Let Everything into your Inner Space

Since I returned from India I have spent a lot of time reconnecting with my family and hooking up with old friends.  These are situations that, in the past, had the potential to create stress, especially spending time with family.  Although I have been practicing yoga for over three years, I used to be preoccupied with protecting the benefits I received from my practice by putting a wall up around my inner space.  Whenever I felt someone or something threatening my peace, I would try to exclude that person or situation and contract.  I would also commonly do this in meditation, for example, if there were a distracting noise or smell.  Of course, this never really works because I spent more time thinking about trying to exclude the disturbance, or fearing that I would not be able to exclude it, than if I had just relaxed into it and let it be.

One thing I have been observing with respect to living with a peaceful inner space is the technique of inclusion versus exclusion.  When we exclude something, we contract.  If we include it, we expand.  Expansion will always bring more bliss and peace to your inner space.  And, expansion is always possible; just include everything as part of you. 

In the past, I tried to avoid the situations or people that I did not like, thought were unworthy, or was afraid might disturb me or hurt my sense of self.  And sometimes this is, of course, intelligent.  But, lately, I have found myself sharing my bliss with others instead of keeping it for myself.  I even find that I am running headlong—Repo Man style—into potentially difficult situations with a kind of strange enthusiasm.  I just decided to stop protecting my inner space and start sharing with others, even if I might get disturbed a little bit.  And really, I feel a great benefit in my life because of this process of inclusion.  I feel more love for others and less fear in me.  Before, when I tried to protect and avoid, I always felt fear that others would disturb me.  I was not free.  Now, I feel others cannot disturb me.  The truth is no one can hurt you unless you yourself allow.

I recently came across a very beautiful teaching of Osho and have been recalling it whenever I am having some problem:

Everybody has been a child, and everybody has the same urge to get love.  So all are asking, “Give us love” and there is nobody to give, because the other person is also only asking.  So be aware that just an incident of birth should not remain a constant prevailing state of your mind.  Rather than asking, “Give me love,” start giving love.  Forget about getting, simply give; and I guarantee you, you will get much.

The amazing thing about this technique is we do not need anything in the external environment to change in order to practice it.  We can let everything be as it is and radiate love.  

So, how can we experience and radiate real love?

A Video Discourse on Meditation Techniques for Experiencing Love