The greatest truths are too often forgotten. This book calls us back to one that is central to our happiness: If we cannot embrace our own frightened and vulnerable hearts, we cannot love our world.
Sadly, we are often at war with ourselves. More times than I can recount, people have shared with me the pain of their core beliefs. “Something is basically wrong with me,” they tell me. “I don’t feel worthy of love.” One woman captured her pain in a way that really struck me: “I am a disgrace,” she said with a mix of disgust and sorrow.
That word, “disgrace”—out of the flow of grace—speaks to the soul suffering of feeling inadequate, ashamed, or isolated. When we have turned on ourselves in harsh judgment and dislike, we lose access to our own natural intelligence, and we are cut off from our innate tenderness and openness. All that we long for—intimacy with others, peace of mind, feeling fully alive—is out of reach.
Living with Your Heart Wide Open offers a time-honored yet vibrant pathway for healing this core suffering of self-aversion. Steve Flowers and Bob Stahl are both dedicated, longtime practitioners of meditation and talented, wise mindfulness teachers. With great clarity and compassion, they introduce the principles and practices of mindfulness meditation in a way that is inviting and accessible. Their stories show us that deep emotional healing is possible, and their exercises and meditations allow us to engage directly in inner transformation. For anyone who is committed to opening beyond the trance of unworthiness, this book will be a valued friend and guide. May these teachings help you reenter the flow of grace and realize the freedom of your awakened heart.
—Tara Brach, Ph.D., author of Radical Acceptance