Very little grows on jagged rock.
Be ground. Be crumbled,
so wildflowers will come up
where you are.
You have been stony for too many years.
Try something different. Surrender.
-Rumi
Be soft.
Do not let the world make you hard.
Do not let the pain make you hate.
Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness.
Take pride that even though
the rest of the world may disagree,
you still believe it to be a beautiful place.
-Iain Thomas
Often when I get quiet enough to really listen to the whispers of my soul, it's message is the same, "surrender....let go.....soften.....accept". This is a theme in my life for a good reason which is simply that it is really hard for me to let go. The theme this week is Santosha which means acceptance or contentment, in essence letting go. I find the most contentment when, instead of looking outside myself to others or to the future, I bring the focus inside to the present moment. Also, if I find myself gripping or holding on tightly to what I "like" and moving against people or viewpoints I "dislike", I try to soften more and to be more accepting. As I learn to build contentment with boredom, sadness and even loneliness, this helps me grow deep, strong, resilient roots. Finally, practicing gratitude, looking for the good, also grows my roots of acceptance and contentment and keeps me from slipping into fear and smallness.