“If something is important to us, we are willing to risk many things in order to attain it - loss, rejection, disapproval, the laughter of others, sometimes even life itself, because what we want, what seems essential to our deepest being, is that much worth having.

To risk ourselves we must want something very much. We must also have the courage to commit ourselves to that which we want so that in the face of difficulty, in the face of possible disappointment, we will go forward anyhow. Commitment of the heart is the basis for risk, a commitment to something we believe in - to an ideal, a way of life, a person whom we love. Even though there are other motives that propel people into taking risks, commitment of the heart is the one that partakes of the spiritual because it bases risk-taking on what we value and on what we love.”

                -Julie Redstone(writer, teacher, and founder of Light Omega, a spiritual center for healing and transformation in Western Mass.)

Check-In:

Reading:

In theology and existentialist ethics following Kierkegaard and Heidegger, a deep and abiding commitment of the heart, as in the notion of "finding your passion" is an important aspect of a fully-lived, engaged life.

In life, many thoughts are born in the course of a moment, an hour, a day. Some are dreams, some visions. Often, we are unable to distinguish between them. To some, they are the same; however, not all dreams are visions. Much energy is lost in fanciful dreams that never bear fruit. But visions are messages from the Great Spirit, each for a different purpose in life. Consequently, one person's vision may not be that of another. To have a vision, one must be prepared to receive it, and when it comes, to accept it. Thus when these inner urges become reality, only then can visions be fulfilled. The spiritual side of life knows everyone's heart and who to trust. How could a vision ever be given to someone to harbor if that person could not be trusted to carry it out. The message is simple: commitment precedes vision (and action). - High Eagle

Deep Sharing and Listening (Round #1):

1.   When have you risked committing your heart?  

2.   What was the result of your risk taking?   Was this a source of growth? 

3.   In retrospect, do you feel you’d rather have taken a less risky path?

Discussion: (Round #2):

Housekeeping:

Likes and Wishes:

Closing Words:

       When you begin to touch your heart or let your heart be touched, you begin to discover that it's bottomless, that it doesn't have any resolution, that this heart is huge, vast, and limitless. You begin to discover how much warmth and gentleness is there, as well as how much space.  Pema Chodron

*NOTE:    This topic is a companion discussion to Rev. Elaine’s forum on February 13^th, 2011on the Heart of South Church.