8 Ways to Open More

1)  The first thing I think of is an open Mind.  I do talk a lot about it.  It’s an important thing to have. With an open mind many things are possible.  With your mind open you see other ways, new options.  Acceptance is a repercussion of the open mind.  If everything is possible, that opens the way for more acceptance. Anything that helps you accept more is always a good idea.  When you accept people you create a more loving attitude.  Understanding is the key to peace.  And it comes from that openness.

2)  The love flowing from your open mind, opens your heart. People with open hearts are delightful to be around. They always seem to be happy.  With an open heart you not only give more love, you also let more love in. A wide open exchange of love!  Can it get better than that?

3)  Open hands offer help, a lift,  a hand.  You use an open hand to high five or shake hands.  With your hands open, you can also receive.

4)  What about opening your eyes?  Greeting a new day.  Also seeing things more clearly.  Opening your inner eye to see more.  Open eyes are more likely to see what is going on around them. Being grateful entails opening your eyes and seeing all you do have.  Open and loving eyes see so much more than closed eyes!

5)  Having your arms open means you are ready for an embrace. I am of the belief that embracing life has plenty of benefits. Many teachers talk of saying yes.  This takes it a step further to say, oh yes, come on in!  Open arms are welcoming and beckoning.

6)  There may be something about opening your legs, but I probably shouldn’t go there.  In some cases, however, that can be a very good thing.

7)  We must not forget about having an open attitude.  A release if you will.  Alan Cohen’s quote today said, “The more you let go, the faster you will move ahead. ”  When I’m tense and feeling desperate, I’m definitely not open.  I have been feeling stuck lately.  Things I’ve tried haven’t panned out.  Releasing the need to have things work out a certain way or letting go of old notions of how it always is with me can certainly help me open more.  And allow the energy to move me forward.

8)  Is there another piece of opening about making space? Sometimes my head feels too packed to put anything else in. There is so much to learn and too much to do!  If I open to something new, make space in my mind and my life, maybe I can welcome whatever is asking to come in.

Open the windows and let the fresh air in!

Opening Hearts

One of my favorite writers has a Blog called “Dairy of an Unborn Writer.” (See link to the left, under my blogroll.)  Today he offers a short poem which asks to “live with a more open heart.” This struck me as the most important thing, maybe the only thing there is to do.  He moans his lack, but the realization of this piece  proves  he is more than he thinks. To simply keep opening your heart to love more and accept more is a wise and smooth path.

Cheryl Richardson wrote this week about the Thought Meter. Like the speed meter which reads the speed we’re driving, we need to pay attention to our thoughts. This is a lovely image to hold onto and surely, as she says, “awareness raises consciousness.”

Cheryl offers a few ways to remember to stop and read your thoughts, but I like the idea of then asking the question: Does this thought open my heart or close it?  If we keep thinking in terms of opening, we’re on the right path.  Another convenient visual.

Opening does not mean being vulnerable.  How can you be less vulnerable if you’re thinking angry or hateful thoughts?  How does that keep you better protected?  In fact, when your heart is open you see more of the possibilities.  Your vision and stance is wider and your responses can be more calm and sure.

Paulette Terrels’ Tuesday Morning Whispering said this: “Looking deeply invites us to put aside our preconceptions, our current labels and allow for freshness.  May we be open to new possibilities today.”  What a wonderful place to be! Listening to your thoughts and choosing to stay open brings all that to you.

Opening your heart keeps you in a state of forgiveness.  In trying to forgive someone and opening to that, I realized, I need to include myself in that forgiveness.  Even if I can’t find an exact action to blame on myself, I can certainly point the finger at myself for not seeing it coming or allowing it to come to this point. 

Clearly, this blaming does me no good.  I may not ever get to forgiving the other if I can’t forgive myself. When I can open my heart enough to forgive myself, then I’ll see my way to fully forgiving the other person.

The clarity comes when I choose how I want to see this.  I can try to figure out what each of us did wrong or I can throw a blanket of forgiveness over the whole mess and say, this is a new beginning for me.  I’ve dodged a bullet, as the situation has righted itself. I open my heart to accept all the possibilities that this new way can bring to me and the other person.  That feels good and forward-moving!  All from opening.

May we all choose, like the Unborn Writer, “to live with a more open heart.”