Shundo David Haye – Zen Priest

‘Being receptive to life is a place of practice. There is great power to be found in becoming truly receptive to the feedback the world gives us about our actions. And this begins with the feedback from our own body. 

In order for our actions to bear the fruit that we want, we need to get in touch with what our own bodies, other people, and life in general are telling us and learn how to take responsibility for how we are impacting others. We have to be sensitive to impact, which means that we have to be able to be receptive to feedback.

Pay close attention to how you respond in all interactions. Do you tense up when confronted by people who feel you have harmed them? Conversely, what does your body tell you when you have been harmed? Do you quiver with anger, do your shoulders rise up? If you then feel listened to, do you find it allows your body to relax? For myself, I have found that if I’m feeling tight in my chest when someone is sharing something with me, it’s an indication that I’m being defensive.  

When we are confronted, or feel the need to take a stand on our beliefs, it is tempting to shut out the feedback we get from life. We can often see this happen when it’s done by other people, but it is equally true of ourselves.’
(from Slow Down. Help Out. Wake Up.)