A single thread over a lifetime.

There’s a thread you follow.
It goes among things that change.
But it doesn’t change.
People wonder about what you are pursuing.
You have to explain about the thread.
But it is hard for others to see.
While you hold it you can’t get lost.
Tragedies happen; people get hurt or die;
and you suffer and get old.
Nothing you do can stop time’s unfolding.
You don’t ever let go of the thread.
~William Stafford, The Way It Is

There is a thread in life that moves through you and in you. We notice it most when we are fully present and embodied, in moments of fullness and joy. This thread is to be the person we are called to be in the world, the person we see in ourselves inwardly, but don't manifest outwardly. 

There is an ancient notion that each of us has an innate genius that is waiting to be recognized and expressed. The Buddha called this innate genius, which is the nature of our own mind, the tathagatagarbha, or buddha heart. 

When we are introduced to this idea of innate genius or our buddha heart, it comes with exalted images and big ideas. We'll be buddhas after all, then we can really do something meaningful and important. Our buddha heart encased in the shroud of self is forever held back and limited. We sense this notion of opening up to something greater, but get caught up in our own self-limiting talk and fear. Hold on to what we know, or open up. That is the tension that we always carry. 

Sensing this innate genius present in us, we have feelings of uniqueness and yearn for authentic ways to express ourselves and to be in the world. This thread of insight into our true nature runs through our whole life, but it takes a lifetime to work through. This thread is always unfolding, and yet we always feel tied up.

In the moments where we recognize our innate buddha heart, we experience freedom and complete openness to the world around us. In that space, we recognize the tremendous responsibility we have and know that the hardest work to accomplish is not outside ourselves, but working through the practice of trying to carry that presence and responsiveness into every area of our life.

In the beginning, we struggle because we can't seem to grab this thread that is our own innate genius or buddha heart. Once we do grab it, we struggle with how to carry that into our life.