A New Day

The day is new, yet not many are up to enjoy it. Perhaps there are more than I think. Perhaps there are more people who are sleepless for reasons held within their hearts. Even though these reasons may be considered positive or negative by the opinionated eye, I think that these instances are neither good, nor bad. I do not condemn these sleepless nights when they occur because I consider them my body's way of telling me of its struggles. Or that the thoughts wisping around my subconscious have become so intense and focused that I need to wake stay up or wake up to fully realize what my life is offering me at the present.

I cherish these moments and I hope that I can continue to learn and heal within and between these moments in the future.

Namaste

The Journey

I wake from my sleep covered in light morning dew. I rise and take deep breaths of crisp air into my lungs. There is a path in front of me that leads to a sea that is barely out of view. On either side of the path are tall pine trees that reach toward the heavens. Above lies a deep blue sky with visual remnants of dissipating stars. I take another breath and begin to walk as I exhale.

This path on which I walk is the path of acceptance. The path will get rough in some spots, only to be followed by ever smoother ground. Each hill I conquer is followed by an even larger one. I will navigate this path until the path finally runs into the sea. It will be a long journey, but it will all be worth it once I reach the vibrant waters.



This is the sea of understanding. The water and the sky appear to be the deepest shade of purple, but which is mirroring the other, I have yet to determine. As I enter the water I realize that I can only wade for so long and in order to reach the next part of my journey, I need to fully submerge. I will immerse every fiber of my being as I use the water as a means with which I will travel. Although the current will push against me in some spots and threaten to pull me under, I will persevere. I will persevere because the only way to transition my acceptance into understanding is with great amount of dedication in times of struggle. Finally, I fully understand the reason that I am here, though the reason quickly escapes my mental grasp. Nevertheless, I continue on.

As I swim, tall cliffs come into view. They rise out of the water as trees sprout from the ground, and their presence seemingly demands a silent reverence. As I near one cluster, I see that they are climbable, but I am urged by some force to press further on. I pass many clusters. Some reach higher than the clouds, others seem to sit unseen on the water like enormous lily pads.

Finally, I see the cliff that has been calling to me since I entered the sea. It is gigantic and has small divots scattered up the cliff as far as the eye can see. As I draw nearer, I realize that these are small caves, though they look only habitable for a short while. They must be caves for resting and shelter when the journey gets rough, but as with all things; the resting has a sure end.

I reach the cliff and know that it is time for me to leave the sea of understanding and scale this massive cliff. A task of this magnitude would have been impossible before the sea, but the waters have made my being strong and willing. I take one last gulp of the waters of understanding and begin my climb upon the cliff of truth.



The cliff strengthens my being as I make progress, but tears at it when I falter. I have been climbing so long that my conception of time has been replaced by the clarity of truth. I no longer am ruled by time, or smothered by anxiety. Truth is the nutrient that satisfies my soul and brings hope to me when I falter. I stop to rest only a few times within the vacant caves. These times are filled with reflection, but I am always urged onward by the yearning for more. I pass cloud after cloud and I feel that I am getting closer to the culmination of my journey.

As I reach my hand further up, as I have done so many times before, I reach flat rock. I pull myself up to rest on top of this mighty cliff. I sit for only a short moment, before standing to walk toward the sun on the opposite side of the cliff. As I near the center of the cliff, I begin to see a shadow off in the distance. It is unmoving, yet I feel the life force calling me toward it. I am entirely consumed by hope as I near this figure. I quicken my pace to a run as my view of the figure sharpens into the form of a person. I slow to a walk when I am twenty paces away, but the figure does not turn. I continue until I am five paces away and I stop.

The figure finally turns and rises to greet me. There are no words exchanged, but I am immediately the subject to the gaze of knowing eyes. We embrace and I notice that this person has skin like the bark of trees, hair that is tough like the path of acceptance, tears that are surely from the sea of understanding, and a smile that is graced with truth. The one thing that strikes me about this person is the extreme amount of peace that I feel within the embrace.

The figure touches a hand to its lips and presses that hand to a spot in the middle of my forehead. I am enveloped in love. I close my eyes and completely give myself over to the sensation of love. As I open my eyes, I realize that the figure is no longer with me. I look around and I see a hazy figure in the distance from where I came. I begin to follow, but am immediately stopped by force, as if to say “No…stay”.

I turn back toward the edge of the cliff and sit down. The sky is painted with a myriad of colors that are sharpened by the sun. I cross my legs, close my eyes, and begin to meditate in the warmth of the sun. As I am engulfed in love and peace, I turn my head toward the sky and whisper, “Let the journey begin”.

Being Human

I am a human being. I am not just human and I am not just being. I will not reject the human aspects of myself, nor will I reject the being (spiritual) aspects of myself. They are neither good nor bad, they just are. My goal in this life is to integrate these two aspects of myself in a way that will allow me to share my core being with others through my human interactions. Many religions and faiths are focused on bringing out the being, while ignoring the human aspects of self. Although emphasizing the being is essential to growth, ignoring or rejecting the human aspects of life is misguided. In a world that so often nurtures us to only cater to our human needs, while ignoring our spiritual needs, it makes sense why religion and faith often aim to do the exact opposite.

However, by ignoring, rejecting, or condemning our human qualities, we will miss out on not only understanding Truth, but also in sharing that Truth with others. It is my belief that a spiritual path that integrates our human and spiritual qualities together will speak to the collective, rather than just a select few. Instead of telling people that the actions, thoughts, or urges that they have are wrong and should be rejected, we may reach more people by nurturing their being and showing them ways to integrate these thoughts, actions, and urges into this being.

We are part human and being for a reason and spiritual or secular paths that emphasize only one of these areas miss out on the true human potential. If we can find a path that integrates fully secular and fully spiritual aspects, then we may be able to make this world a better place. Rather than pitting science and religion against each other, why can’t we find common ground and build a synthesized foundation from there? Wouldn’t we benefit more from cooperation than competition?

Perhaps my views are idealistic and maybe even out of reach, but that is not an excuse for not striving to be better. The only thing that is certain is the present and if we use this present wisely, we may have a future that is entirely different than the present. If we live in the present, then there is no chance for doubt to smother our plans and actions that will create a better world.

Namaste