omit none

Tomas and I were sitting outside on Broadway yesterday afternoon enjoying a cup of chai when a young man wearing a t-shirt walked by. The image on the t-shirt was of one of those standard admission tickets that usually has "admit one" printed on it, but this one said "omit none". This heart giggled... such a beautiful and perfect spiritual pointer! And so creatively delivered.

Omit none ~ that is the love that we are ~ the true love ~ all inclusive. All is welcome exactly as it is ~ everything and everyone. Whatever is here right now in our field of consciousness is holding this admission ticket. Just by the fact that it's here, its name is on the guest list! How simple is that?! Where is it welcome? In the heart. Everyone has noticed that the head doesn't truly welcome... it can welcome conditionally depending on the story that it may be running, but it isn't able to welcome unconditionally ~ no matter what... well, not until it uses its admission ticket and enters the heart.

This effortless welcoming, effortless allowing ~ there's no doing in this, there's no maneuvering, no thinking about it. It's very simple. It's either welcome or it's not. Either way it's clearly known, without a doubt. If there's doubt or hesitation or questioning, that means it's not being welcomed. So if there's awareness that non-welcoming is happening, that its admission ticket isn't being honored!, something that isn't the non-welcoming is noticing this. Awareness is aware of this, before the thinking mind comes in with its assessment and strategy. And that's all that is needed... aware of the unwelcoming. No story with that... just awareness.

It's usually the unwelcome people and situations and emotions that are noticed. Noticed because something sticks to them. The story of "who I think I am" or "what should be happening" or "what shouldn't be happening" is like a strong glue that holds everything in a prison. It doesn't allow life as it is to move through. It blocks the entry to the heart which causes suffering for all.

A simple remedy is always available... omit none! All that is here right now is welcome. Even step it up a bunch of notches. One of my all-time favorite quotes from The Power of NOW is this: "Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it... this will miraculously transform your whole life." Yes! That's the admission ticket.

Our friend Quan Yin, the Chinese Goddess of compassion, who is pictured here is just the same. She took a vow to remain here until every sentient being has been freed ~ to omit none.