Remain Open When Disgusted

from Chapter 19 of Blue Truth by David Deida

You can try not to judge others, but even that is based on a judgment - "People who are non-judgmental are better than people who judge."  The fact is, feeling good or bad in response to others is natural and inevitable.  The trouble starts when you allow your emotional response and mental judgments to result in heart-closure and separation.  When you clench your belly, close your heart, and pull away from others, then you are actively creating unlove and suffering.  It's one thing to be disgusted by some jerk; it's another thing to close your heart and add separation.

When you look into the eyes of those who most disturb you, practice feeling the openness behind the face of their fear and distress.  Whether they are on TV or standing in front of you, no matter how closed or twisted they may be acting, feel through their pained expressions into their yearning heart.  Their moment is open as yours, though they may be closing, unwilling to open as love, and therefore they are suffering their denial of love's openness.

When someone disgusts you, and in every moment, practice to relax as the moment blooms open as every body.  Allow openness the opportunity to live through you and your relationships by practicing to feel and breathe the deep openness that in everyone yearns to flower as love.

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some will lie behind, but we needn't be unkind
keep it open, keep it open
and help me keep mine open too
- Bruce Cockburn
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