A little input from higher power?

I subscribe to the Tricycle Daily Dharma, and today it had this to say about what is needed in order to challenge "the whole identity of your life:"

"...The strength that's needed is the courage of heart to remain undefended and open, a willingness to touch the ten-thousand joys and the ten-thousand sorrows from our compassion, the deepest place of our being. This is a different kind of fearlessness, which requires as much or more passion and fire."

-Jack Kornfield, "The Sure Hearts Release"

So I guess that's today's input from higher power regarding yesterday's post about my struggle with deep connection and intimacy with Husband.

So the next thing I'm wondering is how to be undefended and open and still maintain healthy boundaries. What is the right balance between those two things?