The moment we put up barriers out of selfhurt and selfpity (poor me-ness) we leave the rest of the world out and cheat ourselves of the immense opportunity just at that moment to let the world IN in stead.

And god, it's easier said than done, because at our most vulnerable where we really just want to duck down, dig trenches and whip out the machineguns, we DROP the storylines and open our hearts. This is no small thing. It is a revolutionary practice.

If we practice in doing that we discover that the world we thought was "out there" is really "in here", part of us.

We start connecting, in a small way maybe, but nonetheless heartfelt, with all other people who has ever felt this way. And instead of feeding our own personal drama of "I am the centre of the Universe and special in all my pain" and in that closing off in a feeling of isolation and loneliness, there is a surge of warmth and tenderness and connectedness.

We start relating to the world that we're in more openly and honestly and meeting the world, ourselves, our friends, our family, our neighbours with greater awareness and awakeness.

Indeed with greater love...

But it means being fearless in meeting whatever emotions that surface. Jealousy, feeling of unworthiness, stinginess, greed ...without judging! Kindly seeing what comes up moment by moment. In life!

Not so easy, but can we afford not to practice in this way?

Can we afford to let ourselves and the world be ruled by fear and deep rooted unawareness?