{"id":54900,"date":"2023-02-17T06:58:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-17T14:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/?p=54900"},"modified":"2026-03-31T10:37:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T17:37:31","slug":"heart-is-where-the-home-is","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/","title":{"rendered":"Heart Is Where the Home Is"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"54900\" class=\"elementor elementor-54900\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-section-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-10ea4f89 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"10ea4f89\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2b2f4cc2\" data-id=\"2b2f4cc2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-21545650 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"21545650\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>There\u2019s an old expression: \u201cHome is where the heart is.\u201d I prefer to say, \u201cHeart is where the home is.\u201d I repeat this silently as an affirmation whenever I am caught in self-doubt or when I\u2019m looking outside myself for validation. It is a potent reminder.<\/p><p>Buddhism teaches that things are always changing and that the only constant is our heart of basic goodness. We forget this, however, and we tend to close our hearts when we are feeling hurt or fearful. Nonetheless, our open-heartedness is always there, just under the surface of our hurt or fears.<\/p><p>I think of home as warm and inviting, but when my heart is closed, my home is dark and shuttered. I\u2019m unable to be compassionate, or I become defensive or critical. That\u2019s not the way I want my home\u2014and my life\u2014to be. It might take time, but with some effort I am eventually able to let the light back in, opening my heart once again.<\/p><p>Working with the physical sensations around my heart has been helpful. I have started a practice to check in with my heart throughout the day to see if it is open or closed. Here\u2019s an exercise for reopening your heart when it shuts down.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-df4d152 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"df4d152\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<h2>Breathing Exercise<\/h2><ul><li>Take a relaxed but upright seated posture on a chair or cushion. In taking this upright posture, notice if your chest is collapsed, and if so, gently open it. Let your shoulders drop down and back.\u00a0<\/li><li>Take some deep, nourishing breaths, from your diaphragm and into your chest.<\/li><li>As you inhale, notice your chest rising and pay attention to the area around your heart. As you exhale, let your chest relax without collapsing.<\/li><li>With a sense of curiosity, notice the sensations in your heart and the area around it. How does it feel? Is it clenched? Fluttery? Relaxed?<\/li><li>Continue to breathe deeply. As you do so, place one hand gently over your heart center, imagining that you are bringing warmth and light to that area, like you would light your home after you\u2019ve been away.<\/li><li>As you end this exercise, remind yourself that your heart is your home, and it is always available to you.<\/li><\/ul><p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3c30856 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3c30856\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5012521\" data-id=\"5012521\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0607463 elementor-author-box--image-valign-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-36008 elementor-widget-author-box\" data-id=\"0607463\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"author-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-author-box\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/bethspatterson.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"elementor-author-box__avatar\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/beth-6.18-e1589933754102-300x300.jpeg\" alt=\"Beth Patterson\" loading=\"lazy\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-author-box__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/bethspatterson.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-author-box__name\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBeth Patterson\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-author-box__bio\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Beth Patterson is a psychotherapist specializing in grief, loss and life transitions. In her work, Beth relies on Buddhist psychology, mindfulness based cognitive therapy and body-centered therapies. Her articles and ebook are available at www.bethspatterson.com. Beth is a longtime Buddhist practitioner and a student of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The author shares a favorite method for maintaining an open hearted awareness.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":95,"featured_media":54902,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[3009],"tags":[3404,3408,3414,3410],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Heart Is Where the Home Is - Nalandabodhi International<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The author shares a favorite method for maintaining an open hearted awareness.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"nl_NL\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Heart Is Where the Home Is - Nalandabodhi International\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The author shares a favorite method for maintaining an open hearted awareness.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Nalandabodhi International\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-02-17T14:58:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-31T17:37:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/012723.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1120\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"nirzhar\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Geschreven door\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"nirzhar\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Geschatte leestijd\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minuten\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"nirzhar\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#\/schema\/person\/04fb4e02c44508b9cf0276b6cc3bf56d\"},\"headline\":\"Heart Is Where the Home Is\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-02-17T14:58:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-31T17:37:31+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/\"},\"wordCount\":378,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#organization\"},\"keywords\":[\"compassion\",\"ego and self\",\"emotional intelligence\",\"mindfulness\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Articles\"],\"inLanguage\":\"nl\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/\",\"name\":\"Heart Is Where the Home Is - Nalandabodhi International\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2023-02-17T14:58:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-31T17:37:31+00:00\",\"description\":\"The author shares a favorite method for maintaining an open hearted awareness.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"nl\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Heart Is Where the Home Is\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/\",\"name\":\"Nalandabodhi International\",\"description\":\"Be Wise, GoKind, Live Fully\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"nl\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Nalandabodhi\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"nl\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/NBLogo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/NBLogo.png\",\"width\":785,\"height\":785,\"caption\":\"Nalandabodhi\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#\/schema\/person\/04fb4e02c44508b9cf0276b6cc3bf56d\",\"name\":\"nirzhar\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"nl\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fdb224ebe4968f3b7a64cb75a56a4a4e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fdb224ebe4968f3b7a64cb75a56a4a4e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"nirzhar\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Heart Is Where the Home Is - Nalandabodhi International","description":"The author shares a favorite method for maintaining an open hearted awareness.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/","og_locale":"nl_NL","og_type":"article","og_title":"Heart Is Where the Home Is - Nalandabodhi International","og_description":"The author shares a favorite method for maintaining an open hearted awareness.","og_url":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/","og_site_name":"Nalandabodhi International","article_published_time":"2023-02-17T14:58:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-31T17:37:31+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1120,"height":630,"url":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/012723.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"nirzhar","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Geschreven door":"nirzhar","Geschatte leestijd":"2 minuten"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/"},"author":{"name":"nirzhar","@id":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#\/schema\/person\/04fb4e02c44508b9cf0276b6cc3bf56d"},"headline":"Heart Is Where the Home Is","datePublished":"2023-02-17T14:58:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-31T17:37:31+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/"},"wordCount":378,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#organization"},"keywords":["compassion","ego and self","emotional intelligence","mindfulness"],"articleSection":["Articles"],"inLanguage":"nl"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/","url":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/","name":"Heart Is Where the Home Is - Nalandabodhi International","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#website"},"datePublished":"2023-02-17T14:58:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-31T17:37:31+00:00","description":"The author shares a favorite method for maintaining an open hearted awareness.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"nl","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/2023\/02\/17\/heart-is-where-the-home-is\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Heart Is Where the Home Is"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#website","url":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/","name":"Nalandabodhi International","description":"Be Wise, GoKind, Live Fully","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"nl"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#organization","name":"Nalandabodhi","url":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"nl","@id":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/NBLogo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/NBLogo.png","width":785,"height":785,"caption":"Nalandabodhi"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#\/schema\/person\/04fb4e02c44508b9cf0276b6cc3bf56d","name":"nirzhar","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"nl","@id":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/fr\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fdb224ebe4968f3b7a64cb75a56a4a4e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fdb224ebe4968f3b7a64cb75a56a4a4e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"nirzhar"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54900"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/95"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54900"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54900\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":74511,"href":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54900\/revisions\/74511"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54902"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54900"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54900"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54900"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}