Tender of Heart and Wild of Spirit

“The bravest are the most tender; the loving are the daring.” ~ Bayard Joseph Taylor

How can we protect our tender hearts, whilst fighting for their freedom? How do we remain soft amongst tall walls and sharp arrows? How do we find the courage to love in a world which tries to keep us small?

It can be disheartening to operate openly and unapologetically, with our hearts on our sleeves, in a world that encourages us to keep barriers up and emotions unavailable.

We are told to suck it up, grow a thick skin and hold our chin up, when all we want to do is let our passions, anxieties, ecstasies, joys and dreams cascade into the world like water tumbling over a waterfall.

For those of us whose complexity of feeling cuts deep like rivers through mountains, I believe that to feel so intensely is, paradoxically, what sets us free. To experience the ecstatic joys and the bitter lows and everything in between is to live from the heart.

To swim in the oceans of our emotions and sensations is to experience all there is to be alive.

Remember that there is so much strength in kindness, courage in connection and bravery in tears; these qualities are the elixir that feeds our wild spirits — the fire that burns brightly in our beating hearts and breathes life into our weary souls.

In order to survive in this world, instead of surrendering to its sharpness, we must stay soft by loving and living, fiercely yet gently. We can’t let others’ swords cut the words from our mouth or extinguish the fires in our heart.

We don’t have to play make-believe or hide behind masks of indifference in order to be seen as strong. We must rise in the warmth of our passions like the phoenix, out of the ashes of discomfort and spread our wild wings in a display of defiance and beauty.

It is the open-hearted, the ones who feel so much, who can heal this world, because they have the strength and courage to heal themselves first.

If we find ourselves in a balancing act between outer strength and inner peace, it is often because we mistake our expressions of emotion for limitations, rather than opportunities for growth. We forget that the fragility of crystal is a fineness, not a weakness.

“I have always appeared to be fragile and delicate but the thing is, I am not fragile and I am not delicate. I am very gentle but I can show you that the gentle also possess a poison. I compare myself to silk. People mistake silk to be weak but a silk handkerchief can protect the wearer from a gunshot.” ~ C Joybell C

Are we not all, really, a little bit in awe of what lies within us? Do we hide away our feelings, not because we’re afraid they make us weak, but because we are afraid of their power? Are we not all alchemists who can transform stone hearts into gold?

If we share the sacred act of feeling openly, by showing others we are capable of, and comfortable with, loving, hurting, grieving, following our passions, breaking and mending, by doing so, we give each other permission to do the same.

Our true freedom, our wildness, lies in our ability to recognize ourselves as perfectly imperfect, wonderfully flawed yet ultimately magic.

It lies in our ability to own our shit, whether that be loving so hard that you think your heart may burst, time and time again, or accepting that you will cry tears of joy or pain, often and unashamedly. Because that’s how you own your emotions.

You aren’t afraid of them, you’re not afraid of your heart and its messy ways, or your ability to recognize your own pain, or your delicious enthusiasm for wanting to make the world better and brighter and more real, somehow. That’s what you bring to the world. And it’s beautiful.

The moment we let go of our fear of being seen for who we really are, in all our glory, we give ourselves permission to step into our strength, and let our hearts open just that little bit more each day.

To me, the most beautiful thing you can own in this world, and the most faithful ally, is an open heart. An open heart allows total freedom and wildness of spirit because it is comfortable with its expression. There is no fear, only love.

And we all know what happens when we are in a state of love; magic happens,  dreams become realized, synchronicities abound, and life unfolds effortlessly.

If the only way out is through, then the real journey of life is one of the soul; to navigate the depths of our deepest longings, desires, pains and fears and listen to their wisdom, to feel them deeply and express them confidently; to not be afraid of where they will lead us because where they will lead us is where we’re destined to be.

It is possible to be both tender and wild, soft and strong, full of passion and full of peace. We simply need to give ourselves permission to be this way — a beautiful mix of yin and yang, of masculine and feminine, of light and dark.

We can weave ourselves between softness and fierceness, remaining kindhearted and gentle, whilst our spirits soar wild and free like birds, finding their way home.

Tender Heart

My tender heart, it feels so much.

It fills and flows and leaps and jumps

It surges and pounds and aches and breaks

It determines decisions that I must make

My tender heart, my precious source

My sweet serenity, my deep remorse

It answers questions not yet asked

A house of truth, it wears no mask.

My tender heart, it beats and bleeds

To satisfy the soul it feeds

It loves so much, I’m sure it’ll burst:

An overflowing cup, to quench infinite thirst.

My tender heart I give you peace

On days when hurt appears not to cease.

I offer you strength, a place of calm

A gentle wisdom, amid the storm.

My tender heart, please speak your truth

Your knowledge from within the ego’s sheath.

I’ll offer you sweetly with trust and grace;

So that I may know eternal solace.

Poem “Tender Heart”, written by Zoe, was originally published in Journey of the Heart: Spiritual Poetry by Women

Change is a Revolution: Trust and Embrace it

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.”  ~ Laozi

Change.

Those six little letters that hold so much weight.

How many times have you heard someone say “I don’t like change”? How many times have you been thrown into unwitting chaos because you lost a job or got your heart broken, or were forced to make changes to your life beyond your control? We think of change as frightening, unwelcome and uncomfortable.

Change is a natural occurrence in order to move forward and progress. The seasons change, our bodies change, the winds change, every cell in our body is in a constant process of change. Without the changing of attitudes, laws and technologies over the years we would never have developed as a planet. We would be stuck living in the dark ages; The human race would become obsolete.

Instead, change represents evolution and movement  – the capacity to push things forward for our own benefit and for the benefit of the planet. The only way we advance is through change, it is the elixir of the existence of humanity.

If something sticks, it becomes stale – an attitude, a career, a daily routine, a habit, a relationship. Change shakes things up and breathes new life into that which otherwise becomes unhealthy or destructive.

Change means regeneration, rejuvenation, reinvention and revolution. Change throws out the old and welcomes in the new with open arms and an open heart. We change our minds, we change our underwear, so why are we so hesitant to make more significant changes in our lives?

Simply put, we like safety and comfort. We, as humans, are ultimately pleasure seekers who like to choose the path of least resistance because the alternative requires an element of effort. It requires facing the fear of the unknown and stepping outside of our comfort zone which can be scary.

But more than anything, it requires us to face our potential, to go within and explore the possibilities of our greatness. And this is going within to places we’d rather avoid, for fear of the realisation that we could be so much more than what we currently believe.

We have evolved to avoid situations that confront us and force us to face our fears. One of our greatest fears is usually failure, therefore we stay safe behind the veneer of our risk-free lives. We don’t like to go against the grain for fear of being ridiculed by a society that tries it’s best to encourage conformity and routine.

“When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back” ~ Paulo Coelho

Change is considered dangerous because it suggests freedom and choice – and this requires responsibility over your actions and your life. We live in cycles of monotony and we’re afraid to break free because when you break free, you’re on your own.

There is less stability in releasing yourself from safety, but in doing so you open yourself up to a world of opportunities and possibilities. Life becomes an adventure. Dreams are set into motion as you forge your own unique path in the world. You make your own rules.

Change is the greatest personal revolution you can choose. Change releases you from your day to day shackles. Change sets you free. Change is creativity and adventure. Change is glorious mystery.

Admittedly, change can be frightening. To leave behind the safety and familiarity of the life you know can be a daunting prospect, but I promise you this;  it is not nearly as scary as you imagine. The fear of change and the unknown is 100% always just that, a fear.

Fears are like shadows projected on the wall – they look huge and menacing but when you find the source of the shadow, you realise it’s an illusion. The projection of our fears, like the menacing shadows, are distorted truths. They paralyze us and hold us back, preventing us from moving forward in our lives instead of entering into the process of change and coming out the other side, alive and pulsing with the energy of a life truly being lived.

Life is short and if you don’t make that change now, then when? With each new year must come productive change, to help make a positive impact on the world and to better align yourself with our highest purpose. We need commitment and we need passion but above all, the world needs our courage and bravery to make those changes happen.

“We can’t be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out of it, you will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean, a sea. Holding onto something that is good for you now, may be the very reason why you don’t have something better.” ~  Joy C Bell

No one can make those changes for you. You are the director of the movie that is your life and you are responsible for your choices. Making choices based on fear will hold you back and create pain. But making life choices based on love, hope and faith will enable you to create the life you have always imagined.

Change should be welcomed with open arms. Change is where the magic lies. Change is where the moments occur that blow your mind and open your heart to the endless possibilities and potential that is available to each and every one of us.

Make choices based on love and inspired by passion, which enrich your heart and soul. Don’t let fear hold you back and risk settling for less than you deserve. Trust in the calling of the divine and know that change is the catalyst for freedom; and freedom is the greatest gift we have.