Kokoro – align your heart, mind and spirit

In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan;
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am? —
If I were a Shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man
I would do my part, —
Yet what I can I give Him, —
Give my heart.

first and last verses of “In the bleak midwinter” by Christina Rossetti

It is tough right now in the UK, no getting away from it, even the most resilient are feeling the bleakness of this Covid midwinter.

Today I find solace in beauty, in particular in learning a new word to me, from Japanese.

TIL a Japanese word w/ no literal English translation

心 Kokoro – The intersection of heart, mind, & spirit that's a person’s essence, soul, or center. Instead of being treated separately, they are one.

eg. "She has good kokoro" = her heart, spirit, soul & mind are aligned

— Patricia (@_patriciamou) January 3, 2021

May you have “good kokoro” and bring that forwards in how you show up, how you lead yourself and others.

I leave you with the poem “In the bleak midwinter”, sung as a Christmas Carol. Such beautiful music can help us align our heart, spirit and mind.