Whenever we long for a happier, more joyful life, let’s consider this: within our hearts we have, available to us, all the spiritual resources we need.
The path to a joyful life begins in the heart. What are we waiting for? The way is beckoning, so let us proceed.
Silence is the matrix of possibility — which may be found in every heart (between and beneath every heartbeat). Therefore, imagine the possibilities.
The “Word of God,” the “Law of God,” the very “Mind of God” — whatever we may choose to call that deep-seated sense of what makes life worth living, it’s also in the heart. And it invites us not to shame or self-criticism, but to curiosity and celebration.
No one is perfect, and even our heart makes mistakes. The proper response to our human fallibility is discernment: discerning that which is good is a key to a renewed life.
Since we are all imperfect, we may as well learn to be patient with our own wounds and limitations. Such patience emerges out of the heart, and invites us into the slow but life-giving process of transformation, from the inside out.
The greatest gift available to us in our hearts is love. Spiritual wisdom maintains that God is love: therefore, love is God. We do not have to earn or prove ourselves worthy of the grace of love: it is freely given. Receive it, and pass it along.
The most freeing present placed in our hearts is eternity. Eternity resides within us! Truly, every being embraces the eternal, so we can take our time: we have all the time we need, and always will. Relax and move without hurry; this is the initiation into joy.
All of these blessings weave together to point to one inescapable yet life-liberating truth — since even God is a gift found in our hearts, we are therefore one with God. This is the fullness of joy, and the destination toward which all paths direct us.
Now… as you cherish and acknowledge all these gifts given to you in your heart, what is your response? How do you plan to live a truly heart-full life?
I’ve received so much positive feedback for the “Contemplative Affirmations” that my friend Cynthia Hizer and I created (click here to see that post) that when I thought about these “Eternal Heart Affirmations” I thought they would make an excellent follow up post. Hope you find them useful.
These are adapted from the notes I kept when I was writing Eternal Heart: the Mystical Path to a Joyful Life. These affirmations themselves do not appear in the book, but they were guiding principles that I used as a sort of compass when I was writing the book. Because these began as personal notes, not intended for publication, they’re a bit rough around the edges, lots of repetition, that sort of thing. But I hope that what they lack in literary polish, they’ll make up for in being of some spiritual help to you.
