Sunday, March 21, 2010

Watching Jets on a Sunday Afternoon

One of these days I will just decide to be unafraid. 
I will buy a ticket, shake hands with the pilot
And find a window seat in Row J. 
And it will go like that: in a quiet resolve. 
The heat no longer brazen in my chest; 
The scattered and hurried thoughts absent. 
In its place will be a comfort, 
A knowledge that I beat the fear of death 
And conquered every bit of darkness 
That creeps under my skin. I will be only Light. 
And Light will take me anywhere I wish to go.

Friday, March 12, 2010

...

In the space between
where you end
and I begin
lies possibility.


Seeking Love

"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it" --Rumi

Rumi sets up what feels like a nearly impossible task. How are we to free ourselves from all the barriers against Love? How do we even know what they are? By the time we reach adulthood our DNA, our temperament, and our experiences create a mess of doubt, negative self-talk, and a belief that we must find in another, what we wish to be ourselves.

But, what Rumi tells us, is that once we open our minds and our hearts to receiving Love--rather than using it, denying it, or believing we don't deserve it--then Love will come.

Look inside yourself and understand what stands in your way of allowing Love in....and then simply believe in possibilities.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Where Science Meets Spirit: The Short (and Disorganized) Version

I don't remember exactly when my ideas about Spirit became clear, but I do recall being a curious child--often feeling anti-organized religion, even as I studied the Torah portion for my Bat Mitzvah in the synagogue. What I do know, is that at some point when I learned about atoms and molecules, the thought occurred to me that this is where G-d must exist. 

I understood, on a very basic level, that the energy of an atom never ceases to exist--that molecules can change form but energy is never lost. And if molecules and atoms made up every type of matter in the universe, well then, it seemed logical to me that Spirit must lie at the subatomic level.

What I learned, is that this idea has been pervasive in the science, religion, and new age sectors for years. What I've also learned is that often the difference between science, religion, and new age is a matter of semantics. What we call our ideas may differ, but in the end, the ideas are very much the same.

In monotheistic religions, like Judaism (of which I am most familiar), the overarching theme is that G-d is everywhere: omnipresent and omniscient. This all-knowing, all-seeing being exists within everything in the universe--much the same as matter makes up all things in the universe. 

Another aspect of the monotheistic G-d is creation. G-d created the universe and all things in it. The gift of life is creation itself, and understanding scientifically how sperm and egg meet to create new life is one thing--wrapping your head around how that connection then actually creates a new living creature takes a bit of faith. 

At a molecular level new life is even more intricate and amazing. Development relies on a series of DNA codes to form limbs, hearts, and lungs. On that subatomic level, a pattern emerges and life begins. Not just human life: animal life, plant life, astronomical life. These subatomic patterns exist in all living things, and science has always set out to understand how life works.

Before his death, Albert Einstein set out to discover the force which connected everything in the universe. Physicists studied his notes and began their own theories. One theory originally derived from Einstein's ideas is now called String Theory. 

In essence, String Theory is the idea that on a quantum level there exists a string-like form that vibrates. It is believed that this vibrational form is what connects everything in the universe--and there are different vibrations that create different forms of matter, and possibly even different levels of existence (think alternate universes or other space-time continuums). Now this is where I get lost, not having a a science degree, or even the right language to convey this information adeptly. But, what I do know is that it makes sense that all these things combined is where Spirit lies.

Semantics: G-d. Spirit. Source. Energy. Whatever you choose to call it, the idea is that Oneness exists. There is something greater than ourselves and within our Selves that exists. And different forms of creation: life, art, music, and movement is what connects our conscious minds to the subconscious, subatomic level where Spirit lies. 

And it is in that space where Time ceases to exists. Where possibilities are endless. Where intention plays a role in creating the life you want for yourself.

From here, other ideas begin. Thoughts in the mind are electrical impulses. A firing synapse is energy jumping across areas of the brain. This energy has a vibration. This vibration is released into the Universe, and because of the Law of Attraction--where like attracts like--what you think is what comes back to you. What you believe your reality to be, is what your reality is. And so, as a consciously aware, creative being within this Universe who is made up of atoms and matter and Energy, you are all-knowing, all-powerful--omnipresent and omniscient. It is you who holds the key to the grand universe. It is each of us alone, and all of us Together that create the Space we live in.

And that is at once humbling and powerful. 

Monday, March 1, 2010

Control

Releasing control. Perhaps it is the biggest form of freedom one can feel.
It involves Trust--Trusting that whatever will happen will be exactly what is Right for you.

Understanding the difference between the things you can control and the things you can't is the shortest road to happiness. If it it something you can control: like your own actions, words, or feelings--then you can take steps to remedy the situation.


If it is something you cannot control: time, other people, past events--then you must practice letting go, and must practice Trust.