The wisdom of the heart

I am happy to report that I managed to find some peace on my walk this morning -- thanks largely, I think, to Jack Kornfield and my continued reading in A Path With Heart.    So I thought I'd share a few of the key passages here with you, in case you might be struggling a bit, too:

"Whatever extraordinary wisdom or compassion you learn in meditation is already there within you.  It is here already.  You don't have to create it or imitate it, but listen for it and discover it within you....All problems take on a new meaning... when we can picture or feel what strength and wisdom, what compassion and clarity feel like in the midst of our very greatest difficulties."

"The wisdom of the heart is here, just now, at any moment.  It has always been here, and it is never too late to find it.  The wholeness and freedom we seek is our own true nature, who we really are."

"When we respect the natural cycles of life, we find that each of life's stages has a spiritual dimension.  Each stage contributes wisdom and experience that we will draw upon in our spiritual growth....The great cycles of our life wash over us, presenting us with challenges and difficult rites of passage much bigger than our ideas of where we were going... When we bring to them attention and respect, each of those tasks has a spiritual lesson in them... As these inner cycles open, our spiritual task is to include eah of them in our awareness, bringing to each the love, wisdom, and forgiveness that have been needed all along."

Somehow I found all this reassuring, and something led me, as I walked this morning, to think and ponder on what I love in this life; what people, objects, and activities fill my heart with a sense of joy and purpose.  And then I just did some tonglen, breathing in the pain of all the people around me who have suffered losses these last few weeks, and breathing out the joy and love I can find deep within.  I finished my walk full of energy and hope, and was even able to find a sense of peace.

I'm hoping my words and image -- combined with Jack's words -- can bring some of that peace to you today.