Resolutions (decisions, commitments, agreements) made in heart consciousness are easy to fulfill; that’s why they’re likely to last beyond January 12th. Heart consciousness is a state of mind that comes about as we practice appreciation and gratitude. It’s more or less that simple. I say, “more or less” because, looking at it from safety consciousness, it doesn’t seem that simple, so, if you’re thinking, “Nah, it’s not that simple,” you’re in safety consciousness. If you realize it’s that simple, you’re in heart consciousness.
No force is required
When we make resolutions after spending a few minutes contemplating or meditating in heart consciousness, our resolutions will not require force, there will be no internal conflict, and we will not feel anxious or pressured. All those concepts come from safety consciousness where we keep score, evaluate, compete, set boundaries, control, assert, plan, and manage the stress associated with doing these things.
Again, please don’t misinterpret my message. We do need to do those things at times. Life requires those behaviors for us to “take care of business” and make ourselves feel secure and be responsible. But instead of spending eighty, ninety, or one hundred percent of time thinking and behaving in safety consciousness, I’m suggesting maybe we spend fifty percent of time thinking and acting in those ways (maybe less).
The rest of the time, you live in heart consciousness. Appreciate what you do have—your capacity to love and be loved, the freedom to make choices, the food you eat, the water you drink, the bed you sleep in, and the health you enjoy. You don’t have to rely upon force to appreciate being alive. Instead, you practice presence.
What is presence?
Presence is being open-hearted in the moment, without comparison or judgment, being congruent in word and deed, accompanied by a hint of whimsy.
Why whimsy? Because being too serious takes us back to safety consciousness. As we access heart consciousness, we experience a different perspective, reverential, yes, but not serious. And whimsy is one remedy for seriousness.
Trying to access presence from safety consciousness is not easy. It is possible, but not the most natural path to presence. This is why I’m encouraging you to contemplate or meditate into heart consciousness—appreciation and gratitude—and from there, presence is within an eye blink.
If you don’t know how to access heart consciousness, consider joining the next Thrilled To Be Alive course I’ll be teaching. That’s a big part of what that course offers. And, in the meantime, you can practice sitting quietly for five to ten minutes, settling into your body, breathing from your heart, and thinking about the people and things in your life that you appreciate.
Or, you can allow me to guide you through a short meditation:
Please share below the resolutions you discover while in heart consciousness.
I would like to show my love more for my partner. I would like to amplify the sense of ease and security I feel about my finances when I’m in heart consciousness.
To share the gift of my total presence with myself and others – making myself, my resources and my gifts more available to me and therefore to others.
Connection!
Connection to myself, people dear to me, and to the world around me. Choosing with whom and how I connect. Choosing connection over isolation.
The resolution came very naturally while in heart consciousness. I just asked myself for my resolution, and the word popped out. It immediately resonated with me.
Thanks for this idea Jake!!!