Heart, mind, belly, action. They are all aspects and expressions of the same.
With a clear view comes kindness, a sense of unshakeable trust in existence, and a life lived from this. With an open heart, a receptivity of view and trust lived in daily life. With a deep sense of trust, a receptivity of heart and view, lived through our human life. (On the path, it often looks more messy and not so clear cut, of course. One may be more receptive than the others at different times. One or more of the others won’t follow so easily due to beliefs clouding it up. And so on.)
No wonder this is also expressed in our practice.
If the main aspects of our practice is inqury, devtotion, stable attention and living from all of these, we can see how they work together, and are really aspects and expressions of one process, one movement.
Inquiry is love of truth, a devotion to truth. Devotion is a love of God, reality, truth, and also a question: What happens when….? A stable attention is an aid for inquiry and devotion, and also a fruit of both. (Clarifying intention, reducing distractions.) All of these are naturally expressed in our daily life, and living it in daily life is inquiry and devotion, and is aided by a stable attention.
This is painted with very broad strokes and quite abstract, and are really just questions, something to explore for ourselves. Is it true that an open heart invites in receptivity and trust? Does beliefs cloud up and prevent receptivity, an open heart or trust? (What happens when I take a story as true? Who am I without that belief?) In what way is devotion also inquiry? (Is devotion also a love of reality and truth? Is it also an experiment to see what happens?) Does inquiry, devotion and trust lead to a more stable attention? (Does clarity, love and trust lead to fewer distractions?) If so, what are the dynamics as they appear in immediate awareness? (Is attention drawn to beliefs? Is attention equally drawn to them when there is more clarity around those stories? What happens to attention when love or trust is more present?)
……………….
Initial outline….
- inquiry as devotion
- inquiry as devotion (love of truth, God)
- devotion as inquiry (what happens when…?)
- inquiry and devotion lived in daily life (explore beliefs preventing us from doing so, or clarity, courage, maturity to notice and let go of identification with)
- stable attention as aid for all (inquiry, devotion, living it)