Hello Fellow Travelers,

How are you doing with your open heart?

Living with an open heart requires, for most of us, a radical shift away from an old comfortable way and a radical trust in a new, mostly foreign way of living.

Even if the old comfortable way of living brought pain and suffering, it was still comfortable in its familiarity.

The new way requires that we shed layer upon layer of finely built protective covering. At first we welcome this unveiling, reveling in the freedom it brings. It feels so good to shed that which we have outgrown. It feels so good to see below the surface of the old skin to the soft new beauty within us. Yes, this keeps us shedding layer upon layer until one day, we stop.

Resting, in the vulnerability and openness we stop. And then it happens. The panic. Where the soft beauty of our new skin was, there is now the rising energy of panic.

This is the part of the open heart process that is not always talked about openly. It is the part of the process that is dark and feels dangerous. It is part of the same process that most of us avoid all the time. It is the process of death.

The heart that has so eloquently opened in its grace and benediction suddenly contracts.

We all have died to something in this lifetime. An idea, a role, a job, relationships. Whether we think we are ready for death or not, it comes, just like life.

Much is dying right now, in order to make room for, the transformation that is occurring within each and every one of us. What is dying in you is whatever role you played that kept you from experiencing the thrill of living a life of genuine 100% unique you. That is what is dying and there is a point within all of us that we must pass through to get to the other side. The point of panic is the point usually right before the big let go.

There is nothing for us to do at this point except surrender into the death and know that what is dying is an old way of living. Whatsoever it may be for you at this time. Living with an open heart requires a new type of courage and grace. It requires that we face death, not as an adversary, but as an ally. A point on the continuum that leads to new life.

Here in my community a wildfire rages. A "natural disaster", that will continue to burn away whatever is in its path. The panic is palpable but even more prevalent is the deeply felt compassion of our collective opening hearts. We are seeing up close and personal many endings. Endings and loss. Yet on the other side of the ending are beginnings. A friend lost her home and in a days time she has reached out asking for exactly what she needed and announced her plans to rebuild immediately. Through the death and onto the birth.

As we continue to open our hearts to ourselves and to others, we will face unexpected panic. Remember that on the other side is new life. Keep opening, shedding and releasing.

It is the most courageous way to live, and you are doing it.

Blessings,

Mary