• Sweet surrender
• The self is not to be shaped
• Surrender all but innocence
• A tale of surrender
• Selfishness
• Unfolding the Guru within
• Change of details
• Song lyrics of surrender
• Being Open

Sweet Surrender
This newsletter is about surrender - a word that is often misunderstood. It is not about giving up. It is about first recognising and then accepting what is being revealed to us in the moment. Synchronicity (apparent coincidental chance happenings) is not something that happens every now and again - once in a blue moon.
It is all around us. It is a constantly flowing stream.
We are synchronicity - or at least when we choose to be.

Desire, need and ambition are all products of the lower mind locking us into an isolated illusionary world divorcing us from the truth. To surrender these and to follow the heart, we have to confront our fears - "will there be enough money?", "am I able to stand alone?", "what will my friends and colleagues think?"

When we surrender the need to shape the world around us and when we overcome our fears, we become as one with the natural energetic flow of the universe and life becomes truly magical:

"Be sure of one thing, the 'IS' imagined it quite a bit better than you or I"

The Self is not to be shaped

”The self is not to be shaped,
it is to be discovered.
It is not to be desired, wished or prayed for,
its true beauty is to be found in the mystery
unfolding out of the moment.”
Openhand

Surrender all but innocence

This poem was written for Openhand by a dear friend. Enjoy...

"Hold out the palm of your hand
in innocence,
give everything.

In return…….
a gentle breeze sends you a solitary snowflake
white, in all its perfection.."
Read more

The universe works for you when you follow your heart -
a tale of surrender
I have a great friend. When we met her life situation was not good. She was in a relationship that she knew didn't work and was doing a job that didn't suit her. Over the years she had amassed a credit card debt of £40,000. She had succumbed to the endless subliminal messages of highly paid marketeers selling lifetsyles. No surprise really - that's what their job is and they are very good at it. The whole of the industry is geared to convincing us that something "out there" is an adequate replacement for something "in here".

We meditated on the issue together and discovered the ONLY reason she continued in the relationship was because of the free accommodation and the ONLY reason she continued in the job was because it serviced her debt. The one thing that stopped her leaving it all behind was her attitude to bankruptcy. She stayed in this place for several years getting more and more miserable. Eventually however, one day the penny dropped. Finaly she realised she was not responsible for the debt. She had been conditioned by society. Together we overcame the illusionary stigma associated with bankruptcy and she was able to let go of the fear and self judgment within.

After that she went bankrupt. The debt was written off at a stroke. Within 1 week she had moved out of the flat and found temporary accommodation with a close friend. She gave up her job. While reflecting on what to do next, by chance (!) she bumped into a guy who she realised was her soul mate. They fell in love at first sight. Within a year they were married. She enrolled at the local university on a course that truly inspires her. They are now expecting a baby and are thrilled by it. When you meet her now, she positively glows from every pore.

It just goes to show, the universe works for you when you follow your heart.

Selfishness
When I advise people to follow their heart, they often say 'is that not selfish?'
My answer is that there are two types of selfishness, that of the mind and that of the heart. Selfishness of the mind is derived from desire and fear and is truly selfish. Selfishness of the heart however is about surrendering to the one self, the universal soul, the purpose of which is to reveal the full beauty and splendour of everyone of us. How can that be selfish?

"Unfolding the Guru within" 4 day course 10-13th November

What if distorted behaviour patterns prevent you unfolding your full potential in life?
What if you could unlock the divine code that reveals the true gifts they conceal...
and by using these gifts, the universe works tirelessly to unveil the life you were born to live?

“Unfolding the Guru within” is a transpersonal development course offering a powerful process called “Openhand Spirit” to constantly reveal the full beauty and truth of the inner self which you can apply to every day life. To read more... click here

Change of address details

Openhand has recently moved. The new contact details are:

Openhand
Plas Taliaris
Llandeilo
Carmarthenshire
SA19 7NL

Tel: 07730 777532
email: info@openhandweb.org

Song lyrics of surrender - "Bad" by U2

As I began writing this newsletter, the following song came on the radio. Synchronicity or just coincidence?

"If you twist and turn away
if you tear yourself in two again
if I could, yes I would
if I could, I would let it go
surrender..."
read more

Being Open

Most people live their lives in a virtual prison shaped by illusionary goals, desires, ambitions, worries and fears. But when we realise that we are not in a prison, rather the prison is inside of us, then we have the opportunity to open the cage and walk right out.
When the mind is open, the heart begins to open. Then we feel a natural energetic pull taking us in a certain direction. The direction is that which unfolds more and more of the divine beauty that we are. It is so compelling that we realise this freedom of action is all that is required of us. It is all we need. We don't need to plan our lives at all.

May you too enjoy the freedom of an open mind and open heart.

Chris Bourne