We offer these short reflective pieces to access the heart beyond the head.
Review these pieces to contemplate your motivations and intentions to ground your commitments.
Presencing Ground – Employing our short framework here supports what’s so to discern situations, intentions to examine our thoughts, and motivations to investigate what moves us.
Mexican Fisherman Story – This parable, by an unknown author, reveals our view and expectations of life, living, success, and satisfaction.
Community Nature of Self – Adapted from Peter Senge and Fred Koffman, in their paper Communities of Commitment: The Heart of Learning Organizations.
Poem: Our Deepest Fear – This poem is taken from Marianne Williamson’s book A Return to Love. (It is often quoted as part of Nelson Mandela’s moving inaugural speech but does not appear in the speech.)
Poem: The Invitation – This poem by Oriah Mountain Dreamer is about finding what we need to live fully every day.
Lyrics: Bridge Over Troubled Water. Sound of Silence. – Two classics by composers and singers Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.
- Bridge over Troubled Waters. The line “like a bridge over troubled water” is a metaphor for someone living through a trying time in their life. The lyric, “I will lay me down,” references the sacrifices and perseverance as they find a way through difficulty.
- Sound of Silence. According to Art Garfunkel, “This is a song about the inability of people to communicate with each other.” It speaks to the cost and impact of indifference.
Poem: Beginning by David Whyte – Beginning is difficult, a powerful act like no other as it begets possibility and fear of the unknown. Our procrastination is a fine, ever-present measure of our reluctance to take that first close-in, courageous step in reclaiming our happiness.
Lyrics: Both Sides Now, by Joni Mitchell – To proclaim that you’re looking at a matter “from both sides now” is the recognition of one’s own limits of knowledge, understanding, and perspective, as well as our lack of control over reality.
Poem: The Guest House by 13th-century Persian poet Rumi. – Frequently recited in mindfulness circles, this poem is a reminder not to resist the thoughts and emotions passing through you but to meet them with courage, warmth, and respect. Greet them like guests in your home.
Poem: Harlem (A Dream Deferred) by Langston Hughes – This short poem poses questions about the aspirations of a people — specifically, African-American people in the U.S. — and the consequences that might arise if those dreams and hopes are so displaced and cannot come to fruition.
The Lost Art of Contemplation by Andrew Holecek – This article was originally published in Tricycle: The Buddhist Review (February 1, 2021). In today’s fast-paced world, it can be challenging to slow down and contemplate. However, learning the art of contemplation can transform you from within and fully incorporate the dharma into your life.
Camino Lesson of the Day by Dennis Welton – A personal reflection written by Dennis Welton in his journal on July 3, 2018, while hiking across Spain on the old pilgrim trail called the Camino de Santiago.
