In the last episode I spoke about "Enlightenment", as the experience of complete openness. Other people often use the term "clarity" to describe that state of mind. This is no contradiction to what I am saying. Just two different ways of looking at the same thing.

Now, "clarity" is a word I try not to use. Because it is too easily misunderstood and misused. Throughout history some people had a sharp, focused mind and a very clear sense of purpose, while burning human beings alive or sending them to the gas chamber. Atrocities like that occur when we refuse to open heart and soul and define ourselves as seperate from other living beings. Once we break down these walls, we can start to heal, as individuals and as a species.

Clarity itself is a consequence, not the cause. Openness, or lack thereof, is what makes all the difference. It will define what kind of person you are going to be. You can have good intentions. But if you refuse to open your heart and soul, then most of the time you will fall short of those intentions. That is our nature. We need to feel everything, otherwise we are easily deceived and become a danger to ourselves and others.

That's why the lack of openness is the cause of almost all man-made human suffering. Therefore the path to openness is the path towards healing. Of course treating a wound can be painful. But not treating it can be fatal, in every sense of the word. Openness is the only way to avoid the path of destruction and to achieve true clarity.

Today's exercise is still exploratory. This is necessary. If you want to plot a course, you first must know where you actually are.This one is very simple. You can do it as often as you want. Each time just honestly answer yourself the following two questions: Right now, am I willing to open my heart and soul, as much as I can even imagine? At this moment, am I ready to feel everything?