On Opening Up

Can you communicate your needs or thoughts to other people? Are you afraid of being vulnerable if others know what exactly is going on inside of you? Try to remember what has stopped you from opening up to others in the past. Why couldn't you tell your colleagues, friends and family your concerns, doubts and needs?  Do you feel that in doing so you undermine your image? Are you afraid that others will take advantage of you if you tell them about what really happens beneath the surface?

Whenever you try to create an image or carry an armor to protect yourself from the people you interact with, you are not in the divine Now. Sure, you have managed to do just fine thus far, but we we want to encourage you to open up completely to a magical world that awaits you. Right now you are thinking about what other people are thinking and are thus controlled by the voice in your head. Whenever you pretend, defend, project or hide, true communication and connection with your Self is undermined. Opening up takes courage but you have the Tao to help you with that.  Opening up to others is the way to override the conditioning of the past. As you let down the guard you see that the person next to you holds flowers in his hands and not a sword. The Tao will help you to fall in love with life and people again and regain your innocence.

You probably have an inner circle of friends and family who you trust but have learned the hard way that too much opening up will backfire, especially in a professional setting. Sure, gaining trust is a two way street and requires time and hard work. The Course in Miracles remarks, "The partly innocent can be quite foolish at times." Let the Tao teach you how to prosper while embracing life and de-emphasizing the voice in your head. The path of the Tao is a journey from yourself to your Self with the help of many, many friends. It has to be a process because the world you are facing right now is a movie of your own making. You attracted every so-called enemy and interference into your life, so you now have to figure out how to get ride of them. The good news is that unwinding the conditioning of the past is hardly a scary journey. The Tao will give you step-by-step instructions and you will realize that every missed step is just another opportunity to try again.

Open up to your friends, family, and anyone who life brings your way. Express your needs and concerns. See for yourself how the Tao rushes to your side as you open up. Step outside of your head, ignore your thoughts about what other people's agendas might be and just see for yourself what they end up doing. If you get bad vibes from others respect those as well and step away. Perhaps your friend just had a bad day and this issue is not really about you at all. Reconnect again after a while and try again. Rome wasn't build in a day either so keep on exploring and experimenting with your new-found attitude. Chances are some people will disappear out of your life, some will change their attitude towards you while most trusted connections will get even deeper. You know that your adjustment is complete when you are the same with everyone who comes your way. It is very liberating to drop the heavy armor and let the sunshine and warm breeze of air in. Have fun exploring - a magical world is waiting for you.


By Christian and Su Zhen