The Ability to Pour Forth
Ajahn Sucitto: “Another very important quality of heart — we sense this as an aspect of what we might call love — is the ability to pour forth, to bring forth, to give.
“We can do this in our work: we want to really give ourselves to something we really care for or are interested in. Or to another person, to give to a child or to a partner: we want to really offer something from ourselves.
“And in puja [spiritual devotion] or in making commitments to one’s spiritual training or one’s practice: you really want to give yourself to the sacred — however that’s configured.
“And that’s quite important. To actually extend the range of that. So we give ourself to our duties, to our relationships, and even to the earth — how can we support, look after, and care for the earth — and to the sacred.
“So: How do I offer myself, open my mind, open my heart — to truth, virtue, beauty, clarity, purity…to those resonances.
“Can I reach to that range, which is ungraspable.
“If it’s graspable, it turns into dogmatism, believe systems.
“If it’s left un-grasped, it turns into this infinite opening of heart. It’s a very beautiful form of spiritual love.
“This is something definitely to get a handle on, to train in. Because it’s for one’s deep fulfillment — this pouring one’s self into.
“We long to do that. For most people this is expressed in one’s vocation. Or in their relationships. Or in their parenting. Or even in the way they look after a piece of land or something. They empty themselves into that.
“And there’s a lovely richness in that. We don’t lose, we are actually gained by the giving, enriched by the giving.
“This is a very important feature of practice.”
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(from this talk by Ajahn Sucitto, beginning at about the 25 minute mark)