by Lawrence Lefcort
It is so easy to become negative and heavy in daily life. We tend to take ourselves and our problems so seriously. It’s the little things as much as the big things that can set us off. How can we live lighter and happier in the moment? In every moment?
Since his birth, my five-year-old son has taught me a lot about not being serious. He is always looking to play. In fact, every moment of his life is play: from the moment he gets up, when he eats, when he draws, reads, runs around – it’s all about play.
His love of life and his love of play are the way he develops as a human being, the process by which he shapes his character, how he evolves into the being that is uniquely him. His innocence and joy contain no trace of ego, position, politics, race or religion. It’s the way we all should be. And can be.
Child heart represents the infinite potential in all of us to grow and develop as human beings. When we connect with our child heart, we become five years old again, with an unlimited world in front of us just waiting to be explored; an infinite amount of love to share; and endless possibilities to become the person we really want to be.
The teachings of Tao Sangha bring us back to the natural state of child heart. When we accept each other’s existence completely into our hearts, we realize the undeniable truth that we all share the pain of existence; that we have all experienced trauma in our lives. We have all made mistakes and acted in hurtful and foolish ways. There is no one on this earth exempt from it.
Coming together to share this pain and to wish that no one else will experience this pain is the key to unlocking the door; to healing ourselves and others. Child heart doesn’t mean looking at others like a parent looks at a child. It means looking upon others as a child looks toward its parents.
As children, we felt 100% responsible for whatever our parents were going through. If they were sad, we took responsibility. If they were happy we were delighted and felt so happy for their happiness. Living with child heart is at the core of all Tao Sangha practices: Tao Shiatsu treatment, Ki Shin Do, and Nembutsu chanting.
By encouraging and stimulating the child heart within each other, we take a great step toward transforming human relations on the planet and to creating a brighter future for us all.
There is a commonly held belief that as we get older we become less idealistic. But maybe it’s the opposite? Maybe as we lose our ideals, we become old?
May we all learn to continuously deepen our child heart and together create a future of infinite possibilities for everyone.
