Open Minds and hands
“You think the only people who are people, are the people who look and think like you. But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you’ll learn things you never knew you never knew.” -Pocahontas (Disney)
We have become a myopic people with blinders on, only seeing what we want to see. We surround ourselves with like-minded people, listen to things we know we agree with, and we shut down everything we don’t. In our walled-off single lanes we walk with our heads down, steadfast in our determination with closed eyes, minds and hearts; with fisted hands we walk along not allowing access to our opinions, feelings, or thoughts.
What has all of this closed mindedness gotten us? Division. There are very few people who can stand to live, walk, or think in the gray. We are very black or white in our thinking. I don’t mean color, I mean steadfast in thinking a certain way and unwilling to entertain a different idea.
Being open-minded doesn’t mean to be wishy-washy in your values or waiver in your integrity. Being open-minded means to be OPEN to the idea that there are other ways to think, do, and be and that is OK. I’m not talking right and wrong, I’m talking loving and accepting the thinker of thoughts, the believer of beliefs, the doer of deeds. Being open-minded means you allow different ways of thinking. You can accept them as your own; or after chewing on them a bit, realize that you don’t want to swallow them but you still value the thoughts because you value someone outside of yourself.
Most of us have heard about and had discussions around being open-minded, it is not a new concept; however accepted or rejected it is. But what about being open-handed and un-fisted?
In yoga we teach that when you lie down in savasana and your hands fall down to your sides they will naturally go to the position you need. If your palms face down, you are needing to be grounded, if your palms face up you are in a receiving position. What if we went through life with our palms open, unfisted; either ready to receive or taking a moment to ground and center ourselves.
Open palms allow you to give as well as receive.
What if as a society we stopped punching our closed fists into the air, into other humans, into walls? What if we stopped being so divided and looked around and realized that the other person really isn’t that far away, and really isn’t that different.
As we go further into 2024, may we move toward each other with our heads close together so that we can share stories, thoughts, laughter, pain, sorrow; may we walk on our similar paths with our arms around each other instead of pushing each other away. May we hold hands and exchange warm accepting energy from our open, un-fisted palms.
Open minds lead to open hands and open hearts.