“Openness is a wide, receptive, accepting state, a state that can contain all things. It’s free from self-effort and agendas and allows all emotions to be present, making room for options to emerge and compassion to arise.” (Marotta 2013, 123).
Inquiry:
Ask yourself: When I feel states of distress, do I harden around them and shut down, or do I soften to them and open up?
Practice:
Cultivate Openness. When feeling distressed in any way, imagine breathing into and out from your heart to open, relax, and “be with” what’s inside—your fears, faults, and failures. Make room for emotions to soften, dissolve, or simply be.
