Thoughts on an Easter Sunday. In the Judeo-Christian sacred tradition, this past week is celebrated as a time of joy and renewal. To Jews it is a time of remembering how they were freed from bondage by divine intervention and given the books of the law and the 10 Commandments. To Christians, it is a time of wonder and joy at the resurrection of Christ who rose from his tomb to live again.
There is also a long pagan tradition about celebrating the renewal and the coming of spring and the return of nature from its winter slumber. Indeed, this is one of the most ancient beliefs, as it is so tied to our survival: agri-culture, farming, and abundance in the warm seasons with enough to keep hunger at bay through the desolate winter.
This week I found myself thinking about the other side of life: the spiri-tual, the life force, the “chi”, and our connection to the universe and the web of life.
When I was young I had great faith in the force of the will and our ability to create our own reality. I was an artist and painted and drew and was very creative. As I have aged, responsibilities and obligations have taken over my life, as I’m sure you can all understand and identify with. Kids, work, community, and the needs of others fill all my time and thoughts. But deep down, somewhere, is still the belief in and the knowledge of the greater reality.
We do create our own reality, literally. To examine your beliefs is to see the roadmap for your life. The spiritual universe is a living matrix to be seeded with our thoughts and beliefs. But what happens when we lose touch? When we become lost in the wilderness of responsibility, labor, and materialism? Do we still create our reality then? The answer: yes.
Imagine you are on a powerful horse. The horse can take whatever direction you give it, but you are unsure of what direction to go, insecure, afraid of failure. You drop the reins. The horse continues to gallop nevertheless, but it goes from one direction to another, stumbles, may slow down to a crawl, moves without purpose. How much better to pick up the reins and realize that it is you who needs to courageously guide it in the direction you want to go. As with the horse and rider, so with our lives. We stagnate, we live in fear and insecurity, we become immobilized, we feel like victims. But the point of power is in the present, it is within each of us. It is within you. Can we face the power and responsibility of controlling our own lives? It is not easy, in fact it is very difficult at times, but the rewards are great.
And so, on this special Sunday evening, I realize that I need to get back in touch with that part of myself that knows these truths, and that has the courage to act on them.
I wish you all a joyous and productive spring, no matter what your faith or your beliefs. May good things blossom for you, and may love and peace sweetly scent your days and nights, and beauty delight your eyes in this season of miracles.
TTFN.
