Your first giant step on the path to keeping love central in your life and in your everyday interactions, is simply to set an intention to open your heart - to invite bodhichitta.
The Buddhist term bodhicitta means "completely open heart and mind". Developing bodhicitta is a journey: You move toward a flexible way of thinking and feeling, releasing fear and a need for security, and embracing the possibility of love.
Pema Chodron, in "The Places That Scare You", says that bodhichitta comes from the soft spot we each have, that allows us to feel the pain of others. "Without realizing it we continually shield ourselves from this pain because it scares us. We put up protective walls made of opinions, prejudices and strategies, barriers that are built on a deep fear of being hurt. ... But fortunately for us, the soft spot—our innate ability to love and to care about things—is like a crack in these walls we erect. It’s a natural opening in the barriers we create when we’re afraid. With practice we can learn to find this opening. We can learn to seize that vulnerable moment—love, gratitude, loneliness, embarrassment, inadequacy—to awaken bodhichitta."
- Set the mood: Light a pink candle and dim the lights. If you want, you can turn on some favorite instrumental music very softly.
