States Of The Heart

"The state of one's heart inevitably shapes one's life; it is ultimately the place where everything is decided.
- A courageous heart will go forth and engage with life despite confusion and fear.
- A fearful heart will be hesitant and will tend to hold back.
- A heavy heart will make for a gloomy, unlived life.
- A compassionate heart need never carry the burden of judgment.
- A forgiving heart knows the art of liberation.
- A loving heart awakens the spirit of possibility and engagement with others.


The power of the heart's attitude is expressed beautifully in the New Testament: "Where your treasure is, there is your heart also."  And all through the Old Testament, God is interested only in the heart  - not sacrifices, rituals, or rules - only the heart.  Indeed, the mystical tradition would suggest the heart is beautiful precisely because it is where God dwells: the heart is the divine sanctuary."

John O'Donohue
A Book of Blessings
To Bless The Space Between Us

The Work of Christmas

"When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and the princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
to heal the broken,
to feed the hungry,
to release the prisoner,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among brothers,
to make music in the heart.

by Howard Thurman