feeling what you feel without judgment or agenda), kindness (feeling, knowing, and acting as if all beings are just like me in that they seek love and happiness), and bravery (inviting my fears, confusion, and personal nuttiness as part of the path) are among those values. How about you? How did 2011 meet or defeat your spiritual journey? Where do you long to go in 2012? Use today’s question to lead you further along the path.

This post is #6 in a week of 7 questions that form The Week of Inward Looking. Each day has a different questioner, and a different theme:

Dec 26: Patti Digh On Bendiness
Dec 27 Ken Robert On Shadows
Dec 28 Andrew Mellen On Becoming Organized
Dec 29 Jen Louden On Service
Dec 30 Jonathan Fields On Creativity
Dec 31 Susan Piver On Spirituality
Jan 1 Seth Godin On Becoming an Artist

Today’s question, the 5th in our 7-question series is from Jonathan Fields. Tomorrow’s question, on spirituality is from me.

Question: What have I learned about living the creative life in 2011? And how will it change what and how I create moving forward?

I was somehow delivered into this life with the mad Jones to create, but not the ability to handle the process without a fair amount of anxiety. To do what I’m here to do, I figured, I’d have to suffer. But, I’ve now come to a different understanding. Action in the face of uncertainty is essential to creation. To life, really. How we experience that walk into the unknown is much more a matter of choice and practice. We can choose to frame and experience it not just as pain, but as elevation. It’s not easy, but the question isn’t whether it’s easy, it’s whether it’s worth the effort. I’m very much in the beginning of this learning, but so far, the reward has far outpaced the effort. So, as we move into a new year, what would you venture to create if you felt equipped to handle whatever the process brought you? –Jonathan Fields

Feel free to post your thoughts below or on our FB page where you can also read others’ (wonderful) answers.

I have a lot of thoughts about creativity and meditation. Check the video for my little riff and also for meditation instruction. Please sign up for The Open Heart Project for ongoing meditation instruction.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Dec 26: Patti Digh On Bendiness
Dec 27 Ken Robert On Shadows
Dec 28 Andrew Mellen On Becoming Organized
Dec 29 Jen Louden On Service
Dec 30 Jonathan Fields On Creativity
Dec 31 Susan Piver On Spirituality
Jan 1 Seth Godin On Becoming an Artist

Next week I will return to posting 2x per week.

Today’s question, the 4th in our 7-question series is from Jennifer Louden. Tomorrow’s question, on creativity, is from Jonathan Fields. Stay tuned!

Question: How did I serve in 2011? Whom did I serve? What aspects of my service brought me alive? What aspects drained me? If I could serve in any way possible in 2012, what would I create? Let your imagination run wild.

Service can sound so dull and feel so heavy, something only really good (cue white toothy smile) people do or something you do to other people for their own good. Yuck. Let’s ditch those ideas. Instead, try on the idea that service is your heart’s desire made visible. Service is the act of sharing what you most care about for the greater good. It requires no special goodness, thankfully. After our basic needs are met, we all yearn to make a difference and service springs from listening to that yearning – and taking action on it, step by little step.

Service makes you tingle with aliveness like all true acts of intimacy. It’s deeply creative, generative, and yes, risky, because it means you share your heart. It’s also as natural as breathing, and like breathing, must include giving and receiving,

How will you serve in 2012? I can’t wait to hear! –Jennifer Louden

Feel free to post your thoughts below or on our FB page where you can also read others’ (wonderful) answers.

And remember: to truly serve, you must possess confidence that you have something to offer. (Which you do.) Confidence comes from belief in your basic goodness. Basic goodness is what you experience when you meditate. Please sign up to receive (free) meditation instruction via The Open Heart Project. xo s

This post is #4 in a week of 7 questions that form The Week of Inward Looking Each day has a different questioner, and a different theme:

Dec 26: Patti Digh On Bendiness
Dec 27 Ken Robert On Shadows
Dec 28 Andrew Mellen On Becoming Organized
Dec 29 Jen Louden On Service
Dec 30 Jonathan Fields On Creativity
Dec 31 Susan Piver On Spirituality
Jan 1 Seth Godin On Becoming an Artist

“Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity.” -Albert Einstein

Each day between Dec 26 and Jan 1, fellow teacher, writer, and friend Patti Digh and I are hosting The Week of Inward Looking. Each day, a new question from a wonderful teacher. Today’s contemplation is from Andrew Mellen, aka “VIrgoman” and it is about being organized.

This may not sound super spiritual, but believe me, it is. Once I had the great good fortune to spend several days with a senior coach who trained with the wonderful David Allen, author of the amazing book, “Getting Things Done.” Believe me, although it’s ostensibly about getting your work life organized, it is as much about getting your mind organized as anything else—which, not surprisingly, has tremendous spiritual value.

So this was a few years ago. This woman, Meg, came to my office and sat with me for two solid days. We touched every single thing in my office, every piece of paper, every book, every cord, every email, and assigned it a place or married it to an outcome. Now, I will never forget this. My email inbox was empty. All the broken stuff in my office had been tossed or sent out for repair. I knew what everything in my file cabinets was and why it was there. There were no piles of anything, nothing was buried, every single thing has been relegated to something: something to do, something to keep, something to give away, something to toss. At the end of day two, I was driving home and was suddenly overwhelmed by as great a feeling of joy and well-being as I’ve ever experienced. Seriously. It was a kind of ecstasy. Because my mind wasn’t occupied with bits and pieces, it could rest. It was heavenly. Love you, Meg!! Call me!!

All this goes to say that becoming “organized” is about much more than making beautiful lists or finally finding the perfect organizer (although if you know what it is, do tell…this is my secret obsession…). It is about uncovering whatever has been stashed into a messy pile, looking at it, and making a decision about it (even if the decision is that you don’t know what to do with it).  As much as any gesture you can make, this, looking clearly at your material environment, is an act of fearlessness.

Often, we keep things in a state of messiness because we’re too afraid to look. This can occur metaphorically or literally. (I am ridiculously familiar with this approach.) One place to begin cleaning up our messes is not with the multitude of psychological issues we may have to deal with, but with the physical environment itself. Sure, clearing up inner issues changes your outer life, but it can also work the other way around.

Once, my teacher, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, said that if you can’t pick your clothes up off the floor, it’s kind of unlikely you’ll become enlightened. This isn’t because you’ve been bad. I think what he meant was when we live in a mess, we lose our sense of grace. We lose confidence. Confidence in yourself is essential to progress along the path.

Here is Rinpoche’s formula for creating confidence, which dovetails so beautifully with Andrew’s very soulful approach to organizing.

1. Clean up your space. This imparts a sense of dignity. Andrew’s question very much falls into this first category.

2. Wear nice clothes. Ditto—imparts dignity. “Nice” does not mean expensive, btw. It means clean. Well-fitting. Pleasing to you.

3. Eat good food. Doesn’t necessarily mean gourmet or even good-for-you cuisine. Means fresh, high quality, well-prepared.

4. Spend time with people who increase your energy. Self-explanatory.

5. Spend time in the natural world. Ditto. Reminds you of the inner, timeless meaning of confidence, grace, and elegance.

So, without further ado, here is Question #3 from The Week of Inward Looking. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s question (on serving) from the joyful and beautiful Jennifer Louden. If you like, you can post your answer in the comments below or on our Facebook page.

When I look back over 2011 and think about how time, choices and objects have been organized, do I see harmony and ease? Did I seek out the natural place for things to land and rest? Where did I struggle to force things into literal or figurative containers? Do I recognize the order in the universe and see my life reflected in that order?

Organization is about recognizing what ‘enough’ looks like and feels like; about holding things loosely while learning deep appreciation for the comfort, convenience, beauty and functionality that objects offer. When I clutch, grab, or hold something too closely or tightly, instead of creating a feeling of safety and security, what grows is a sense of anxiety and fear—that the object will break, be lost or
assert its impermanence in some other way.

Possession often hastens the outcome I hoped to prevent.

The things I intended/expected to increase the quality of my life begin distracting me from that quality.

What can I do in 2012 to move through time and space more harmoniously, recognizing that everything I need is within easy reach? How best can I release those things that no longer serve me (on any plane) to find new homes more suited to their purpose? How might I increase joy in equal or greater measure to my worldly accumulation? —Andrew Mellen

Of course, a meditation practice is the direct route to establishing order, inside and out. Please sign up for The Open Heart Project to receive meditation instruction.

Each day between Dec 26, 2011 and Jan 1, 2012, one of seven wonderful teachers will offer us a question to contemplate as we head into a new year. Yesteday’s question was from the lovely Patti Digh and it lives here on my blog and here on Facebook. Chime in if you like!

Today’s question is from the equally lovely Ken Robert of mildlycreative.com:

In what way have I been living in the shadows in 2011? How might my life change if I came out into the light in 2012? What strengths could I discover and share if I gave up hiding my weaknesses?

Sometimes we stay hidden, fearful that others might see our wounds and blemishes. We think we’re the only ones who bear them. But I find that when I expose my weaknesses, I give others permission to expose theirs, too. There, beneath the light and in between the blemishes, we find we have strengths we never noticed before. Hiding becomes far less appealing and we’re drawn to living instead. In 2011, what were you hiding all year? What could you do to stop hiding in 2012? What treasures will you find when you step out into the light? –Ken Robert

Where have you been hiding?

This is an interesting question and actually quite a difficult one to respond to. It could provoke a kind of aggressive response, like searching for someone or something to blame for the fact that we are hiding. It could be our parents or colleagues or, most likely, our self. “If I was a different person—braver, smarter, more accomplished, I would no longer have to hide.”

But no assignment of blame is required to liberate yourself from the shadows.

Nor is it helpful to think, well if I just show my vulnerabilities, confess to what may be embarrassing, speak my inadequacies, express my fears, I’ll find that we’re all just afraid together and my situation will feel far less challenging. This kind of caving (which I have attempted many times) into a show of vulnerability masquerading as a gesture of strength just makes me—not to mention everyone around me—more confused.

It is also not required in order to stop hiding.

Rather than suggesting aggression or collapse, this question is calling forth something very subtle and deep. It is asking you to be authentic; to show vulnerability when you feel afraid and to show your brilliance when it surfaces, without fear and without expectation. Ultimately, to be yourself from moment to moment is the ultimate in non-hiding.

I’m going to tell you how to do this, to really, really do this. It’s not about becoming bold. It’s not about ceasing to care what others think. It’s not about damning the torpedoes and speaking your mind, no matter what. These are unskillful versions of authenticity.

The way to stop hiding begins (and ends) with knowing yourself. It is rooted in awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and insights on the spot, as they arise. Without this inner awareness, your step out from the shadows is a show. With it, your appearance has and is pure magic.

Magic is what I call it when there is congruence between your inner experience and your outer life. This magic is inseparable from authenticity. I’m not talking about woo-woo magic. I’m talking about the kind we experience when we are in the presence of one who is not afraid of herself, including her genius and her fears. When you are unafraid of your genius, you can share it. (Thanking you in advance.) When you are unafraid of your fear, you are a warrior.

So there is no need to “become” authentic. You are already who you are. Now, please, let us see him in his joy and his sorrow, in his brilliance and in his abject confusion. This is your gift. It is a treasure.

Of course, a meditation practice is the most direct way to cultivate such inner knowing from moment to moment. If you’d like to learn, I’d like to teach you. Please sign up for The Open Heart Project. Free!

As we move into a new year, I want to offer you a few personal reflections, some suggestions for your own process of reflecting, and opportunities to practice together into 2012.

For me, this week provides the perfect circumstances for turning within and asking myself honestly, how did I do in 2011? What do I hope for in 2012? How might I get there?

I’ve found that it doesn’t do to make lists of things I hope to accomplish but feel are lacking currently. This just makes me sad. Instead, I’ve found it more useful to begin training myself into the feeling state I know is most beneficial, which is to have an open heart and a sense of possibility. No matter how things are going in my life, if I know how to return to this state of receptivity and curiosity, then I have found the key to joy. And after all, this, a joyful life, is my objective, not making a gajillion dollars, weighing less pounds, or possessing a particular title. Not that there is anything wrong with those things but if my happiness is dependent on them, they are traps. Instead of requiring certain things to feel joyful, I could just feel joyful, on the spot. When I turn my attention to the truth of my experience rather than what I wish my experience was, this wakeful state is always what I find. And my favorite definition of joyful? Awake.

It is not easy, but it actually is that simple.

Joy comes with the cultivation of an inner life and an intimate knowledge of the way your own mind and heart work—not so that you can manipulate yourself, but as an expression of love itself. Joy comes from loving yourself. Not because you have been good or successful or beautiful or self-sacrificing or authentic or anything—but just because you are the only you who will ever be you and you are you, and you is good, period, full stop. You, exactly as you are right now, with all of your brilliance, confusion, sorrow, and f&*cked up-ness are good. You are cause for celebration.

Please do not take my word for any of this. Check it all out yourself, you must. No “wisdom” means anything unless you yourself know it to be true, based on personal experience. So as we move into a new year together, I have some suggestions for deepening this kind of relationship to yourself. Check them out. What is helpful to you, keep. What sounds crazy (or useless), feel free to blip right over. Here goes.

1. Together with the wonderful Patti Digh, I’ve assembled 7 questions from 7 teachers to help you contemplate your way across the finish line into 2012. In order to share these questions with you, you’ll be receiving an email a day from me through January 1, but thereafter we’ll go back to two emails per week.

We’re going to present a question a day between December 26 and January 1. Each question has a theme. You can answer the question in your journal, in the comments section below, and/or on our Facebook page. You can answer each question on its day or collect them all and answer them in a giant answer-orgy on December 31 or another day you choose. Make this process your own.

Today’s question is from Patti and the topic is On Living In Your Body (What Patti calls “Bendiness.”) She is a wonderful writer and teacher who offers and embodies kindness, creativity, humor, and all-around human decency.

Her question for us: Where have I learned and lived in 2011? In my head, in my body, or both? What would living more fully in my body in 2012 bring to me? How can I embody life and learning as I move through this liminal space between now and next? How can I more fully learn from the neck down in 2012?

In our hyper-intellectualized disembodied world, we sometimes allow technology to take the place of our bodies, don’t we? We sit, with only our arms moving as we type. We’ve even begun to distrust what our bodies say to us. Instead, we learn from the neck up, when learning from the neck down and fully embodying life will provide us with such greater riches. What do you allow yourself to really feel in your body, without the need to clarify, intellectualize, provide proof, capture with data, or block? What can you allow yourself to really feel in your body in 2012? –Patti Digh

Future questions are as follows:
Dec 27 Ken Robert On Shadows
Dec 28 Andrew Mellen On Becoming Organized
Dec 29 Jennifer Louden On Serving
Dec 30 Jonathan Fields On Creativity
Dec 31 Susan Piver On Spirituality
Jan 1 Seth Godin On Being an Artist

Stay tuned!

2. All this week, I’m going to be practicing and studying more. If you choose to open each of these emails, you may be too! (There will be a guided meditation to accompany each of the questions listed above. Our practice won’t change particularly but will be “flavored” by each question.) It would be great to practice together each day before the new year begins.

Before I practice each day, I’m going to read from a dharma book and make note of my reactions and questions in my journal. I will be reading this and this. If you’re looking for reading suggestions this week, I joyfully and wholeheartedly recommend any or all of the following:

Our book of the month, Turning the Mind Into an Ally by Sakyong Mipham
Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chogyam Trungpa
And, if you’re interested in taking a dive into an important, scholarly, and profound foundational dharma text, please try
The Jewel Ornament of Liberation by Gampopa (Don’t be overly afraid or proud of reading such texts. Just soak in their wisdom. It is real and completely indestructible, as well as practical and fascinating.)

3. Member of The Open Heart Project? Consider stopping by on New Year’s Eve to meditate together. You party animal! I know that what you really want to do on New Year’s Eve is practice meditation!! Anyway, I do. I’ll be meditating from 11p on December 31, 2011 until 12:30a on Jan 1, 2012. You may join me for any or all of that as I’ll be live-streaming my practice. Times are EST.

To learn meditation and receive support via guided meditation instruction sent right to your inbox, sign up for The Open Heart Project.

Wishing you each and all a fully awake transition into a beautiful new year, hearts wide open.

WORD!!!

The other day, Seth sent out a list of assorted tips (also posted on his blog) and I felt inspired to make up my own.

His:

1. No stranger or unknown company will ever contact you by mail or by phone with an actual method for making money easily or in your spare time. And if the person or company contacting you asserts that they are someone you know, double check before taking action.
2. Don’t have back surgery. See a physiatrist first, then exhaust all other options before wondering if you should have back surgery.
3. Borrow money to buy things that go up in value, but never to get something that decays over time.
4. Placebos are underrated by almost everyone.
5. It’s almost never necessary to use a semicolon.
6. Seek out habits that help you overcome fear or inertia. Destroy those that do the opposite.
7. Cognitive behavorial therapy is generally considered both the quickest and most effective form of addressing many common psychological problems.
8. Backup your hard drive.
9. Get a magnetic key hider, put a copy of your house key in it and hide it really well, unlabeled, two blocks from your house.
10. A rice cooker will save you time and money and improve your diet, particularly if you come to like brown rice.
11. Consider not eating wheat for an entire week. The results might surprise you.
12. Taking your dog for a walk is usually better than whatever alternative use of your time you were considering.

Told you they were assorted.

Mine:

1. The two biggest tips for increasing self-confidence are: Clean up your room. Wear clothes that fit you.
2. It’s almost never necessary to write a one-sentence paragraph.
3. Don’t ever agree with someone who is badmouthing an ex. They might get back together.
4. Disbelief in your own basic goodness is at the heart of aggression, whether directed at self or other.
5. The most important questions in your life will never be answered. They dissolve and change into new questions instead.
6. Romance always dies. Intimacy has no end.
7. Just because you love someone doesn’t mean you can create a life together that you love.
8. Not all problems are opportunities.
9. Eat real food, always. No excuses.
10. Never, ever show off. This is the cardinal rule, never to be broken.

OK, now it’s  your turn.