The Jewish High Holy Days are next month. These are considered the Days of Awe. Awe is a sense of reverence and inspiration. In our chaotic, loud world it is sometimes challenging to find awe. Too much stimulus surrounds us, influencing our thinking and feeling, usually for the negative. It’s a wonder that we don’t collapse under the stress of everyday life, especially if you listen to the news much of the time. What the High Holy Days remind me is to look inward; to find my true self within the silence of contemplative thought. And since I believe that when you discover your true self you discover God, you can find God within the silence.
“God is never what you think…if you can think it, then it’s only a fraction or a reference. God is an experience, a feeling deeper than things and more than words. It is the shining light we can see anywhere and everywhere! The moment we say God is Energy, Consciousness, Love, or even Life, we apply a conceptual limit to something that is beyond words, beyond limits. That is why silence is a great place to find God.”
Jonathan Ellerby, PhD
God is energy or spirit or anything else you choose. Personally, I believe it is the energy of the universe that is within us as well as outside of us. It is everywhere, has no beginning or end, and is the force within life. The most powerful place to connect with God (or your inner life force/energy) is within silence. Silence is peaceful and still. It is where you can hear your heartbeat and notice your breath ties into the rhythm of the earth.
Imagine standing at the edge of an ocean, mesmerized by the ebb and flow of the waves. Some gently lap against the rocks; others come in more forcefully. Regardless of strength, the waves come in and then roll back out to sea. Countless living organisms ride this continuous cycle along with your body as if the energy of the earth is in sync with your breath by means of the motion of the water. As you watch the waves and witness the vast strength of the water, you are in awe. Awe is an emotion combining dread, reverence and wonder that is inspired by the sacred or magnificent. As you stand at the water’s edge soaking in this magnificence, you innately understand there must be a power greater than you, whether you call it God, Spirit, Energy or something else.
As you become present to the moment, you trust in your higher power and imagine casting the negative thoughts and feelings that weigh you down into the sea. Recognize that you are but one small component in this infinite universe. Open yourself up to receive positive energy, helping you focus on your breath, nourishing your body, mind and spirit.
In order to be, one must do. I believe a person’s life is about being the change they want to see in the world. It is about walking your talk every day through helping and truly listening to others with a nonjudgmental approach. It is about being kind and expressing gratitude. This, in turn, reflects in your overall wellness. Life teaches you to be the cause of your existence, not the effect, and that only you can shift your way of thinking to transform your feelings and behavior. This is the purpose of your superhero journey.
Be Present | Be Purposeful | Be Well
Am I disappointed? Yes. Had I really hoped I’d win, for once? Yes. Is this the end of my writing? Absolutely not. I have a message that wants to be heard so as to help others navigate their way through chronic dis-ease. I will continue writing and I’ll just have to figure out another way to publish it. I’m proud of what I accomplished with my book proposal and am even prouder of the actual book that’s almost complete. For my memoir writing class this week the topic was, “What most influenced you during this past year? Did it take you one step closer to fulfilling your Tikkun Olam?” I want to share what I wrote with you because it skims the surface of lessons I learned from this experience that motivate me to keep moving forward and I hope they do the same for you.
“Imagine a staircase going into your heart…” was how we began. At first I saw nothing. Slowly a circular staircase appeared and I cautiously took a step down. My imagination kept getting interrupted by my preconceived disparity between reality and visualization. Once I relaxed, my hand gently hovered above the rail as I descended the white, glass, smooth steps of a circular staircase. Down, down, down I went…suddenly yet gently arriving at the bottom.
the water, all I see is sparkling light. When I look a bit upward toward the horizon, I see a male rising from that shimmering light – my guide thinks this might be my future husband. Continuing to examine the light, I recognize that I am the sparkling light, and as I come to this realization the shadow figure shifts on the bench to one side as if to relax and say, “This is good.” Perhaps it is pleased that I finally see my true self: light reflecting in the water.