089: With Reverence and Heart

1 Essay - 1 Video - 1 Quote

1.

On Being with Heart — photos and words by Lisa Olivera

From the Community

Lisa Olivera

’s post earlier this week (👇🏽) was exactly what I needed to experience the day I read it. In it, she offers four things (you see the affinity...) of a simple, heartfelt and honest account of how she is navigating being human in this world.

If I'm not careful, I would copy and paste the entire post because each part of it was so beautifully... human.

What's not wrong?

I will instead highlight two things that so softly, tenderly, moved my heart.

1. She asks us, "What's not wrong?". I first interpreted this as a relatable resignation, a sarcastic comment on everything going on in the world that appears to be 'wrong.' I clicked, and I was quickly humbled to realise this was a genuine invitation to reflect on what is NOT wrong and to make space for those things in our hearts. Her list of what hasn't gone wrong has pried my own heart a little more open, and for that, this post makes it into my list of 'what's not wrong.'

This is a good time to shout out to

T.B.D.

,

Miss Sober Jane

, and

Sean

over at

Thanks For Letting Me Share

whose gratitude lists and hopeful reflections on individual peace (and suffering) have accompanied my journey more than they realise.

I think gratitude lists have been touted around the 'self-development' space online as THE THING that will save us. And it's fine - doing this regardless of the motivation always leads in net positive... but I'm so glad for Lisa's context - about how looking for what's not wrong is about opening our hearts to life and spirit. Never mind 'being happier.'

2. Lisa also shares a practical manifesto - an intentional promise to self to keep cultivating a relationship with one's heart. (👇🏽)

I will let my senses become wisdom keepers. I will see, hear, taste, smell, and touch what is real. I will let my body’s knowing lead the way.

I will let the smallest steps be enough momentum some days.

I will honor my complexity instead of trying to simplify it away.

I will look out at the world with clear eyes. I will seek out clear eyes when mine are fuzzy. I will let what I see move me, let it inform me, let it guide me, let it teach me, let it remind me of who and how I want to be amid it all.

I will practice seeing the parts of myself I didn’t think were worth looking at. I will practice letting those parts receive love, too.

I will water the roots within that need growing, the ones I want to strengthen. I will stop watering what is ready to die, to be let go of.

I will stop pretending not to know what I clearly know. I will stop pretending to know what I clearly don’t know.

I will practice the art of slowing down when slowing down is needed. I will practice the art of moving faster when moving faster is needed. I will practice the art of honoring the pace this season is asking of me.

I will keep my heart open, even when impossible ache enters. Even when there is more joy than I know how to hold. I will let the openness teach me something a closed heart never could.

I will stay with tenderness.

Thank you, Lisa, for sharing and inspiring me to do the same.

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2.

This Isn't Your Average Storage Locker — a video tour with Rajiv Surendra

From the Internet

You might know Rajiv Surendra as the rapping Indian math geek from the 2004 hit movie 'Mean Girls', starring Lindsay Lohan - fortunately/unfortunately. (I actually LOVE that movie, take your hate elsewhere.)

He is also an impressive creative polymath - he's a calligraphy artist, a sign maker, a chalk artist, a watercolour painter, a bookbinder... he also wrote a book which is a memoir on how he undertook an unbelievable (unhinged) commitment of study and preparation to get the lead role for the film Life of Pi... and failed.

But I'm not here to talk about any of that stuff. I mention them because despite all of these accomplishments... what I'm truly inspired by is his quiet yet stalwart commitment to bringing beauty to the world. From that place, his discipline and curiosity manifest into these impressive things... and more importantly, I think, his penchant for making everyday things like storage units (☝🏽), washing dishes and stain removal feel exquisite.

Wouldn't it be so much easier, more enjoyable... more worthwhile to live a life that's beautiful? And no, we don't need to abdicate the responsibilities of cleaning our homes and cooking our food... in fact, the invitation is to lean into that responsibility.

Rajiv deserves beauty so he makes his life beautiful. I believe, he is inviting us to do the same, because we deserve it too.

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3.

On Reverence — a quote from John O Donohue

From the Library

“What you encounter, recognize or discover depends to a large degree on the quality of your approach. Many of the ancient cultures practiced careful rituals of approach. An encounter of depth and spirit was preceded by careful preparation. When we approach with reverence, great things decide to approach us. Our real life comes to the surface and its light awakens the concealed beauty in things. When we walk on the earth with reverence, beauty will decide to trust us. The rushed heart and arrogant mind lack the gentleness and patience to enter that embrace.”

— John O Donohue

And with this week's three things, I invite us to approach ourselves, each other and our worlds with reverence and an open heart.

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🙏🏽 A WORLD BEYOND SUBSTACK - AN ASK 🙏🏽

For those of you who are reading this post from the Substack network... can I ask you for one small thing?

Think of JUST ONE person in your life - who isn't on Substack - who will enjoy this newsletter... and send it to them.

If it's someone you haven't connected with in a while... write them a nice note and invite them to catch up over a coffee or a pizza. Why not :).