The Open Hand Image represents for me a hand open to give, as well as open to receive. Out of living with open hands comes fresh new openness for growth and development.
Living with open hands is an expression of an open mind, open heart, and open will.
Living with Open Hands
But this begins with being fully present and learning to See and Hear at a deeper level. Open eyes see the basic goodness in every person and everything in creation. Not only does living with open hands bring forth beauty but it is also the source of the passion of compassion. The flames of love are not stifled as with a clenched fist, but are fanned into all-consuming, all-embracing, all-inclusive, unconditional love, inevitably inviting the descent of the Dove of Peace.
There are two distinct approaches to living life:
Open hand living
or
Clenched fist living
Our hands are an expression of our heart and mind, our inner self.
As an artist expresses the inner self . . .
As a warrior expresses the inner self . . .
As a villain expresses the inner self . . .
As a thief expresses the inner self . . .
. . . Through the hand,
So do we in our every action, interaction, and re-action
To people and to life
“Think of the difference between being confronted with a clenched fist and being offered an open hand. The clenched fist signifies threat, rejection, arrogance, exclusion, refusal, anger and violence. The open hand means friendship, help, peace, sharing, communication and connection.” (fr. Vivian Boland)
“The holiest thing we have to offer the world is a broken-open heart, emptied of fear and vengeance, filled with forgiveness and willing to take the risks of love.” (Parker Palmer, Politics of the Brokenhearted)
Clenched fist living contrasted with open hand living
| Clenched Fist | Open Hand |
| Threat | Invitation |
| Hidden | Revealed |
| Uptight | Relaxed |
| Defensive | Inquiring |
| Stagnation | Open System |
| Barrier | Connection |
| Sees Limits | Sees Possibilities |
| Energy Bottled-Up | Energy Released |
| Closed Mind: knows all, opinionated, full of certainty | Open Mind: always learning, inquiring, anticipating |
| Closed Heart: guarded, controlled, fear | Open Heart: embraces change, diversity, people |
| Conquers / crushes risk and the unknown | Embraces the unknown and seeks new possibilities |
| Competition | Collaboration |
| It is all about ME | It is all about ALL |
Living Life with Open Hands
is an outward expression of the inner work
of opening the heart, mind, and will.
This opening up requires open eyes and open ears
that see and hear with the heart
. . . a “Seeing” (and “Hearing”) that goes beneath the surface of
actions, reactions, and interactions,
habits and conditioned responses,
mental models and assumptions,
. . . to the heart below the surface.
With this openness, we “See”
with new eyes at a deeper level
into ourselves, other people, organizations,
communities, and systems.
This inner work is then expressed outwardly
by living with open hands;
welcoming others and life,
giving and receiving openly,
living in community.
Living with open hands
is not a series of notions
nor is it a system of belief.
It is a way …
expressing oneself in action.
It is a way …
a spiritual discipline that can deepen the spiritual life
It is a way …
expressing oneself clearly and visibly in
integrity, equality, simplicity, community, and peace.
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