When we encounter the difficult ones like hurt or fear and acknowledge “this belongs,” there’s a natural sense of enlarging and more ease with what is moving through us.

The fear we are unwilling to feel controls and binds our life.

Our word “desire” comes from the Latin verb for “missing” or “longing”: desiderare, which means “being away from the stars.” Consider this: Every part of this universe is made of star stuff; our star is the source of our aliveness; its luminosity reflects awareness itself. All forms arise from that source and suffer when they feel separated from

I could not lie anymore, so I started to call my dog “God.” First he looked confused, then he started smiling, then he even danced. I kept at it: now he doesn’t even bite. I am wondering if this might work on people? • sant tukaram, seventeenth-century poet-saint, translated by Daniel Ladinsky

Sometimes our unwillingness to experience our feelings shows up as depression.

Trusting the gold is an intrinsic part of calling it forth.

AWAY FROM YOUR STAR

heard a story read at a Christmas Eve church service that really brought this home. One Christmas Day, a woman, her husband, and their year-old son had driven a long way before they found an open diner by the side of the road. It was quiet and almost empty, and they were waiting gratefully for their food when the little boy began waving from his

eyes. “You take care of this baby,” he said firmly. And as he slowly handed him back, “God bless you, ma’am. You’ve given me my Christmas gift.” She must have mumbled something in return, but as she rushed to the car, tears streaming down her face, she could only think, “My God, my God, forgive me.” Hearing this story, I felt a deep, aching remorse