The small ruby everyone wants has fallen out on the road.
Some think it is east of us, others west of us.
Some say, "among primitive earth rocks," others, "in the deep waters."
Kabir's instinct told him it was inside, and what it was worth,
and he wrapped it up carefully in his heart cloth.
KABIR
The Kabir Book
Attending to the Small Ruby
Many people more easily connect to this inner gem by remembering a being whom they care for deeply. This can be a person or an animal. Sometimes recalling an incident when someone you love was hurt or in pain can touch off waves of empathy and care. Sometimes making contact with the feeling of being cared for or loved connects us with the life of the Heart made manifest. Deliberately recalling such incidents from time to time might begin helping you -- in the face of reason and disbelief -- to feel the truth of your own tender, open heart. Giving yourself the opportunity to work with this possibility is itself a reflection of your inner ruby. What have you got to lose? What might you learn if you simply offer yourself to this possibility?
Entering into the Life of the Heart
Now and again, over the next several days, give yourself the opportunity to pause and touch base with the "small ruby" inside of you. You might begin to pay attention, particularly during moments of sadness, separation, intimacy, or joy, to the texture of your "heart cloth" as reflected in the sensations of your chest. Without judgment, allow yourself the room to feel the presence of this inner gem. Be patient. This ruby may be protected or momentarily obscured; nevertheless, it is adamant, indestructible, always available.
Remember that we are learning to pay attention without self-judgment or discursive analysis. You might say that we are "rolling out the red carpet," welcoming -- beyond liking or disliking -- whatever enters the field of the heart. Offering ourselves such close and caring attention is itself liberating.
— Saki Santorelli in Heal Thy Self