by Darshana Atman
There was a time when I could stare endlessly into the night, and find myself lost within the stars. There was a curiosity then, of what this black canvas with cascading lights signified for my life. How small we are in comparison, how petty our affairs, and yet, how immensely important our thoughts and actions are. For even the smallest gear in a finely crafted timepiece can and will affect the whole.
We are seeking with our minds an identity; a role in which to play upon this stage of life. We want a purpose, and we call this act of seeking with open minds Spirituality. We believe some specific element of our being, maybe a soul, a thought, a specific cultivation of energy, might manifest the entirety of our purpose. The essence of spirituality does not lay in some fraction of our being; it resides in the intricate connections of all our parts. Just like the finely crafted timepiece, every element is important, but the significance is in how they connect. And we connect by sharing and receiving. It is not the objects that count, but the bonds between them.
We begin to see the echo of this philosophy in other spiritual mandates such as “…enjoy the journey, forget the destination.” The beginning and the end are of no matter, it is the path you walk that matters. Suddenly we are thrust into the harmony of holistic thought. When you begin to see the universe as a single song, connected infinitely through harmonious bonds, then the conflicts of separation and the duality of opposites lay aside, to allow the awareness of one unified and connected profundity of spirit. The practice of spirituality is in the awareness that the whole of things is not a static identification of relationships, but is instead the fluid interweaving of several ripples of expressions.
These expressions, every object, person, and even thought is like a droplet in the ocean. They are indistinguishable and having no comparison, have no conflict, but when you give them the idea of separation, like tiny bubbles surrounding their surface, these thoughts interrupt the single unity they once had with the rest of the ocean.
And so I ask the question, why when seeking spirituality does one look externally to the expressions that may come and go like outdated fashions? Would the heart of spirituality not lie within, much like the physical heart that dwells comfortably in our core? And although we cannot see our hearts, we feel their rhythmic beating sustaining life. To lose that feeling is to lose one's life, both physically and spiritually. If you are no longer aware of your heart, that muscle which conveys connections through your veins, then even if it continues to beat, you do not have life, you are not alive, and it makes sense that you would expend your energy seeking life outside yourself.
There are many practices and rituals with which we seek, all with their due purpose. Each is an expression of one multifaceted reality that is dynamically flowing into balance moment by moment. Will you surrender into this moment and allow its expression to fully engulf you? And will you just as easily let it go, so that you may welcome and accept the next expression given to you? Every expression is a moment of connection. Herein lies the significance of life.
Can you feel it, the connection that is ever present, like a shining light whose brilliance intermingles in your eyes? I look up at night toward the ocean of distant stars and I realize that even at their great distance, I am touched by their light. I am connected. Just as the vibration of a voice singing softly reaches my ears, so then the vibration of every expression is always touching, tingling, and yearning to be recognized. Our awareness of this eternal dialogue of connection is spirituality.
The actuation of spirit, to be in spirit, to be inspired, here our heart begins to beat. It is to breathe in and breathe out. It is to embrace and surrender. The manuscripts and scrolls of ancient times are not definitions but rather signposts to the actuality of spirit. The present moment and all its expressions is spirituality. For only in the present moment can you become aware of all your connections. Only in the present moment can you recognize the vibrations you are sending and the vibrations you are receiving.
Spirituality is the finely crafted timepiece that is always presently and fully aware of this moment and all of its connections.
Darshana is a licensed Holistic Health Practitioner and Instructor. He has traveled the world sharing his insights and learning from others. Darshana has taught hundreds of people to understand connection and communication with one another through this spiritual philosophy, writing, and artwork. He currently teaches private workshops through the Center for Connection, his dream of a holistic community center to facilitate the spiritual growth of San Diego. A place where yoga, meditation, massage, and a number of other holistic modalities and philosophies can come together. Please visit www.centerforconnection.com for more information. Help set the intention! Namaste.