The Koru Center and our partners at iBme want to help you cultivate the essential ingredients for happiness in your life.
Author and teacher Stephen Murphy-Shigematsu writes this in his book From Mindfulness to Heartfulness:
“Our love of technology and faith in science is countered by the recognition that these will never provide what we need to live with meaning. We realize that no matter how advanced we become, regardless of how sophisticated our gadgets are and how many of them we possess, they will not give us the essential elements of a good life. A meaningful life is focused in the heart and filled with compassion and giving.”
—Stephen Murphy-Shigematsu
Stephen is pointing us towards what is one of the most important developmental tasks for young adults, but really all of us: Finding a way to cultivate a meaningful life for ourselves.
Mindfulness, this capacity to hold our attention with curiosity and kindness in the present moment, is most beneficial when we cultivate our hearts along with our minds. This means developing the kindness “muscle” alongside the attention “muscle.” Some folks call this practice “heartfulness” to emphasize the importance of these qualities of the heart.
As Stephen says, we don’t find our way to a meaningful life simply by thinking our way to it. Nor do we do it by buying more gadgets that promise us happiness. We get to it by cultivating the qualities of the heart, including generosity, kindness and compassion.
It takes time and practice, and skilled guides to help us develop these capacities. Many people never find their way there, and it is the lucky individual indeed who begins this journey in their 20’s, when they are making important life decisions about work and love.
Are you interested in developing heartfulness and learning to live with genuine connection and meaning? If so, please join us March 5-7, for our online retreat: Tending to Our Inner World: Cultivating Genuine Connection.
This 3 day experience will be led by iBme teachers Anthony Maes and Devon Cresci, gifted guides who will teach us to cultivate connection with our own hearts, and those of others, nurturing the heartfulness that leads to true meaning and purpose.
I will be there to learn from these great teachers and cultivate the powers of the heart. I hope to see you there.
Ready to share your mindfulness journey with others? Consider becoming a Koru Mindfulness Teacher! Learn More
