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.
